Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa

This was my first time in Crete. The Staff from Cayo Exclusive Hotels made our stay awesome. Everyone so kind und made us feel like home. Such a hospitable place. We are very thankful to everyone that contributed and make our stay unforgettable. Very clean, the breakfast incredibly tasty with an awesome view. So, if u have the possibility to book this hotel, don’t think twice. You won’t regret it 🤍

Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa ia a beautiful Hotel. Although we arrived after 1am Alex at reception made us feel welcome and showed us to our room where there was fruit, baklava water and a bottle of wine. ||We had an Executive room with private pool which was a bit chilly but had beautiful views across to Spinalonga Island. A lovely private place to relax and unwind. We were in room 208 and had sun on our terrace until around noon.||The staff deserve special mention who without exception went out of their way to make our stay as comfortable and memorable as possible. The level of service was consistently outstanding.||The food was very good. Breakfasts were generous, with plenty of variety, We were on a bed & breakfast basis but had a couple of meals in the hotel for lunch and dinner. We also ate in a couple of restaurants in nearby Plaka where there is plenty of choice of lovely bars and restaurants. This is a short walk down the hill but a shuttle is available if required where you can also find the private beach and beach bar.||We could not fault this hotel and can hopefully return at some point in the future!!

We’ve had an excellent 5 night stay here. The hotel is superb and very peaceful at the end of the season. The rooms are top notch and we had an executive suite with private pool which was definitely worth having (and paying for additional heating). Outstanding views and a lovely walk down into Plaka where there are plenty of excellent restaurants to sample. For the full experience, hire a car to explore Elounda, Agios Nikolaos and some stunning beaches. Staff are all very friendly and attentive, so can highly recommend a stay here.

We had an amazing time at Cayo with our infant. The room was stunning, so much space, well designed and the pool was delightful. The twice daily cleaning was exceptional. They left little treats in our, loads of water and kept the place immaculate. We had half board, the buffet breakast and dinner were great. It varies pretty much every day for dinner and some off the dishes were delicious. They alwsy had a lovely grilled fish or meat and loads of sides. They keep everything well stocked, have delicious oils and sides. The breakfast was wonderful, so much choice, from a menu or the various buffet choices. I've been to a fair few buffets and this was high up there. The drinks and the cocktail bar were grear for a drink. It has great wine menu with some lovely choices. The pool areas are well spaced and relaxing. It's a short walk into to town which is small but has a nice few restaurants. My wife did have a massage which she said was just okay and it was expensive so that was probably the only downside. I would certainly recommend Cayo as a stunning hotel where you can enjoy a little bit of luxury.

Location in is amazing set in the hills so the views are incredible, we booked a room with pool, but point to note £60euros per day to heat it, which was a bit disappointing, however the room was large and very comfortable, the bedroom is separated by a partition so there is a lot of lights at night from security lights. The staff are wonderful nothing to much trouble, we stayed half board this is buffet style but top quality food, no completes at all. There is a free shuttle service to a private section of the beach which is pebble but it us decked and really comfy bed and full bar service.

Modern , beautiful hotel in the hills of Plaka. |Hotel and rooms , spotlessly clean. Lovely rooms , I think all with a pool . Beautiful bedding , changed regularly and towels changed twice a day . |I really enjoyed the buffet food. A different menu every night . The only fault I can find is that the food could have been hotter. But I have found this in many European restaurants.|All the staff were so friendly, nothing was too much trouble for them . |The village of Plaka is a delight . Small with lovely restaurants, bars and shops . |It’s within walking distance, although the hotel will shuttle you up and down with no problem. |Would love to go back again.

