Ikaros Beach Luxury Resort & Spa

Ikaros Beach Resort is a 5-star resort on the north coast of Crete, about 35 km east of Heraklion, near the village of Malia, famous as the liveliest party town on the island. If peace and quiet is what you seek, however, Ikaros Beach fits the bill nicely, as it is a good kilometer away from the noise and tumult. On the other hand, if you’re looking to party, Malia’s strip with its watering holes is just down the road.

Ikaros Beach, named after the mythological lad in Crete who flew too close to the sun, which then melted the wax used to construct his artificial wings, causing him to plunge to his death and forever giving us a picture of the dangers of hubris, is one of the most highly-rated resorts in all of Crete.

The resort is built on a rocky promontory with beautiful sandy beaches within a couple minute walking distance. The resort’s architecture takes traditional Cretan building style as its inspiration, with liberal use of native stone, horizontal lines, massive pillars, stone-paved walkways, and exposed timber. Its layout is reminiscent of a Cretan village, with curving walkways wending their way amongst the bars, restaurants, gardens, pools, and rooms. In fact, the resort often refers to itself as a Village.

This all-inclusive resort has over 750 rooms, suites and bungalows, 6 restaurants, 4 bars, a full-service spa and exercise complex, one indoor and 3 outdoor pools. Guests rave about the quality of the food and the spa treatments. Ikaros Beach gets very high marks for its location, cleanliness, service, and affordability. Ikaros Beach is a consistent Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice awarded resort.

Rooms

Accommodation at Ikaros Beach resort fall into 3 categories: Rooms, Bungalows, and Suites. There is one style of classic rooms, 3 styles of bungalows, and 4 styles of suites. Room décor is elegantly simple, with different shades of white and light grey predominant. Furniture is modern and minimalistically functional. There is a lot of indirect lighting, which softens the look of the rooms. Balconies and terraces are bounded by thick walls of native stone, reflecting traditional Cretan village style.

Amenities include shower or bath in the WC, hairdryer, mini fridge, free safe, satellite TV, direct dial phone service, coffee and tea maker, individually controlled AC, and free Wi-Fi.

Ikaros Classic Double Garden View / Sea View

These rooms can be found either on the ground floor with a terrace, or on the first floor with balcony. They’re perfect for couples, or for a small family of 3. The Classic Double can be found in the main building of the Village. You can open the windows and get a cooling sea breeze during the afternoons. Two views are on offer: The Garden View gives you a nice visual of the well-watered, manicured gardens and pools, whilst the Sea View predominantly looks out over the sparkling waters of the Sea of Crete.

Bungalow Classic Double Garden View / Sea View

The Bungalow Classic is a bit roomier than the Classic Double, and also provides a bit more privacy. All other amenities apply, including his and her free-standing bathroom sinks. You get a choice of views; either the lush greenery of the gardens and pathways, or the more open view of the Sea of Crete. Wither view is quite nice. Bungalow Classic can be found either on the ground floor, with its furnished private terrace, or the first floor, with its private balcony.

Bungalow Deluxe Garden View / Sea View

The Bungalow Deluxe differs from the Bungalow Classic in that it is considerably larger, and can be booked with a private or sharing pool. Bungalow layout is a private bedroom and a sitting area with a double sleeping sofa in an open plan. You have 3 options with the Bungalow Deluxe: Garden View, Garden View with private or sharing pool at extra charge, and Sea View.

Bungalow with Outdoor Jacuzzi

Whilst slightly smaller than the Bungalow Deluxe, you get the added benefit of a covered private balcony or terrace with a Jacuzzi tucked away in one corner. The balcony, or terrace, depending on what floor you’re one, is very spacious and comfortably furnished, with a low stone wall with timber railings allowing unobstructed views of the resort’s beautiful gardens.

Suites Sea View

These suites are about as close to the sea as you can get, giving you an immediate, panoramic view of the Sea of Crete with its delightful sea breezes which rise in the afternoon most days during the summer and act as a cooling agent. It’s wonderful to cool off on the balcony of a summer evening with refreshing drink in your hand and the company of friends and family.

Suite Sea View with Private Pool

Similar to the Suite Sea View, this suite gives you the added convenience and pleasure of your own pool, which means three choices for swimming and sunbathing: your private pool, one of the resort’s pools, or the warm sand of the beach.

Junior Suite Sea Front with Private Pool

Right on the sea front with an inviting splash pool on the terrace, the Junior Suite has all the right touches to make it feel like a home away from home. As you relax on the terrace, your child can play in the pool under your direct supervision and in complete privacy. The suite itself is open and roomy, with two separate French doors opening onto the terrace.

Luxury Suite Sea Front with Private Pool

The Luxury Suite has a separate living and an office area if you want to have a working vacation. Situated right at seaside, you can take a quick dip in your private pool if that suits you better than a trek to the beach. The view is great, the suite is bathed in light all day long. What’s not to like?

Food and Drink

Ikaros Beach’s main restaurant, Olive, offers a rotating 14-day menu featuring themed nights with global cuisine varieties.

