Penguin Approved: Stella Island, Crete
If you’re after a slice of paradise with a touch of style, Stella Island in Crete is your dream come true. As part of our Penguin London Approved series, where our team members recommend places they have stayed, this month we are highlighting this 5-star, adult-only luxury resort.
Dubbed ‘The Maldives of Europe’, Stella Island is all over social media, showing off its gorgeous overwater bungalows and floating island illusion. Upon arrival, we could see why. Greeted at the airport by a private driver, we were driven to the resort. Upon exiting the vehicle, we were greeted by staff who took our bags directly to our room while we were whisked straight to check in. Offered a plush seat in the bar area overlooking the water, we were given arrival cocktails while our host explained the resort to us.
We were then escorted via a buggy to our Island Villa with a private pool. The villa was gorgeous, with a fruit platter waiting and a stocked mini bar. Every detail, from robes and slippers to Diptyque products throughout, makes it feel effortlessly luxurious.
The island is all-inclusive, meaning you can go to one of the many bars for drinks. Furthermore, by staying in the Island Villa, we were able to order drinks to our room as part of our package, which included bottles of premium wine and freshly made cocktails to order.
The dining was fantastic. There is a buffet restaurant open to everyone at the resort for all dinner times that consists of many different chefs cooking meats and fish to order, salad bars and an array of different dishes to suit. With allergies, they are fantastic, ensuring that you speak to the head chef and they prepare food accordingly. Aside from the buffet, because we were staying in the Island Villa, we were entitled to try out their premium restaurants as part of our stay, which meant that for 5 evenings, we were able to head to a different restaurant each time. These consisted of Asian, Greek, a Steak House, Mexican and Fine Dining. All restaurants are formal dress with no flip-flops allowed, meaning you have a sophisticated meal with an easy-to-follow dress code.
Evening entertainment is on every night, with professional musicians, dancers, DJs and gymnastic performers across the week. We felt it was high-end entertainment, and with drinks being served to your chair, you didn’t need to miss any of it by going to the bar. Furthermore, during the day you might stumble across a singer, pianist or other musician on your wander around the resort or when dining for lunch.
The stay at Stella Island exceeded expectations and appeared just as stylish and serene as Instagram made out. The service was top-tier, and with a quick WhatsApp, you could have anything you needed from the guest relations member assigned to you. It earns its Penguin London Approved seal with ease, and we would return in a flash.