Summer 2021 went by in the blink of an eye. After months of no travel and lockdowns due to Covid, we finalized our travel plans to Greece once we were fully vaccinated, and couldn't wait to get on the plane. We spent one glorious month in Greece, and had an incredible time.
While we usually do a lot of exploring in Greece, this year we had a busier itinerary than previous years--we travelled across the country visiting many ancient sites, museums, and beaches, putting over 5,000 kilometres on our vehicle--and it was totally worth it.
A highlight of our trip was visiting the island of Lefkada on the Ionian Sea, near the islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia. Lefkada is a popular island in Greece, thanks to it's world famous beaches, though thankfully not as packed as Santorini and Mykonos. It's rich with lush vegetation, natural landscapes, beautiful mountains, and breathtaking blue-flag beaches, including Kathisma and Porto Katsiki.
My husband and I had the great pleasure of staying at Crystal Waters Lefkada for a few days at the beginning of our trip for a review, and we loved it so much, we checked in again for a second stay, this time, with our children.
Our friend who were also travelling to Greece at the same time as us fell in love with the hotel after seeing some of my pictures on Instagram, and they decided to book a stay at the hotel for a few days, as well--I'm so glad they had a wonderful time with their three children, too. (We're fortunate because our home in Greece is less than an hour from Lefkada--and you can get to this island by driving, since it's connected to the mainland by a bridge).
Crystal Waters is a luxury island hotel unique in style, layout, and experience, and fairly new, too; it opened its doors in 2018, and it's quickly become the go-to place to stay in Lefkada for families, couples, and celebrities. Our experience from the moment we checked in until we left, was truly perfection. We loved our room, and especially our private pool, complete with views of the sea and mountains. I loved the clean, modern spaces, and the public pool area was breathtaking.
Rooms and Pools
The hotel has 146 luxury apartment style rooms, some with two floors and two bedrooms, making it to the perfect place to stay as a family, because large hotel rooms are sometimes hard to come by in Greece. The hotel also has many double rooms for couples, and each room has a unique design concept and layout, with simple, clean, modern decor. (The showers in the bathrooms are amazing, too!). The suites and rooms are all positioned to have a panoramic view of the Ionian Sea and the green mountains of the island, or views of the gardens and pools. We were extremely comfortable during our stay and loved the attention to detail in design.
Many rooms have private swimming pools with a deck and lounge chairs, table, and chairs for private relaxation, with sea and mountain views, making it the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring the beaches. We stayed in rooms with and without a private pool, and I would highly recommend booking a room with a private pool, although both rooms are gorgeous, and of course, there are the public swimming pools, too.
In addition to the private pools, the hotel has three large pools scattered throughout the grounds, including an infinity pool, a children's pool, and a large pool with a swim-up bar, under the hotel's popular restaurant, Duende. The swim-up bar was a great place to hang out and have a few drinks in the afternoon, drinks created by the popular bartenders, who were very attentive and kind to all the guests, including children. (The margaritas were amazing!). There is a pool-side menu, as well, with really yummy food and snacks for all.
Dining
We really enjoyed the food and cuisine at Crystal Waters. Duende restaurant offers a wide range of Greek and Mediterranean food for dinner, in a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere overlooking the pool.
The hotel also provides a free breakfast buffet to all its guests, and the buffet is quite extensive, featuring fresh traditional Greek food, including fruits, vegetables, eggs, pastries, bread, and more. It was delicious! I recommend booking a reservation for breakfast during the summer months, if you would like to be seated outdoors, because the patio outside tends to fill up if you're dining after 9 a.m. The interior of Duende is lovely, too, though.
It was really nice to see how the hotel was enforcing Covid restrictions, too; masks had to be worn indoors, gloves were available for guests to wear in the buffet, and there was never a crowd of people gathered in any one area. Plus, you're mostly enjoying your time outside at Crystal Waters, so there was no need to worry about being in close contact indoors with other guests.
Service
Something that really stood out for my husband and I during our stay at Crystal Waters was the excellent service we received from the moment we checked in. It was outstanding and refreshing to be greeted with so much happiness and care. Everyone was helpful and kind, from reception to the bartender at the swim-up bar, to the servers in the restaurants.
After a few days, the hotel began to feel like home, and we loved every minute of our stay in this open-air, modern hotel. We can't wait to go back next summer.
If anyone has questions regarding staying at Crystal Waters, feel free to leave me a comment or email me. You can also send me a message on Instagram.
Thank you again, Crystal Waters, for your excellent service and care, and for making our getaway so perfect. We truly loved every minute!
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