Acro Suites
Contemporary cliff-top casas
Living on the edge
A restorative retreat on the cliffs of Crete, Acro Suites is a secluded series of private standalone pads, each with its own pool (some in a literal cave), Aegean-admiring terrace and super-slick design. The spa has a hammam and heated marble beds, there are daily yoga classes in the unlikely event you weren’t feeling peaceful enough, the restaurant aims to nurture guests with food from local farms and even the cocktails are medicinal. If you like your sunsets Santorini style (ie: an unfalteringly dazzling nightly show), you’ll love this self-styled ‘Santorini of Crete’, which does all of that but without the bus loads.
Facilities
Rooms
49, including two villas.
Checkout
Noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 2pm.
More Details
Rates usually include breakfast.
Also
The rocky resort is not easily accessible for wheelchair users.
Hotel Closed
The hotel opens annually from the middle of April until the end of October.
Free Internet Access
Laundry
Pet Friendly
Pool
On-Site Restaurant
Spa
At the Hotel
Free WiFi throughout, yoga pavilion, gym with a view. In rooms: Marshall speaker, TV, Nespresso coffee machine, kettle and organic tea, minibar with Cretan treats, beach towels and Olive Era bath products made with olive oil from the island.
Our Favourite Rooms
Each sea-facing, pool-enhanced suite has reasons to shout from the clifftops about – but for cavernous cubbyholes that would put other Greek islands to shame (we’re looking at you, Santorini), it has to be the glamorous grottoes that are the Cave Suites, with a rocky roof over the pool so you can take subterranean swimming seriously.
Poolside
Each suite has its own saltwater pool and there’s a communal one with even better views and a bar, too (open from 10am to 7pm).
Spa
The Bath House has a traditional hammam for soapy scrubs, heated marble beds, rain showers and a plunge pool, and hosts daily yoga classes.
Packing Tips
Grecian-goddess-worthy floaty dresses (in a doomed attempt to outdo the staff), sensible shoes for navigating the craggy cliffs and books about minotaurs.
Also
Acro Suites has a handy weekly programme to keep guests entertained during their self-imposed captivity, such as saxophone nights on Monday and Wednesday, wine-tasting Tuesdays, DJ-improved Thursdays and live bands every Sunday.
Children
Grown-up Smiths only – this retreat is for over-18s only.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
There’s no bad seat, especially if you’ve sequestered one of the sets of sunloungers on the circular cliff-edge decks.
Dress Code
Clash of the Titans.
Hotel Restaurant
With a name fit for a Titan, Cremnos, the main restaurant, has a champion chef, more scene-stealing views and classic Cretan food, with ingredients sourced from farms all over the island and a common aim of sharing the healthy diet that keeps Crete’s residents living so long. The menu includes superfood-packed salads, salmon ceviche and a pick ’n’ mix surf and/or turf selection. There’s also Circle for laid-back light bites by the main pool.
Hotel Bar
The bar staff are masters in mixing in botanical ingredients, with garnishes picked from the garden and juices made from strictly local produce only. There’s live music on certain nights of the week, including swing, jazz and DJs.
Last Orders
Breakfast is served at Cremnos between 7.30am and 11am; lunch service is from 1pm to 5pm; and dinner is from 7.30pm to 10pm. The bar serves drinks until 2am, with snacks and light bites available between noon and 6pm.
Room Service
Meals and snacks can be served in-room between 7.30am and 11pm.
Planes
The hotel is a 25-minute drive east of Heraklion’s airport. Transfers can be arranged on request.
Automobiles
A car will come in handy for exploring Crete’s many corners, especially if you plan on spending some time in its capital Chania, just under two hours away by car. There’s free parking at the hotel.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Mononaftis Beach is within walking distance of the resort, with elevator access – it’s one of the island’s best diving spots. Psaromoura is another pebbly shore a couple of kilometres away, but for the most beachfront bustle, go for Agia Pelagia, which has lots of restaurants and cafés (and sand). Beaches you can reach by boat include Fylakes. The Palace of Knossos is a few kilometres south of Heraklion and a must for all minotaur fans – the Minoan settlement has its own labyrinth. More classical culture awaits at the archaeological site at Eleutherna, an hour’s drive from the resort. The hotel can arrange scuba-diving and stand-up paddleboarding, as well as a private yacht or helicopter to whisk you over to Santorini for a few hours. Scale Mount Ida, the highest peak on Crete, and home to the slopes on which an infant Zeus was raised by a she-goat. There are hiking trails closer to the hotel that span paths through villages and battlefields. Other day trips on the island include Chania, two hours west; the monastery and beach of Preveli, a 90-minute drive south; and the island of Spinalonga, once a leper colony (but don’t let that put you off).
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
