Elounda Stories Boutique Hotel
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Hotel Details
Location
Crete
Greece, Europe
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Key Highlights
- ✓Service & Staff**: The hospitality is a recurring highlight, with staff repeatedly praised as "friendly and helpful," "amazing," "extraordinary," and "attentive." The "organisation is top notch."
Expert Review: Elounda Stories Boutique Hotel
Elounda Stories Boutique Hotel: A Gem in Crete with Michelin Recognition
Elounda Stories Boutique Hotel in Crete, a Michelin Key Selected property, consistently earns high praise from guests for its exquisite design, exceptional service, and prime location. This 4-star boutique hotel is celebrated for offering a luxurious and comfortable stay, making it a standout choice in Elounda.
1. Overall Rating & Sentiment
The general consensus for Elounda Stories Boutique Hotel is overwhelmingly positive, with many guests describing their stays as "exceptional" and "fabulous." The hotel boasts high ratings, with a 9.4 on Booking.com based on 158 verified reviews, reflecting strong guest satisfaction. Reviewers frequently use words like "beautiful," "amazing," and "perfect" to convey their experience.
2. Key Highlights
Guests consistently laud several aspects of Elounda Stories Boutique Hotel:
- Service & Staff: The hospitality is a recurring highlight, with staff repeatedly praised as "friendly and helpful," "amazing," "extraordinary," and "attentive." The "organisation is top notch."
- Location: The hotel's position is often described as "excellent," "perfect," and "couldn't be better," offering easy walking access to Elounda's center, including restaurants, bars, shops, and the sea/beach.
- Design: The hotel's aesthetic is frequently commended for being "beautifully designed," "new and tastefully designed," with "chic modern rooms" and a finish "to an excellent standard." Public spaces feature a classic Greek island palette with white plaster, tiles, stone, and plantlife.
- Amenities: Key amenities include a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, a stylish pool area with poolside service, a bar, a sun terrace, and a tranquil rooftop garden. Free in-room WiFi and air conditioning are standard, and many rooms feature private balconies. Some rooms also come equipped with a spa bath or jacuzzi on the balcony.
3. Room Quality
The rooms at Elounda Stories Boutique Hotel are noted for their quality and comfort. They are described as "spacious," "comfortable," "super clean," "new," "modern," and "chic." Guests appreciate the "big & comfortable beds" which often include high-end memory foam mattresses and a pillow menu, contributing to a premium sleep experience. Rooms are well-equipped with amenities such as air conditioning, soundproofing, private bathrooms with rainfall showers, tea/coffee makers, refrigerators, flat-screen TVs, and deluxe bathroom amenities including hairdryers, bathrobes, and slippers. Many rooms offer balconies, with some providing sea or pool views.
4. Dining Experience
The dining experience at Elounda Stories Boutique Hotel is well-regarded, particularly the breakfast. Guests describe the breakfast as "delicious," highlighting specific items like cheese and spinach pies. The hotel offers a highly-rated continental and buffet breakfast in an open al fresco dining space, emphasizing local, delectable, and wholesome Cretan ingredients sourced from local producers. Beyond breakfast, the hotel's pool bar provides light bites, drinks, and snacks throughout the day and early evening. Guests also frequently mention a connected family business restaurant that offers "amazing food" and "extraordinary" staff.
5. Service & Staff
The service and staff are consistently cited as one of the hotel's strongest assets. Reviewers praise the team for being "very friendly and helpful," "so kind," "attentive," and "professional." Guests feel welcomed and well-cared for, with staff readily available to assist with any needs or requests. Individual staff members, such as Eleni and Costas, have been specifically recognized for their outstanding hospitality.
6. Location & Accessibility
Elounda Stories Boutique Hotel enjoys an "excellent" and "perfect" location in Elounda. It's situated in a quiet area but is only a short walk from the center of Elounda, providing easy access to local restaurants, bars, shops, and the main square. Elounda Beach is approximately a 15-minute walk away. The hotel is about an hour's drive from Heraklion International Airport (HER), which is approximately 64-70 km away. For transport, free private parking is available about 100 meters from the hotel, though guests note it can sometimes be tricky to find and may get full, potentially requiring parking further away and a moderately steep climb to the hotel. Shuttle services and car rentals can also be arranged.
7. Value & Pricing
As a Michelin Key Selected property, Elounda Stories Boutique Hotel operates at a higher standard, which generally correlates with a premium price point. While most reviews express immense satisfaction, indirectly suggesting good value for the experience, one particular review mentioned that it might "not be worth the money at all compared to other hotels in the area" if the private jacuzzi and pool are consistently cold. The hotel is a 4-star establishment. Guests should also be aware of a city tax applied per night, which varies seasonally.
8. Common Complaints
While feedback is largely positive, a few minor issues have been noted:
- Parking: Guests occasionally report that parking can be "tricky to find" and the designated car park, though available, "tends to get full." This can lead to parking a considerable distance away and a "moderately steep climb" to the hotel, which could be a concern for those with mobility issues.
- Room Design Quirks: One guest found the design of their room "strange," specifically mentioning the hand basin being in the living area and confusing light switches.
- Storage: Limited drawer space was mentioned as a minor inconvenience for longer stays (more than two days).
- Pool/Jacuzzi Temperature: A less common but notable complaint was that the private jacuzzi and main swimming pool were consistently "cold" and "freezing," rendering them unusable for some guests.
- Accessibility: The lift does not extend to the top floor, which might pose a challenge for some guests, although luggage assistance is provided.
Sources
Points to Consider
- •While feedback is largely positive, a few minor issues have been noted:
- •Pool/Jacuzzi Temperature**: A less common but notable complaint was that the private jacuzzi and main swimming pool were consistently "cold" and "freezing," rendering them unusable for some guests.