This was our second visit and we were glad we made the decision to return. We stayed in an executive room which was spotlessly clean. The room was very comfortable, with plenty of space. Apart from sleeping, we spent most of the time outside on our balcony/patio area and making use of the brilliant infinity pool. The views from the rooms and from the hotel in general are incredible, and if you are looking to swtich off, and relax, this is the place to be. ||We had breakfast included. The choice at the buffet is incredible and you can also order eggs from a menu, these are cooked by the kitchen and brought to your table. We also had lunch in the Sage and Thyme restaurant 4 or 5 times, which is in a fantastic position by the pool. The quality of the food is excellent at Sage and Thyme, but the restaurants in Plaka are a good alternative if you're looking to get out of the hotel for an hour. A special mention for Margarita, who looked after us at breakfast and lunchtime. Her warm welcome and attention to detail helped make our holiday a special experience. In general the staff do a fantastic job.||We ate out in the evening in Plaka and Elounda. The taxi to Elound is 11 Euros. We often returned to the hotel to enjoy the Veranda bar. It was quite quiet on some nights, but the music choice was good, and the seating area consists of big comfy sofas and chairs, and with Spinalonga a short distance away, it felt very exclsuive.||We had a few issues during our stay, which were quickly and professionally handled to our satisfaction, and the guest relations and reception team did all they could to put things right as quickly as possible. ||We will be back for sure.

This is a stunning destination with incredible views. The overall design of the hotel is beautifully done – classy, modern furnishings and attention to detail throughout, from bedrooms to poolside bars, restaurants, gym and yoga suite. The yoga studio’s outdoor deck is especially impressive.||Staff & Service|The staff were superb – genuinely warm, friendly and helpful almost without exception. Special mention to the bartender at Avra, who made excellent cocktails and clearly knew her craft.||Food & Drink|Cocktails and local wine were excellent, but a word of caution: “Happy Hour” timings are unclear, and at €14 a cocktail it’s worth double-checking. Breakfast was largely brilliant – fresh fruit, yoghurt, and good pastries. Omelettes were fine, but the Eggs Benedict were disappointing. The hot buffet didn’t tempt us, so can’t comment there. The queue for the fresh orange juice machine was a daily frustration – a second machine would really help.|We had booked half board and wished we hadn’t, flexibility would have been better. The buffet was plentiful, with lots of fresh salads and desserts, but hot dishes were sometimes lukewarm and menu planning felt inconsistent. That said, we still enjoyed most meals. Kelari, the à la carte restaurant, was by far the best dining experience – superb food, though the €20 half-board allowance doesn’t go far. The evening buffet was €45 per person, per night if we hadn’t booked half board. ||Rooms|Our room was immaculate. Housekeeping was very friendly, if occasionally over-zealous – “Do Not Disturb” signs only bought temporary peace. Towels were changed daily, sometimes twice, which felt excessive compared to most eco policies. Dressing gowns were a little rough for a hotel of this level. The bathroom was excellent with a great shower and double sink, though a wardrobe light would be useful (and yes, the toilet echoes!)||Coffee, tea and water bottles were generously refreshed, with plenty of Nespresso pods on request. Wi-Fi was okay, but not amazing. Setting up a Fire Stick on the TV was a struggle and staff couldn’t help; limited built-in streaming.||We were upgraded to a Superior room with a private pool, which was a real highlight. The downside was being directly above the main hotel air-con units, meaning constant low level background noise on the balcony (but not in the room itself)– rooms 106-109 (and those directly above) are best avoided. Also, the bright fire exit sign in the room could disturb light sleepers.||The beach bar and included sunbeds are a fantastic touch. The hotel felt peaceful and relaxing despite being full.||The village is only a short stroll away – a handful of decent restaurants, but limited variety. ||Buses are cheap (€2–2.15 to Elounda/Agios Nikolaos) and taxis reasonable (€10–25). Car hire at the hotel is pricey (€110+ per day, albeit with free EV charging), but we arranged one locally for €35/day delivered to the hotel.||Overall, this is a very good hotel with fabulous staff, beautiful design and great facilities. A few small frustrations but nothing that outweighed the positives. We’d happily recommend – though next time we’d skip half board and upgrade to a quieter room. ||We had a late flight home and even through we couldn’t get a late checkout they provided a room to refresh and change - which needed booking before departure.