Minos Beach Art Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels

Minos Beach Art Hotel was our second stop of our 25th anniversary holiday. We arrived from Eagles Villas, so the change of scenery and location was huge. We had to adjust a little bit but we loved our stay. To be honest, we did not feel like we were on our 25th anniversary. The rooms are great, modern outfit, excellent bed, and bathroom, we loved the in-ceiling speakers. We probably should have known upfront, but if you book a waterfront bungalow, it doesn't mean your sunbed is adjacent to the room. Our initial room offered a sunbed on the opposite side of the unit (3 bungalows in one building). We were lucky to be able to switch on the next day, to a better room. The grounds of the hotel are full of beautiful art, lots of green, and different types of rooms. No noise from the road that disturbed us. Agios is walking distance, with excellent dining options. We used one of the rentals near by to rent a car for two days, and we had two excellent days on the road. So, it was an excellent stay, friendly helpful staff, but without exceptional service or any special 25th anniversary treatment, while the knew and congratulated us with it. It might be because our first stop of our holiday exceeded expectations.

Beautiful place. Loved everything. The sea is marvelous. The swimming pool very enjoyable. The art was exceptional. The food: delicious. The location is great also, you can enjoy restaurants next door. The rooms are very confortable. The main downside: - having to register through their app is cumbersome and certainly not a pleasure, especially when arriving late; - getting the daily information through their app is also not so enjoyable, especially as the app is not so well designed; - the activities proposed were not always clearly advertised, probably due in part to the app. Having a (physical) board summarizing them would have been helpful; - I was somewhat surprised that there were no or little French pastries (e.g. croissant) for breakfast. But this is probably the choice to put the focus on Greek food.

First, the positive. The space and design are beautiful, as are the views from the beaches and seafront lounge areas. The rooms are also clean and beautifully and comfortably furnished. Unfortunately, if you’re looking for a five-star resort at a similar price point I would pass on the Minos Beach Art Hotel. The service is inconsistent at best and rude at its worst. The check in started with a welcome drink but then consisted of the manager asking me to fill out a form on my phone including inputting my own passport information while she sat there staring at me. No tour of the relatively small grounds was provided. The seafront lounge areas appear beautiful but towels, dishes and trash from the day before are often left there overnight and remain the following day. The ladders into the water are rusting and rickety. The loungers are stained, ripped and burned with cigarettes. The first full day we were there, we received a typed note in our door asking us to contact the front desk about our departure time still two days away. Many staff are friendly but others are dismissive, rude and incompetent. The service at the resort’s most formal restaurant, La Bouillabaisse, is comically bad. Our server spilled my wife’s cocktail all over her blouse and then, without my wife’s permission, sprayed this chemical-smelling stain remover aerosol all over her (right over her food) leaving white foam on top of the blouse. She then set the aerosol down in the middle of the table and told my wife to reapply it when it dried. Nobody from management acknowledged this bizarre interaction or apologized. (There were countless other issues as well). Overall, the vibe is pretentious, self-serious, and unnecessarily formal. That would arguably be forgivable if they were competent but they are not. When we first arrived we discussed bringing our families back and staying in one of the larger villas. Needless to say, we will not be doing that. There are some incredible hotels and resorts in Crete and Greece. Minos Beach Art Hotel is not one of them.

It was so amazing! Elvira and Ioanna were magnificent. They listened to us and took such good care. I felt like I was floating on for after.

The service and staff were exceptional from start to finish. We stayed in the Superior Waterfront Bungalow and loved everything - the stunning view, spacious room, and having our own reserved loungers by the water. The natural beauty surrounding the property is breathtaking, from the crystal-clear water perfect for swimming to the vibrant flowers and thoughtfully placed artwork throughout the grounds. The food was phenomenal. The breakfast buffet was the best we’ve ever had, with an impressive variety and top-tier quality. Adeste was perfect for a relaxed dinner, La Cave Wine Bar was a cozy spot to enjoy a few bottles of wine, and La Bouillabaisse delivered a fine dining experience that felt Michelin-worthy. Beyond being a fantastic vacation spot, Minos Beach Art Hotel was also the perfect setting for our wedding. Helena and her team supported us every step of the way and made us feel truly cared for - like family. We left with full hearts, unforgettable memories, and a deep desire to return. 10/10 would recommend this hotel as both a luxury getaway and a stunning wedding venue. Our guests loved it just as much as we did!