My husband and I are planning a trip to Crete in June. We are interested in the Elounda Mare Hotel. It sounds like a wonderful resort, but one of the comments in Fodor's notes that readers have complained about poor food. Has anyone stayed at the resort? I would appreciate any feedback on the resort, good restaurants in the Elounda area or feedback about Crete - what to do, what to see, etc. <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help.

I don't know the area around Elounda so make no comment. <BR> <BR>Western Crete (especially the south coast) is less developed than the area east of Iraklion. <BR>We have tweice stayed near Chania and have found it excellent for relaxing holidays. <BR> <BR>You must not miss Knossos; it's a sight to behold. It's meant to have been somewhat debased by the renovations but as an amateur I thought it wonderful. <BR> <BR>There are many splendid walks especially the best known through the Samaria Gorge (8 hours of downhill walking. The Gorge is the longest in Europe. <BR> <BR>Mainly tho' I would suggest that it's just agreat place to chill out. Great flowers in Spring. Great birds; lovely beaches. <BR> <BR>Definitely more unspoilt in the West.

HELLO! <BR> <BR>Last year we stayed in the Hersonissos Palace hotel. It is a hotel with 5 stars (*****) and has self service breakfast and dinner. Food was very, very good - a lot of fruit, pasta, vegetables, meat, plenty of salads and sweets. <BR>I am recomending you this hotel, it is not very expensive. The location is near Malia, and it is very touristic place with a lot of tourist in June, July and August.

Bridget, <BR> <BR>I hope the rumours are not true as we have booked into the Elounda Mare for the week of June 20 - 27th!! Maybe we will see you there -- any warnings would be welcome, though -- and any other local attractions to look for --

Bridget: <BR> <BR>My wife and I spent 8 days on Crete a few years ago and loved it. We stayed in Chania for 4 days (which was our favorite) and then drove over to the eastern part of the island. We stayed in Elounda, which is a beautiful little fishing village, and stayed (i believe) right down from the Elounda Mare (I will check tonight). Since we went expensive in Chania, we found a nice hotel down from the Mare for $40 a night. Real nice, private pool, with bungalows,b ut with separate beds. However, in Elounda, there is a fabulous restaurant in the middle of the towns center on the dock. the family who owns the restauran t has a fishing boat and brings in the fresh fish every evening...we probably had one our best meals there one evening with another couple. Decadent! Also off the coast of Elounda is a former penal colony fortress (Spinalonga) whihc has incredible views of the area. <BR> <BR>As I said, I am not sure where we stayed, but I believe I looked into the MAre but it was more than I wanted to spend, but the grounds were beautiful. If (and if) the hotel we stayed at was the Mare, then Fodor's was pretty accurate in that the food was limited, but I am almost certain that we stayed somewhere else. I'll go home and check tonight and then post my findings tomorrow. I believe I saved a brochure from the hotels we did not choose (and the Mare was one of them).