Minos Beach Art Hotel

Following the shoreline of Mirabello Bay just outside Agios Nikolaos, Minos Beach Art Hotel is a member of Design Hotels where 125 whitewashed bungalows, suites and villas sit among two kilometres of rocky coast, gardens, private beaches and an extraordinary collection of contemporary art.

Opened in 1961, Minos Beach has the confidence of a hotel that has grown into its surroundings over decades. Instead of a conventional resort plan, it feels like a little Cretan settlement beside the water, with stone paths wandering between low white buildings, pockets of garden and tiny coves where the sea is rarely more than a few steps away.

Then there is the art. More than 55 works from the G. & A. Mamidakis Foundation appear throughout the grounds and Sculpture Garden, sometimes commanding attention and sometimes revealing themselves unexpectedly beside a path or among the trees. It gives the hotel a cultural identity that goes far beyond decoration and makes simply wandering around the property part of the pleasure.

Rooms & Suites

The accommodation is scattered along the waterfront and through the gardens, with each position offering a slightly different relationship with Mirabello Bay. Sea View Rooms and Suites occupy the main building, while the bungalows bring you closer to the gardens, beaches and rocky shoreline.

Waterfront, Beachfront and Seafront Bungalows are the categories that really capture the spirit of Minos Beach, putting the sea immediately outside and allowing mornings to begin with little more effort than opening the door and walking towards the water. Private gardens offer another layer of seclusion in selected Nature Bungalows.

The private pool accommodation moves into altogether more indulgent territory. Superior Seafront Bungalows have their own pools, while one, two and three bedroom villas combine generous living space with superb waterfront positions, making them particularly appealing for couples, families or friends who want more privacy without losing the atmosphere of the hotel.

Dining

Food is treated seriously here, with restaurants that draw heavily on Crete rather than relying on a single resort formula. La Bouillabaisse is the most refined, bringing creative Mediterranean cooking to a beautiful position beside the sea, while its adjoining wine bar, La Cave, is made for lingering over a bottle and a few plates as evening settles across the bay.

Terpsis brings Cretan recipes and the daily catch to an open terrace above the water, while Bacchus handles leisurely breakfasts and a broader evening menu. Adeste Kafeneion is perhaps the most charming expression of all, recreating the pleasure of a traditional Cretan coffee house with Greek coffee, raki and meze.

The bars each have their own place in the day. Ibiscus belongs to sunny hours beside the pool, Dionyssos takes over as evening approaches, and Pure Lounge Bar sits directly on the beachfront, where a coffee, fresh juice or late afternoon drink comes with Mirabello Bay almost at your feet.

Experience

The sea dictates the rhythm at Minos Beach. Two private beaches and the rocky shoreline provide plenty of places to swim, while canoeing, snorkelling, diving and windsurfing offer ways to venture further into the bay. There is also a freshwater pool when you simply want a sunbed and an afternoon with nowhere else to be.

Back on land, tennis, cycling, hiking, cooking classes and cultural experiences add variety, but one of the most rewarding things to do is simply follow the paths through the grounds. The combination of gardens, sculptures, whitewashed buildings and sudden glimpses of brilliant blue water gives the hotel a character that reveals itself gradually rather than all at once.

Wellness

The wellness centre continues that easy relationship with the surroundings through massages, body treatments, facials and beauty therapies, complemented by a sauna, fitness centre and relaxation spaces. Yoga and fitness classes provide a more active start to the morning before the temperature rises.

Minos Beach is especially good at allowing days to find their own rhythm. A swim from the rocks can become lunch beside the water, followed by a treatment, another swim and a slow walk through the Sculpture Garden before dinner, with very little need to look at a clock in between.

Where

Agios Nikolaos is close enough to reach on foot, putting its harbour, cafés, shops and evening life within easy reach whenever you want a change of scene. Elounda and the wider landscapes of eastern Crete are equally tempting, although returning to the hotel and following one of those little paths back towards your bungalow beside Mirabello Bay is always a rather lovely end to the day.

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