St. Nicolas Bay

St. Nicolas Bay Review

Lovely and luxurious, this resort set in verdant gardens overlooking the sea at the edge of Ayios Nikolaos provides a getaway that's within easy reach of the busy town center and is transformed by its symphony of chic and comfortable furnishings—indigo batiks, teak woods, blue-and-white-striped cottons, bouquets of bougainvillea, rough-hewn stone walls, and butterflies afloat on the colorful fabric atop a 19th-century chair—into a delightful Cretan cocoon. The array of restaurants and bars is crowned by the Minotaure—set by a pool dazzingly illuminated at night—and the Jetty Bar, another acquatic extravaganza (wow!). Accommodations are set in small bungalows, all with terraces and sea views, some with private pools, and all stylishly furnished, even down to the cool marble floor and baths. Though large and catering to an international crowd of return guests with all the resort amenities, the St. Nicolas Bay, happily, has the quiet ambience of an intimate hotel.