Review: Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection
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An affordable hotel with Marriott Bonvoy points
The Domes of Elounda Hotel, Autograph Collection is category 8.
This means it costs 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to stay there for one night. At the time of our stay, in the middle of summer, it cost around CA$ 1,000 for one night…!
Note:We booked this hotel BEFORE the changes of March 2019, when ALL luxury hotels cost “only” 60,000 points per night (including the Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort and Spa, Dubai).
Unlike the Domes Noruz Chania Hotel, Autograph Collection – reserved for adults – the Domes of Elounda – Autograph Collection hotel welcomes many families.
Whether you choose to pay in cash… or points, this one will be very expensive!
How to get Marriott Bonvoy points
To earn Marriott Bonvoy points in Canada, the easiest way is via one of these 3 credit cards:
- The Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express® Card
- The Marriott BonvoyMD Business American ExpressMD* Card
- The American Express CobaltMD Card
Each one offers a nice welcome bonus and the ability to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on each of your purchases.
You could have both Marriott Bonvoy cards and collect your points in your Marriott Bonvoy account!
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $150 | |||
| $191.88 |
As for the card Cobaltmᶜ American Express, it allows you to transfer your Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy points at a rate of 1:1.2.
With the 5 membership rewards points per dollar you earn on:
- grocery stores
- restaurants and bars
- convenience stores
- food delivery at home
it is like earning 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar!
Our review of the Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection
As part of our one-week trip to Crete – without the kids – before going to the Domes Noruz Chania Hotel, Autograph Collection, we stayed 2 nights at the Domes of Elounda hotel, Autograph Collection.
Location
The Domes of Elounda Hotel, Autograph Collection is located on the northeast coast of Crete, close to the city of Elounda and about an hour’s drive from Heraklion.
His address: Tsifliki, Elounda – Crete 72053 Greece
Arrival
About an hour’s drive from Heraklion and 3:30 hours from Chania, the Domes of Elounda Hotel, Autograph Collection is located in an area still very wild on the seaside.
If you are in a rental car, a valet will take care of your car. Our luggage is taken care of too, and we will see them back in our room.
Instead of checking in at the front desk, we will be brought outside by a receptionist, which makes for a nice introduction!
While she was handling our passports and some formalities, the bartender brought us some very refreshing welcome cocktails.
We appreciate the calm on this terrace and a light breeze while it is more than 35 degrees Celsius.While Jean-Maximilien is busy filling out the registration documents…
… I take the opportunity to walk around this terrace.
It is a particularly pleasant place, especially in the early evening when a pianist is present near the bar.
Once the registration is complete, the advantages reserved for Titanium (and Platinum) Elite members are presented to us:
- breakfasts
- 1 meal for 2 people at dinner during our stay
- 30 minutes access to the spa
We will then be taken to our room in a cart.
Our first suite: 314
The room booked with points was type “1 suite with a room and a bubbling bath”.
We were upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite with private pool, i.e. 4 categories above. Thanks to Titanium Elite status for this new upgrade!
The lounge
So we arrive directly in the living room:
Lounge that has a very nice ceiling height:
In this lounge, there is a well-stocked mini-bar.
And a Nespresso coffee machine, with an office that we won’t use… preferring “the one” on the terrace!
A welcome gift awaited us (Jean-Maximilien said we were celebrating a birthday during our stay):
Head to the master bedroom, with a wardrobe separating it from the bathroom.
The room
The master bedroom is pretty ordinary. No “wow” effect as in other luxury hotels we have been able to stay in.
The bathrobes are good quality, on the other hand the television is rather old and small. But who watches TV during a holiday in Greece?!
Little surprise when we return to our room the first night… 😉
The bathroom
The bathroom consists of a large bathtub/shower and toilets.
The copper sink is surrounded by the usual toiletries.
The focal point of this room is of course the huge bubbling bath, in the center of which is the shower!
The guest room
The other part of our suite is made up of a second room that we will not use.
The second bathroom
The second bathroom consists of a copper sink, toilets and a small shower.
The terrace
The centerpiece of this suite is its terrace.
It consists of a sofa, 2 sun deckchairs and a table Jean-Maximilien will use as a desk:
From this terrace, we have access to a small private swimming pool.
You won’t do any lengths in this pool! On the other hand, it is handy to cool off – every 10 minutes – during a tanning/working session on the terrace.
The view is particularly pleasant in the morning when the sun is flooding the terrace with light.
Note on this suite
This room was almost perfect… to one detail: its location. Our block of rooms was located at an intersection of 2 cart passages… and the truth is, we felt that all the hotel residents were passing under the windows, especially between 4 and 7pm.
