pectations


DESTINATIONS CRETE | GREECE & CYPRUS


i travelweekly.co.uk


can tell you the exact moment I fell in love with Greece. On the eve of my 10th birthday, I was sitting


opposite my little brother in the restaurant of a family-run hotel in Crete. As Mum erred between the moussaka and stifado, the patriarch of the Cretan family who owned the hotel gave us kids a cheeky smile, gleefully ruffling our hair to make us giggle. This simple yet playful gesture made me feel instantly at home – a feeling I experience every time I go to Crete, even as a grown-up.


NORTHERN EXPOSURE Before heading to the island on an agent fam trip with resort operator Paralos Hospitality, I wondered if that warm, genuine welcome I’ve come to associate with Crete would still be evident in a larger resort. The adult-oriented Paralos brand has five hotels in Crete, one in Kos and one in Rhodes, and is endeavouring to expand its reach with the UK trade. The flagship resort is 152-room


Kosta Alimia, which opened in 2023 in the north coast town of


Analipsi, a 20-minute drive from Heraklion airport. Thoughtful details throughout make it impossible to forget which Greek island you’re on. Breakfast is served in a bright, circular atrium resembling the Venetian storehouses on Heraklion’s historic waterfront, and regional food takes centre stage at the buffet, including sfougato (courgette frittatas) and a tea blend featuring 40 immunity-boosting herbs, a traditional recipe brought down from the mountains that rise in the distance. With 14 room types, five


restaurants and three bars, Kosta Alimia offers plenty of choice for clients on either its half-board or all-inclusive packages. Day and night, they’ll also find lots to do: think 150 metres of beach with a DJ, bars open until 1am, a pool with underwater music and even an alfresco amphitheatre for musicians and movies.


FEAST FORWARD We next visit the four-star Paralos Lifestyle Beach on the Blue Flag- listed shores of Ammoudara. Hotel manager Katerina Kampouraki ²


30 OCTOBER 2025


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