I’m starting to really love Greece. Before 2018 I had never been there. Can you imagine? Over the last couple of months, I visited Athens, the Peloponnese and Corfu. This time, I flew off to the stunning island of Crete, where I got to spend a few days in Grecotel White Palace.
The idea of White Palace is simple. Sleek minimalist white design creates spacious atmosphere and an environment of luxury. Your white worry-free zone! The white design looks best when the sun is shining bright! Read: almost always!
White Palace is also the home of the Lux Me concept, Luxury Made Easy! Personally I consider Lux Me basically being Grecotel’s all-in formula. Before I went, I was under the impression that Lux Me was going to be an ultra all-inclusive, however I must mention that spa treatments, room service, laundry service and obviously independent watersports are not included in Lux Me.
What you do get is unlimited drinks or cocktails in the 6 bars inside the resort! Also the speciality restaurants are free of charge, whereas otherwise you have to pay extra. My favourites were White (fine dining) and Fico d’India, a restaurant right by the main pool which serves Italian cuisine. If you want you can order lighter fares like a burger or simply a cappuccino as well. Other must-tries are the patisserie and crêperie on site! Pastries, pancakes and ice creams out the wazoo!
One other feature I hadn’t seen anywhere else in hotels, was the 24h WhatsApp Concierge Service. You know, these young people always want to ask things through text! Haha, Grecotel caters towards that. I haven’t tested how far it’s going but I’m pretty sure it’s not the purpose of using it to bring you a coke 😉
I think the 24h WhatsApp Concierge Service is positioned somewhere between having your own private concierge or butler, and having to do the good old-fashioned ‘phone call to the reception’.
My room was the Petit Yali Suite, which is part of famous class accommodation. What this concept means is that the bigger and better rooms are in separate buildings away from the busy centre and main pool. Ideal for when you’re e.g. on a honeymoon or have another sort of celebration. Champagne and fresh fruit snacks are waiting for you at the room on arrival and minibar is free of charge. Pretty nice way to start a holiday, right?!
The Petit Yali Suite is large enough to be divided into two areas, the bedroom and a chill-room closer towards the pool. The bathroom is very luxurious too. The shiny marble used in the bathroom makes it an absolute joy to get ready in. At the start of your holiday, you can choose the perfume of the room, and have the option to swap pillows from the pillow menu.
The floor-to-ceiling window gives access to the garden and pool. This is a different pool than the main pool. Famous class guests are divided into a few separate buildings and each separate building has a pool for limited guests. We shared a huge pool that is larger than what most hotels have as a public pool, with 10 other rooms or so in the same row.
The perks of a quieter pool could come with a bit less privacy though, as other guests can look inside your room more easily. Still I thought the rooms were far enough from the edge of the pool to make this issue virtually non-existent.
If none of the pools at White Palace suit you, don’t worry. The hotel is located on a whopping 1km-long stretch of sand, so I’m sure you’ll find a quiet place!
Agreco farm
One thing I definitely wanted to mention was the evening excursion to Agreco Farm. Agreco is owned by Grecotel but this doesn’t take away the authenticity. Rather, this way they have the chance to introduce more people to this beautiful farm. I recommend you to definitely do the tour around the farm and try the local wines and cheese, pet the farm animals and buy some of their products!
Did you know that the traditional Taverna Cretan Restaurant has been awarded the Best Organic Restaurant in the world by Vanity Fair? I didn’t either, I read it on the website before visiting but I must honestly say I had one of the most delicious dining experiences I had in a long time!
After dinner, me and the other guest were treated to a traditional Greek dance show! We even participated! I guess the amounts of local raki might have had something to do with that.
Have you already visited Grecotel White Palace or are you looking for a different experience? I also visited Grecotel Amirandes a bit more west on the island. Make sure to check back soon to see how I liked it!