Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas

From a travel perspective, Greece has been done. But the best ideas never go out of style, and there are a few places left that are mercifully free from garish overdevelopment and noisy crowds — Elounda Beach, on the northeast coast of the island of Crete, being one of these places.

With more than two hundred and fifty rooms, this is not a small resort, by any means; what it is is delightfully secluded, and eminently tasteful, the terraced villas strewn low along the coast, the property insulated from the outside world by acres of lush gardens.

Guest rooms are stylish and up-to-date — rooms in the main building come with satellite television, stereo systems and private balconies, the better ones looking out over Mirabello Bay. Bungalows add more space, private terraces or gardens, and Jacuzzi bathtubs, and the Platinum Club suites are almost too much, with full kitchens, private pools, and personal services like drivers, chefs or trainers.

No fewer than five restaurants are at hand to keep the palate sated, and the list of leisure facilities is almost encyclopedic; all manner of water sports are on offer, from scuba diving to yacht cruises, and there’s no end to land-loving activities, including tennis, miniature golf and a well-equipped fitness center. And of course idleness is still in style here — a first-class spa facility offers an endless array of health and beauty treatments.