Need to know
Rooms
A total of 212, including 161 rooms, 19 bungalows, 14 suites and 18 villas.
Check–Out
11am, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 4pm. If you arrive early, you can store your luggage and make use of the hotel’s facilities.
More details
Rates usually include a welcome drink and an American-style buffet breakfast, and the option of an in-room Continental breakfast for villa guests.
Also
Unfortunately the resort's vast layout makes it unsuitable for those with limited mobility.
Hotel closed
Annually from the end of October until the end of March.
At the hotel
24-hour concierge, beach, spa, salon, gym, sauna and three swimming pools (including an Olympic-size one), seven restaurants, two bars, kids’ club, gardens with tennis courts, playground, golf club, boutique shops, free WiFi throughout, private car park with valet parking, DVD library. In rooms: flatscreen TV with built-in DVD player, CD player, minibar, fridge, tea- and coffee-making facilities, and Eau de Grece bath products. Villas also have a pillow menu, beach bag and a wine cooler.
Our favourite rooms
Families of four should book a Family Bungalow, which has a bedroom and a living area separated by a sliding door. Parents hooked on working out will love the Deluxe Bungalow Suites that come kitted out with their own fitness room – perfect for sneaking in some exercise when the kids are having a nap. For separate bedrooms and more space, go for one of the Villas, most of which have private terraces with outdoor lounges, a pool and direct access to the dedicated beach (solely for guests booking this type of room). Superior Rooms are smaller and so perfect for couples with just one tot in tow.
Poolside
The star of the swimming show is the Olympic-size saltwater pool, with columns around the edges, underneath which you can nab a spot of shade. Nearby, there’s a shallow, unheated kids’ pool for learners. There’s a heated freshwater pool inside in the spa, that's heated in April and October. Swimming aids and inflatable toys are on sale in the hotel’s shop. One-to-one swimming lessons are available (24 hours' notice is needed). Some room categories also have a private infinity plunge pool. Most of the suites and villas have private plunge pools too.
Spa
The peaceful, grown-ups-only Elixir Alchemy Spa offers Ayurvedic treatments in the six treatment rooms (five single rooms, one couples room) – if you'd rather go alfresco, there's a massage area set up beachside. There’s also a sauna, mani-pedi room and a gym decked out with Technogym equipment.
Packing tips
Forgotten something? The resort shop sells all the essentials, from nappies and sun creams to sandals and beach balls.
Also
Babysitting requires at least 24 hours’ notice and it’s wise to request baby monitors and any other equipment you might need when booking. The spa is popular, so it’s best to secure your slot as early as possible.
Children
Welcome; under-11s stay for free and extra beds can be added to all rooms. The Grecoland Kids Club will keep little Smiths entertained, and in the summer there are camp activities.
Overview
Amirandes sits on the shores of northern Crete, with three Blue Flag beaches and as many pools to keep you amused. There are more activities than you could ever hope (or want) to try on one holiday – from aerobics to watersports – as well as a spa and fantastic kids' club. Older children can check out their talent for golf, tennis, diving and horse-riding.
Best for
Kids of all ages.
Crèche
The Grecoland Kids Club runs six times a week (10am to 6pm) for children aged four to 12; kids under four are welcome to join in the fun, but they must be supervised by a parent. If you'd rather a kid-free day, babysitting can be arranged for under-fours at an extra charge. From the middle of June until September, activities are also available for over-12s.
Activities
Grecoland is a brilliant mini fun-park and free kids' club for ages four to 12, with morning and afternoon sessions of supervised activities. Grecoteens (June to September) looks after the over-12s, and there's a soccer school for an extra fee during the summer months.
Free activities include various sporting tournaments such as football and basketball or aerobics classes. For an extra charge, kids can join the soccer school, have a birthday party thrown in their honour, try out some watersports (such as windsurfing, sailing or kayaking), have swimming or tennis lessons, borrow a bike or learn to scuba dive.
Amirandes' narrow-but-lovely sandy beaches are but a stagger away, with a bar to keep the grown-ups happy. There are three areas: one for watersports, one for sunbathing and one reserved for villa guests. The waters are generally calm. As well as staff to bring you cooling drinks, expect sunloungers, parasols, beach towels and changing cabins. Take the ‘life and soil’ excursion with your kids across the grounds to learn about a coastal ecosystem or the ‘sun, fun and jun(k)' one to see how a solar oven works.
It's not likely to rain much while you're here, but if you fancy unwinding indoors or need a few hours out of the sun, pick a DVD from the library and watch it in the screening room, or play table tennis or table football. The kids club has plenty of indoor play space, too, for time in the shade.
If there’s energy left to expend, kids can head to the amphitheatre to sing and dance with the entertainment team in the evening, or stargaze through the telescope and learn about Greek mythology at the same time.
Swimming pool
There’s a shallow, unheated kids’ pool near the Olympic-size saltwater pool.
Meals
The splendid Tasty Corner provides free fruit, yoghurts, cake, ice-creams, drinks and more for kids aged 3–12 between 11am and 5pm; a nutritious lunch spread is also laid on for little ones, with plenty of fish, vegetables, pasta and other good stuff stacked among the pizza slices. Plus, kids menus are also available at all the à la carte restaurants. Over-12s dine as adults.
Babysitting
Available for under-fours at an extra charge.
Sustainability efforts
Amirandes are well versed on sustainable practices and have a team dedicated to ensuring they're doing all they can; energy consumption is kept to a minimum, water conservation is prioritised with reduction filters and water-saving measures, a zero waste policy is operated (including a ban on single-use plastic), food cooked is produced locally and anything outsourced is thoroughly vetted to ensure the supply chain is as sustainable as possible, and the resort was built to work in tandem with it's surroundings. Beyond this, guests are invited (including little Smiths) to learn about the island's biodiversity with tours through the onsite herb gardens, and the staff are hired and trained locally to ensure the hotel's contributing effectively to the local economy.
