top of page

Stella Island Luxury Resort & Spa



This stylish resort, built around one of Europe's largest lagoon pools, is an adult's-only water wonderland with a tropical 'Love Island' vibe and generous, friendly service. There's a delightful light-filled spa and several restaurants – some dishes are prepared with home-grown produce.


LOCATION

The hotel is located at the end of the quiet (and fairly isolated) Analipsi beach road – lack of signage makes it difficult to find (after the turn off from the old Heraklion-Agios Nikolaos main road). The busy beach resort of Hersonissos is four miles (6 km) away and the island's capital Heraklion, with its recently (superbly) renovated archaeological museum, is 14 miles (23 km) – you'll need a car to get around.


STYLE & CHARACHTER

Style is minimalist: all white with lots of blonde wood, canvas and bamboo. Entry through the open-plan, glass-walled reception (the desk is made from a huge block of marble ferried in from near Athens's Parthenon) leads to the bar area (low green canvas-backed seats and tables hewn from chunks of olive). Narrow bridges criss-cross the vast lagoon pool; couples lounge in sunken seating areas, or on islands dotted with beds and hammocks.


SERVICES & FACILITIES

Service is excellent in every area of the hotel – from the reception staff who can't do enough to help, to housekeeping who cheerfully greet guests. The spa is delightful: the elevated, heated pool (no charge for guests) has glass sides so you can see through it to the sea beyond. The elegant relaxation area, with plump couches and refreshing drinks (try the iced grapefruit), hammam and whirlpool baths are for spa guests only. Treatment rooms (Cinq Mondes treatments) are dimly lit, candle-scented and very comfortable. Head and foot massages are blissful.


The resort is built around one of Europe's largest lagoon pools (inflatable giant flamingos are a nice extra touch). Other facilities include a modern fitness room. Guests can also use the organised beach and other facilities of neighbouring sister property Stella Village.


ROOMS & SUITES

There are 89 rooms, bungalows and villas in six categories. They all have retro décor: think egg-shaped mirrors (and large mirrors above the bed), pine furnishings, bamboo-and-cane hanging lamps. Large (very striking) bathrooms clad with white and green veined black marble have his and hers sinks with attractive (but splashy) open spout faucets (but no makeup mirrors).

The 18 second-floor pool-view rooms are small (but balconies add a sense of space); ground-floor double and premium double swim-up rooms have decks with direct pool access. Best for privacy are nine South Pacific-inspired overwater bungalows with private terraces and waterside hammocks, or 12 Island Villas with private pools (big enough to swim a few strokes).


FOOD & DRINK

The breakfast buffet served in the pool-view Kimata restaurant is copious, with plenty of healthy options (fruit, salads, fresh juice) as well as cold cuts, hot dishes and local options (try the Cretan dakos rusks). Vergera, overlooking the hotel's kitchen garden, is the Cretan restaurant (expect stone arches, antique wooden sofas and Cretan music). Mezes are delicious and fresh: try dakos rusks with tomatoes and grated graviera, cheese; laxanika vegetarian pies piping from the oven; pork with greens and the (very tender) lamb casserole. The buffet dinner in Kimata restaurant is good quality but choice is limited (and not sophisticated). Options include moussaka, spaghetti bolognese, two hot stations, a Cretan corner, and half a dozen desserts.


 

article provided by telegraph.co.uk


HOTEL CONTACT DETAILS

Analipsis, Hersonissos

Crete, Greece







bottom of page