The Best Hotels in Crete

"Cayo’s boho charms are the perfect match for the sparkling seas and near-deserted beaches of Elounda, the laidback fishing village where shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and his jet-setting pals once loved to hang out. On a low hill looking out over the Mirabello bay to Spinalonga, the leper island of Victoria Hislop's best-selling novel, public areas are decorated with a magpie-haul of beautiful objects brought back by its globetrotting owners on their various trips overseas and are linked by a funicular whose glass cabins give stunning views over the bay. Light-filled rooms, suites and villas have gleaming blonde-wood floors, plump Coco-mat beds and terraces. Families will love the Cayo Grand Pool Villa with its basement bedroom that has a Bond-style underwater window looking straight into the villa’s sparkling pool. There’s also a (free) shuttle bus that carries guests down to the small sandy beach. Price: from $296 per nightAddress: Plaka, Schisma Elountas 720 53, Greece"