DESTINATIONS ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT REVIEWS
discreet white card or a stylish ribbon bracelet bearing the resort’s own Pucci-style print. And Lux Me guests won’t be fobbed off with watered-down cocktails, as minibars are stocked with premium-brand spirits.
◗ TIME TO DINE A strong selling point is the five à la carte restaurants, all boasting sea views. These include fine- dining venue The White, offering dégustation menus with French, Italian and Greek influences. A sommelier is also on hand to recommend wines from an impressive 150-strong list. Clients can choose from 15
room types, all with the signature ‘all-white’ decor. These include the Yali Collection, private suites on the edge of the sea boasting their own pools and residential-style living. These are a popular choice for honeymooning couples and small families. A friend lamented she
wouldn’t be able to take her two boisterous boys for fear they’d ruin the upmarket vibe, but
families are well catered for. The Lux Me package price includes a visit to the seriously fun Kingdom of Poseidon Aqua Park in sister resort Club Marine Palace & Suites, and a tour of the local Agreco farm, where children (and adults) can milk a goat or help shear a sheep. In resort, there are family-friendly shows and an open-air cinema where kids can tuck in to popcorn. An online guest portal also
keeps clients updated on the daily activities in resort. Fitness is a focus, with yoga, power walking and aqua workouts all on offer. Those in need of further pampering can head to the Hippie Spa, featuring a hammam, nail bar and caviar treatments for face and body.
◗ LOCAL LIFE While the resort certainly does what it can to challenge outdated notions of all-inclusive properties, one of its greatest assets is encouraging guests to get out and explore, with a programme of 25 experiences around the island.
Environmental concerns
We gave the ‘Be a Local for the Day’ tour a whirl, mingling with the locals in the market in Rethymno
These cover eight categories, including nature, culture and gastronomy, and offer an add-on experience at a reasonable extra cost. Several new experiences are also in the pipeline. We gave the ‘Be a Local for
the Day’ tour a whirl, heading to Rethymno’s old town on market day. There we mingled with boisterous locals buying from stalls groaning with local produce, including cherries, tomatoes and courgette flowers, and tried the local ‘liquid gold’, the island’s delicious olive oil. Another highlight of the tour is a visit to Mr Hadjiparashos, a traditional filo-maker who shares the secrets of delicate pastry.
aren’t sacrificed at the altar of pleasure, either, so the luxury all-inclusive package has merits for the eco-conscious client too. Conservation of endangered loggerhead sea turtles is high on the agenda, with areas of the beach monitored by a team of volunteers. The beach itself has Blue Flag status. And what of that WhatsApp
request from the beach? I returned to my suite to find a freshly drawn bath strewn with rose petals, illuminated by flickering, softly scented candles. It’s too bad that our final
cheeky WhatsApp request – to spirit lovely waitress Dimitra back to the UK with us – was politely turned down, with several smiley face emojis, hearts and kisses to soften the blow, of course. Book it: Tui offers a week at the 5T-rated Grecotel White Palace, staying all-inclusive, from £768 based on two sharing, including flights from Gatwick on May 1, 2018, and transfers.
tui.co.uk
FEELING BLUE: Yali Collection private suite
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travelweekly.co.uk 9 November 2017
PICTURE: HEINZ TROLL
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