Eagles Palace, Ouranoupolis, Greece - Explore & Book
"This contemporary-cool beach resort on the Halkidiki peninsula of mainland Greece offers all you could possibly want from a sunny holiday. There's a golden sandy beach lapped by shallow warm waters; great for paddling or snorkelling amongst silvery fish. There's a big heated pool with a swim-up bar (don't miss the frozen cocktails), plus a splash pool for little ones. There's even an open-air theatre for entertainment under the stars. Lovely bedrooms are decked out in seaside-bright shades, with space for 2-4 people, and sea views if you splurge. And there are 4 different restaurants, plus snacks at the beach bar for laid-back lunches. But the best thing about Eagles Palace is the tranquility and sense of space – there are over 150 rooms, but you'd never know it. Thanks to oodles of communal space, nowhere feels crowded, and the resort actually feels quite compact to stroll around; one reason why it has the Small Luxury Hotels stamp of approval. Staff are faultless – everything is done with big smiles. And whilst you can tear yourself away to visit the Mount Athos monasteries and Amouliani island, don't feel that you should. Take advantage of the superb childcare so you can slip off for a hot-stone massage or go wake-boarding, then have dinner as the sun descends into a blazing orange sky. Highs A stunning natural location, but just 2 hours from Thessaloniki (direct flights from Europe) Wonderful staff run a tight ship and constantly surprise with sweet little gestures Gourmet-Greek flavours in the upmarket Kamares restaurant; think fish roe with carob-bread, shrimps and sea fennel A long, beautiful beach with calm clear waters and tiki-shaded loungers – there are lots more loungers than guests The awesome Kids Clubs: paddle-boarding and water-skiing for older children, cooking and collage for toddlers, and film nights for all at the open air theatre Lows Larger than most i-escape hotels, with over 150 rooms – though they're nicely set amongst olive and pine trees; for more privacy, head up the hill to smaller sister resort Eagles Villas The cheapest rooms are quite small; for longer stays, we'd recommend a Suite or a Bungalow We found the food at Melathron, where you eat if you book half-board, less good than the other restaurants Drinks are expensive by Greek standards" - Liz Simpson
