Why it made the list
The pool
Spinalonga sits right across the water from Cayo's three outdoor pools, infinity pools set on the hillside above Plaka. Most rooms and suites add a private pool on their own terrace: every category except the entry-level Superior Room has one, and the Grand Suite has two. Down in the Armonia Spa there's also a large indoor pool beside the sauna and steam room.
Loungers, umbrellas and pool towels are included, and two pool bars keep drinks close. The spa opens from 10:00 to 18:30, so the indoor pool suits a slow afternoon. Worth knowing: the outdoor pools are seasonal and the private pools aren't heated as standard. Heating can be added at an extra cost, worth asking about for a May or October stay.
Checked against the property's official facilities on 28 Oct 2026. We re-check monthly.
The stay
Cayo sits on the edge of a hill above Plaka, a fishing village in the Elounda area of eastern Crete, looking straight across to Spinalonga. The resort's spot on Plaka's pebble beach is 250 m away, with a shuttle running from 10:00 to 19:00, and Heraklion airport is about 60 km.
Every room and suite looks out to sea, many with a shaded terrace and a pool of their own. Menus are curated by Michelin-starred chef Lefteris Lazarou, Kelari and Sage & Thyme are among the restaurants, and there's live music on several evenings. Breakfast brings local specialities and fresh pastries, and vegetarian and gluten-free options are available. The spa adds massages and treatments, with a gym and yoga classes alongside.
Not for everyone: the beach is pebbles rather than sand, and it's a short shuttle ride rather than at the door.
Good to know
The outdoor pools are seasonal and not heated as standard. Private pools can be heated for an extra charge, so ask when you book.
Every room and suite category has a private pool except the Superior Room Sea View, and the Grand Suite has two.
Yes: children of all ages are welcome, and there's a children's playground and babysitting.
Nearby
Similar stays
A long outdoor pool runs the length of the sun terrace, finished with an infinity edge and a shallow end for easing in. Pale stone decking and glass balustrades frame it, the garden lawns run alongside, and the upper balconies look straight down onto the water. There's a kids' pool too, so younger swimmers have their own patch.
The main outdoor pool runs along the edge of Ierapetra's seafront, with the Libyan Sea just beyond the railing and rows of thatched umbrellas on the sand below. It's a saltwater pool with its own pool bar, and next to it a separate kids' pool is built around a pirate ship with water slides. Down in the spa there's also an indoor pool, alongside a sauna, a hammam and a hot tub.
Acro's main pool is a saltwater infinity pool set into the cliff above Mononaftis Bay, on Crete's north coast. The edge runs out towards the Cretan Sea, with a terrace of flat loungers and a shaded cabana at one end and the resort's stone-and-earth suites stepping down the rock behind it. It's an outdoor, seasonal pool, and there's a second, indoor pool for cooler days.
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