About this hotel
General information
St. Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel & Villas occupies a secluded peninsula on the eastern coast of Crete, its buildings set among citrus gardens above a private sandy cove on Mirabello Bay. A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the resort pairs contemporary interiors with the forms of traditional Cretan architecture, and much of what reaches the table comes from its own gardens and nearby farms.
There are 119 rooms, suites and villas, many with private pools, along with five restaurants, two bars, the Poseidon Spa and a beachside chapel used for weddings. It suits couples and families equally well, with a kids’ club, a games room for teenagers and live music in the restaurants most evenings. The resort opens seasonally and closes from November to March.
Location
The resort sits at Thessi Nissi, on the coast road from Agios Nikolaos to Elounda, roughly a mile (about 1.6 km) from the centre of Agios Nikolaos, whose old fishing harbour lights up the view from the Astra Bar terrace. Heraklion Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport is 69 km away; Chania International Airport is 220 km.
Spa
Poseidon Spa works with Elemis and Cinq Mondes, offering face and body therapies, anti-ageing and aromatherapy programmes, some of them combined with seawater treatments. Spa guests have an indoor heated pool with hydro-jet seats and a relaxation area, marble Turkish steam baths and saunas, and treatment rooms with Jacuzzi tubs and affusion showers. The signature spaces are Aphrodite’s Bath, a cave for two with a seawater thalassotherapy pool right by the sea; the Blue Room, with its own veranda over the bay; and the Stone Suite for couples, with a built-in Jacuzzi. A beauty salon covers manicures, pedicures, facials, make-up, waxing and hairdressing.
Sports & leisure
Much of the activity centres on the water, while on land the resort offers training, classes and ways into the island.
- Water sports centre: water-skiing (with lessons), windsurfing, canoes, banana rides and jet skis, plus scuba diving
- Gym with Technogym and Cybex equipment, a functional training zone and a personal trainer; a jogging route
- Hatha and Vinyasa flow yoga with the sea as a backdrop, and private yoga or Pilates sessions
- Boat trips around Mirabello Bay by speedboat, sailing yacht or catamaran, and fishing outings
- Excursions across eastern Crete: archaeological sites, villages and local food, hiking
- A cooking workshop with the chef, from the morning market to herbs picked in the resort’s gardens, and Cretan wine tastings with the sommelier in the hotel cellar
- Live music or a themed dinner in one of the restaurants every evening
For children
The complimentary Mini Club takes children aged 4–11 six days a week, looked after by qualified staff; younger children can join with a parent, and babysitting is available for a fee. Teenagers have their own games room with consoles, a cinema, a video wall, billiards, darts and table tennis. Every restaurant except The Minotaure has a children’s menu and high chairs, cots are free, and a seawater paddling pool sits beside the large outdoor pool. Interconnecting rooms, family suites and pool villas sleep families of up to six.
Restaurants & bars
The resort has five restaurants and two bars, and private dinners can be set up in any of them or on a room’s veranda.
- Labyrinthos — Greek and international cooking with a modern touch: a dinner buffet of starters and desserts, with mains served at the table
- The Club House — breakfast in the lounge and on the terrace overlooking the bay
- The Blue Bay — all-day beach restaurant and bar with Mediterranean and international dishes and sushi, turning to cocktails in the evening
- The Minotaure — candlelit dinners by the lagoon pool, Asian and international cuisine, a global wine list and live piano nightly
- The Greek Kafenion — Cretan cooking, an open-air grill and fish from local fishermen, a few steps from the beach, with live music
- Astra Bar — veranda and lounge above the Minotaure lagoon pool, with piano music at sunset
- Bonatsa Jetty Bar — cocktails and DJ sets at the water’s edge
Swimming
The resort’s private sandy beach lies in a sheltered cove; it is fully serviced and holds the EU Blue Flag. There is also a large outdoor pool a few steps from the sea with a seawater children’s pool beside it, the lagoon pool by The Minotaure and a heated indoor pool at the spa. Most Premium Collection suites and villas have pools of their own, some filled with seawater and heated in spring and late October.
Pets
The resort welcomes pets.
Rooms
The 119 rooms, suites and villas are divided into two collections. The Classic Collection is finished with local materials and made-to-measure furniture; the Premium Collection — Club suites, seafront houses and the new Olives & Sea villas among the olive groves — is individually designed, with more space, greater seclusion and panoramic sea views, and mostly a private pool or hot tub.