It became so disturbing that we preferred to leave the room to go to the beach. The next day we asked to change room…. you’ll find out below.
Our second suite
Our second suite will be located in a much quieter place. Upon entry, the pool – nicer than our previous suite:
This pool is also very nice in the evening…
… or sunrise!
The terrace is smaller and is under an olive tree.
Whether it’s morning or evening, it’s a nice place!
The lounge
By entering, we arrive in the living room.
The special feature of this suite is that it is a duplex.
In a small adjoining room is the mini-bar, the Nespresso coffee machine and an office.
The first bathroom
A bathroom is located on this level…
… and is made up of a large shower.
The room
We clearly preferred this room to the one on the first night.
The master bathroom
Next door is the bathroom…
… with a large bathtub.
The terrace
On the same floor, at the top of the stairs, we access the very large terrace.
Only regret: there could have been 2 sun deckchairs to occupy the space!
Here’s a sunrise from this terrace… Pretty good, isn’t it?
Hotel amenities
The adult pool
Below the reception is a lightly used swimming pool.
This is the adult pool. As there are many children in this hotel, other swimming pools are dedicated to them.
The outdoor gym
No closed gym here: everything is outdoors.
The beach
Let’s go to the beach now!
To reach it, it is necessary to walk the path that leads to it (possibility of being taken down by cart) and which passes under the road along the seaside.
The beach is private and rather narrow.
However, there are many areas to be isolated under olive trees.
A bar and restaurant are present on both sides of the beach.
A pontoon allows you to admire the view, or make an appointment for water sports.
The spa
See you now at the spa!
Unlike the Domes Noruz Chania spa, Autograph Collection which is free and with the possibility of access to it at will, the spa of the Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection is not free.
However, thanks to the Titanium (and Platinum) Elite status, we had access to a 30-minute route.
I couldn’t photograph the other rooms that consisted of a sauna, a steam room, multiple showers with hot/cold/sound effect, and a rest room.
Haute – The complex for families
To access the family complex, I advise you to ask to be driven there by cart. This one is behind the hill of the main building.
In fact, the Elounda complex is divided into two parts.
On foot, you can first go up to the helipad, which will give you great views of the area…
… before accessing to the family complex.
The club for teenagers
The first space you will see is the teen club:
… or the big kids!
The children's club
Next door is the children’s club with indoor and outdoor spaces.
Everything is well-thought-out and the babysitters take care of the children.
The pool for families
Then you have access to a very large swimming pool for families, and a paddling pool for the little ones.
Many relaxation areas are available, as well as a convenience store with international newspapers and magazines.
A bar and restaurant are present:
To go back to our suite, we will use a cart.
Breakfast
Thanks to Titanium Elite (also possible with Platinum Elite) status, we were entitled to a free breakfast each morning.
This is a restaurant with indoor and outdoor spaces.
We chose to sit in the Silence Zone – compared to the one for families (including the terrace).
It’s a buffet, but it’s possible to get eggs served your way.
The sweet part:
The salty part:
This buffet was perfect, as was the table-service.
The evening buffet
Thanks to Titanium Elite status (also possible with Platinum Elite), we were treated to a dinner for 2 people, once during our stay.
We chose to have dinner there on Saturday for the Greek Evening. Here are the pictures of the buffet starting with the salty:
Then the sweet part:
A very good buffet to taste many Greek specialties!
Bottom Line
This hotel is a beautiful resort for families.
If you are in a relationship, we would advise you to stay at Domes Noruz Chania, Autograph Collection, unless you go to Crete outside the school holidays.
Indeed, there is always a lot of activity, all over the complex, and we always stay with a bitter taste on our first room: so beautiful… but so noisy at times.
Since we have stayed in the two Domes in the region, it is rather easy for us to compare them: the value for money leans, in our opinion, in favour of the Domes Noruz Chania, Autograph Collection:
- Category 7 vs. Category 8 (a difference of 25,000 points per night!)
- Newer facilities both on the complex and in the rooms
- A spa accessible at will
- More immediate proximity to Crete’s important points of interest
In our view, the Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection would be better categorized in level 7 than in level 8.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $150 |
Go further with Marriott Bonvoy
To maximize your stays and points earning, check our complete Marriott Bonvoy program guide and our best Marriott Bonvoy credit cards ranking. For personal use, see the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card. For business expenses, the Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card earns points on every business purchase. And if a points purchase promotion is running, take advantage via our Marriott Bonvoy points purchase guide.
