Crete: Minos Beach Art Hotel (4 Star Hotel)

Address: Aghios nikolaos , Crete 72100, Greece

Lonely Planet review

Minos Beach is in a prime location just outside Agios Nikolaos, with elegant low-rise bungalows and some rooms right on the water. Modern sculptures scattered throughout the hotel grounds and original art in the rooms make this resort a veritable art gallery.

The history of this elegant resort can be gauged by flicking through thick old guest books in the foyer, starting with Walt Disney's entry from 1964. Minos Beach was the first luxury resort in Crete and still holds its own against the plethora of competition. Minos Beach's latest reincarnation as an art hotel includes a glass reception desk with fish tank. A permanent collection of sculptures from leading Greek and foreign artists is spread throughout the grounds and along the beach. The low-rise bungalows decorated in neutral earthy tones are not ostentatious, but have the amenities expected of a resort of this ilk. The garden is relaxed and not overmanicured, with wild blackberries and local plants. Lounge chairs are scattered along the rocky shoreline, and there are two private beaches. The executive suites and villas are suitably indulgent, while the waterfront bungalows enjoy a stunning outlook.