Written by Sari Freeman
I had a fabulous experience returning to Crete and staying at St. Nicolas Bay Resort & Villas. This time, I invited several travel industry pros along for the ride! Last summer, this Condé Nast Traveler 2022 Reader’s Choice Award winning resort (#5 in Greece), was already beautiful, but with so many of the anticipated upgrades just having been completed, it was that much more impressive!
Returning for a second time was like going home again! I was excited to see the resort through other industry eyes and to see all the work that had been done. I wanted to have them get to know and love it too; as well as the island of Crete and its surroundings.
This was a very rewarding trip! In fact, they loved it so much that two of the advisors booked several clients within one week of our departure! Now that was the goal and the ace in the hole! We so appreciate this support.
The most amazing upgrade to the resort is the brand new adults-only infinity pool in the new section of the property called Olives and Sea. Featuring palm trees, stylish black umbrellas, and highlighted by gorgeous views of the nearby town and marina, this pool is a dream.
This new section also features several new stylish suites with domed roofs that have been created with sustainability in mind, requiring less energy to heat and to cool. The new fitness center features a beautiful hand-painted mural, boasts state-of-the-art exercise equipment, an open air yoga studio, and will even have a personal trainer available to help guide the guests on a complementary basis!
Laura Daescher, Senior Manager of Frosch PCS, who stayed on after the fam trip, stated it so beautifully:
“St. Nicholas Bay resort exceeded my expectations in every way! Alex is a true gem! His staff was so welcoming, kind, and helpful. I would 1000% recommend it to anyone wanting a truly unforgettable stay and experience! What a magical place!! I would go back in a heartbeat!”
If you are searching for a beautiful, laid back luxury-style resort in Crete, look no further than St. Nicolas Bay. Crete is a very large, yet low key island with very hospitable people. St. Nicolas Bay is incredibly authentic and offers the feeling of a Cretan village. The majority of the 100+ stunning rooms, suites and villas (many with private pools) face the sea, showcasing the beauty of the bay and island. The hotel features exceptional cuisine, local entertainment every night, and offers incredibly friendly and welcoming service! If you have clients who just want a relaxing vacation at a luxury property without pretense…this is the resort for them!
Alex Glynos, St. Nicolas Bay’s outstanding General Manager, is clearly the captain of this beautiful ship and the crew revere Alex and adore serving the guests with pride. As I always say, you can build a gorgeous resort or hotel but if the staff are not friendly, warm and welcoming, you have wasted a huge investment!
“Alex wins as GM of the year – he was so kind, helpful and generous. His experience and empathetic abilities all contribute to his and the resort’s success and make him the perfect person for this position” Shari Kalt, Owner, Bee Kalt Travel.
This is an example of what service ought to be! Many on the team return season after season, as they adore Alex and the guests, 30% of which are repeat guests!
Vasili, the Maitre d’Hotel and sommelier, takes exceptional care of the guests and attended to us during our entire stay. Dora is another manager for both lunch and dinner. She is amazing and automatically recalls our specific likes and dislikes.
As I always like to showcase our amazing partners, I invited Sofia Theofalaktidis, the Manager of Blue Cocoon, our outstanding boutique DMC partner for everything in Greece, to join us and create a day of experiences on the island. We were whisked away in a fabulous Viano with our friendly and engaging guide to Knossos Palace and Heraklion Museum. Then they took us to a very authentic private organic farm where we took the afternoon walking around, learning about the farm, what they grow and the animals they raise, finished off with an amazing olive oil tasting and incredible meal of lamb on the spit and home grown salad and vegetables.
This was magical and what a photo op! Then we returned home to St. Nicolas Bay, and had drinks by the Bonatsa Jetty Bar overlooking the sea at night with dramatic underwater lighting that makes for another memorable night where the bar tender created special drinks for us and the music perfectly matched the waves lapping and breeze blowing and conversation flowing.
“St. Nicolas Bay is perfect for just about anyone. From the Honeymoon Couple to a multi-gen family. There is so much to explore on Crete and having Blue Cocoon lead the way will make for the perfect trip.” Samantha Pappas – Fora Travel.
There is so much to say about this property with 5 restaurants and bars, all surrounded by the sea, with so many private spaces to sit and just enjoy your time together. They even have a chapel for those who want to get married and anyone having a wedding here would be so very lucky.
What I truly love best about St. Nicolas Bay is the people and how the team makes you feel right at home! We were all so sad to say good-bye to our friends at this stunning resort!