Mirabello Bay Luxury Resort | Hotels in Worldwide

Less than an hour’s drive from Heraklion airport lies the ideal headquarters for exploring Crete – Mirabello Bay Luxury Resort, perched on a prime stretch of coastline, with two private beaches at its disposal. It’s divided into two sides – the main resort and, across a little pedestrian bridge, a village of villas designed in traditional local style, some of which come equipped with their own private pools. Kids love hopping on golf carts to get around the place, particularly when they are dropped off at the impressively massive water park, an aquatic wonderland equipped with three brilliant flooms, a playground filled with hidden fountains and a bar where they can perch and have a juice in between splashing themselves silly. Wise parents will choose this moment to take it in turns to pay a trip to the Mirabello Spa, an oasis of relaxation where you can get a massage that feels like it takes ten years off you, followed up with a well-deserved laze in the heated pool. Out by the pair of beaches there’s a watersports centre where you can set up to go snorkelling, diving, banana boating or – most excitingly for nippers – head out on a speedboat tour. These trips, run by super-charming staff, take you out as far as the age-old fortified island of Spinalonga, past an imposing cliff where it is said that a pirate bounty has been buried, and then on to a beautiful empty bay where everyone will enjoy jumping off the boat and swimming in cerulean waters. Perhaps equally as exciting from a kid’s-eye view is the snack station by the beach where they can scoop out their own dream ice-cream combination whenever they want. There are also plenty of more substantial options. Bay Grill does lovely barbecue food and Elia restaurant offers super chilled Italian dining, with little breakout areas where the kids can relax and trail their feet in water while waiting for the pasta of the day to arrive. The resort’s Kafenion restaurant makes a specialty of authentic Cretan dishes, enjoyed in sharing style on a terrace under the stars. And for a really extraordinary experience, you can book a special wine-tasting at Spilia, a natural cave where a sommelier will take you through a flight of superb Cretan wines, matched with juices for the kids and plenty of fruit, cheese and cold cuts for everyone. A five minute drive from the hotel lies Agios Nikolaos, a lovely seaside town filled with arty shops where you can potter round and pick up some mementoes until the kids start to flag. Revive them with a cold drink at one of the cafes that hug the beach, where they can play in the sand while you take in the views. Bliss. - Timeout