Themes include Greek, Asian, Italian, Mexican, Cretan and seafood nights. Menus are flexible, accommodating guests with special dietary needs.

Ayeri Restaurant’s focus is Mediterranean fare. This seaside venue has views that constantly reminds you that you’re on a Greek island, with its wide vistas of the Sea of Crete. If you are staying in a suite, you get a special VIP breakfast and dinner. There is also a varied a la carte menu and an appetizer buffet.

The Ouzeri Cafenion is another seaside venue. It models itself after a traditional Greek fish tavern and is open for lunch and dinner. You can watch its chefs prepare your meals, which specialize in tender meats, fish, and seafood.

The Veranda is another restaurant which takes advantage of a pleasant view of the sea, and the palms which line the beachfront. The Veranda serves dishes with an international flavor, expertly plated to please the eye as well as the palate. Try their pasta with sautéed lamb fillets with your choice of drink from the restaurant’s cocktail and wine bar.

The Sunset Restaurant is the place to go for Asian cuisine, also on the seaside. Whether it’s sushi or sweet and sour pork or chicken, the Sunset is a great place to dine as the westering sun kisses the horizon over the waters of the sea.

Once again, in keeping with Ikaros Beach’s pattern of offering seaside fine dining, En Lefko specializes in Italian cuisine accompanied by open vistas of the sea. This simple restaurant prepares first-class pizza, pasta, sandwiches, burgers and a variety of grilled meat to go with your view of the water.

Bars

The Ikaros Lobby Bar is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail whilst people watching, or for using as a meeting point for friends. Expert bar back mixologists will surprise you with their inventive concoctions.

Relax, sip and enjoy the comings and goings of the lobby bar, and the pleasant views of the resort’s gardens outside the floor to ceiling windows.

Daedalos Central Bar, not far from the pool, is one place to head for when you’ve had enough sun at poolside, or want a break from your swim. It’s also a focal point for evening entertainment with various shows and individual performances.

Closer still to the pool, the Aeolos Pool Bar serves perfectly as an intermission to all that sunbathing, swimming, and fun in the sun. In addition to all kinds of alcohol, the bar also serves ice cream, snacks, soft drinks, and light meals.

Spa and Wellness

The Aura Spa offers a myriad of ways to unwind, relax, and rejuvenate you from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. You’ll feel a new creature after a signature massage or treatment by the spa’s trained professionals. At the reception area, you’ll consult with spa specialists who will craft a targeted regimen for you in order to achieve maximum effect on your health and well being.

The spa includes an indoor swimming pool, and a state of the art, fully-equipped gym, a sauna and steam bath flooded with natural light from the spa’s windows. There is a hair salon, manicure and pedicure stations, and both single and double massage rooms.

Whether it’s facial treatments, full body massages, foot care, or any other of a number of different kinds of therapies, you’ll find yourself relaxed, glowing, and filled with a sense of well-being and balanced health. A specialty of the Aura Spa is the Cretan Massage, which uses an ingenious combination of warm Cretan olive oil, raki, and orange oil to re-align your body with its environment, giving you a sense of well-being that will last for days.

The spa uses natural products such as essential oils, honey, olive oil, marine ingredients, and other to guarantee your satisfaction.

In the Area

Just a little east of Ikaros Beach is the party town of Malia, famous for its strip and its over-imbibed young tourists. If that’s your thing, there’s lots of opportunity to indulge. In addition, there are a lot of really nice beaches in the area.

Malia Palace is about 3km east of Malia and is a prime archeological site in Crete. This Minoan-era population center has a museum with tons of interesting artifacts, chief of which is the gold bee pendant, and exquisitely worked gold pendant dating from around 1700 BC. There is evidence of human habitation in ancient Malia going back as far as 6,000 BC.

A few kilometers further east of Malia Palace is the thousand year-old Monastery of St. George Selinari, a place of peace, quiet, fantastic views, and a trailhead of sorts for the Selinari canyon. A word to the wise: it’s considered bad luck to hike the canyon without first visiting the monastery.

Aqua Plus, Crete’s largest water park, is about 20 minutes west, and is chock full of water slides (50 in number), games, and other water-related activities.

Crete’s capital, Heraklion, is about a half hour away to the west, and a beehive of activity for the entire island. Whether it’s night clubs or historical sites, Heraklion has it all. There are a lot of day trips and boat cruises you can take to see the wider area of Crete, and, of course there is the must-see ancient city of Knossos, just inland a few kilometers from Heraklion.

Aquaworld Aquarium, in nearby Hersonissos, just east of the harbor, a natural history museum, was founded in 1995, is an aquarium and reptile rescue center. It features snakes, lizards, and tortoises which can be safely fed and handled by visitors and children. It is one of only 3 aquariums in Greece. It also displays a variety of local marine life in aquariums.

All in all, Ikaros Beach makes for an ideal vacation location, and this highly rated, reasonably priced resort itself will give you a memory-making holiday.

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