I often get asked which is my favourite PB resort. It is hard to pick just one as they all offer something completely unique and different; however the one to which I have personally been returning for the past four years is our incredible Crete resort: the Hotel Porto Elounda situated on the North East coast, only 50 minutes drive from Heraklion airport.

It has an amazing location with its own private sandy beach, excellent facilities and the friendliest staff. All rooms face towards the sea with magnificent ocean views. On arrival, clients are greeted with glass of refreshing juice and a lovely fruit platter waiting in the hotel room.

The rooms are very spacious and beautifully decorated in a modern Greek style, and many have lovely outdoor areas with private pools. What could be better than starting the day with a quick dip in your own pool?

This hotel is perfect for a fly and flop holiday, but also for those who would like to soak up some culture. Spinalonga and the capital, Heraklion, are two places I would recommend you visit while in Crete. Spinalonga originated as a leper colony and the novel The Island (by Victoria Hislop) was based on it. Boat trip excursions to Spinalonga can be booked at the hotel’s concierge, who are very helpful or knowledgeable, or if you’d like to plan further in advance, Powder Byrne’s Client Concierge team would be happy to organise it for you.

There are lots of activities available at Porto Elounda to keep everyone happy but an absolute must is spending at least one day at the water park in Kastelli. It is around one hour from the hotel and really great fun.

The dining in Crete is also one of the highlights. Porto Elounda has eight restaurants within the resort, all specialising in different cuisines. My favourite is Koh restaurant and bar for its magnificent waterfront location. It has a glass floor so you can watch the fish swimming below you while you enjoy your meal and glass of wine or two.

There are also some excellent local restaurants nearby – Barko in Agios Nikolaos and The Ferryman in Elounda are well known and really great. My favourite though is a small taverna called Giorgos in Plaka. It has a fantastic location and the food is pure quality. Get a table right at the waterfront with amazing views towards Spinalonga and enjoy a delicious meal.

I recommend hiring a car as Crete is a wonderful island with many traditional villages and secluded beaches to explore. When travelling in July and August, Powder Byrne runs full in-resort service, including our fantastic children’s programme, which gives parents peace of mind that the kids are having fun in a safe environment, expertly supervised by our PB team, and they can just relax and enjoy their holiday too.

The week usually goes very quickly so it’s always best to have another trip to look forward to when returning home from paradise!

To find out more about experiencing Crete for yourself call 020 8246 5300 or click here.