Each room has a marble bathroom with bathrobes and slippers, down duvets and a pillow menu, individually controlled air conditioning, a 50-inch smart TV with satellite channels, free Wi-Fi, a laptop-size safe, a minibar, a Nespresso machine and tea, daily snacks and water, a writing desk, a private balcony or terrace, all-day room service and twice-daily housekeeping.
Classic Double Room
A king-size or twin-bedded room with a seating corner, a marble bathroom and a veranda in the gardens with partial views of the bay. Sleeps two adults plus a child or an infant.
Classic Junior Suite Sea View
An open-plan suite with a sitting area, a marble bathroom with separate WC and a spacious veranda facing the sea. Sleeps two adults plus a child or an infant.
Classic Suite Sea View
A separate bedroom and living area with a generous veranda looking over Mirabello Bay. Sleeps two adults and two children (or a child and an infant).
Classic Studio Private Pool Sea View
An open-plan studio with sea views, a bathroom with Jacuzzi-style bath and walk-in shower, and a veranda with day beds beside its own pool. Sleeps two adults plus a child or an infant.
Family Suite 2 Bedroom Private Pool Sea View
Two bedrooms, a living room with dining area and writing desk, two bathrooms and a veranda with a private pool and sea views. Sleeps four adults plus a child or an infant.
Family Suite 2 Bedroom Outdoor Hot Tub Garden View
Two bedrooms, a living area with a small kitchen and two bathrooms, all opening onto a large garden veranda with an outdoor hot tub, a short walk from the beach. Sleeps four adults plus a child or an infant.
Family Suite 3 Bedroom Outdoor Hot Tub Garden View
Three bedrooms, a living area, two bathrooms and a large furnished garden veranda with an outdoor hot tub. Sleeps six adults plus a child or an infant.
Club Junior Suite Seafront View
An open-plan seafront suite with a marble bathroom (Jacuzzi-style bath and walk-in shower) and a veranda facing the bay. Sleeps two adults plus a child or an infant.
Club Suite Seafront View
A beachfront suite with a separate bedroom, a living area, a Jacuzzi-style bath and a spacious sea-view veranda. Sleeps two adults and two children (or a child and an infant).
Club Suite Outdoor Hot Tub Seafront View
A beachfront suite, either open-plan or with a separate bedroom, with a living area and a veranda with its own hot tub overlooking the sea. Sleeps two adults plus a child or an infant.
Odysseas 1 & 2 – Club Open Plan Mezzanine Suite Private Pool Seafront
A two-level seafront suite: a mezzanine bedroom with en-suite bathroom above, and below a living area with two sofa beds for children, a second bathroom and a veranda with a private pool. Sleeps two adults and two children.
The Rock 1 & 2 – Club Studio Private Pool Seafront
An open-plan studio set into the rock just above the water, with a veranda, day beds and its own pool. For two adults only.
Aiolos – Club Suite Private Pool Seafront
A ground-floor suite a few steps from the shore, with a bedroom, a separate living and dining area and a terrace with a seawater pool, loungers and an outdoor dining table. Sleeps two adults and two children.
Zefiros – Club Suite Private Pool Seafront
A ground-floor suite by the water with a bedroom, a separate living area and a terrace with a seawater pool and space for dining outdoors. Sleeps two adults and two children.
Zeus House – Club Suite Private Pool Seafront
A raised suite with a 180-degree view of the bay, a main bedroom and a smaller second bedroom, a living area and a terrace with a freshwater pool. Sleeps two adults and two children.
Eros – Club Suite Private Pool Seafront
A ground-floor suite close to the shore, with a bedroom, a separate living area and a large terrace with a seawater pool. Sleeps two adults plus an infant.
Penelopi – Club Suite Private Pool Seafront
An elevated one-bedroom suite with a 180-degree view of the bay, a separate living area and a terrace with a seawater pool. Sleeps two adults plus a child or an infant.
Olives & Sea 2 Bedroom Villa Private Pool Sea View
A new two-level villa among olive groves: upstairs a bedroom with en-suite bathroom, a sitting area and a veranda with heated pool; downstairs a second en-suite bedroom opening onto a garden with a hammock; views over the bay. Sleeps four adults plus an infant.
Olives & Sea Studio Private Pool Sea View
A new open-plan studio among the olive trees, with views of the bay, a veranda with day beds and its own pool. Sleeps two adults plus a child or an infant.
Olives & Sea 2 Bedroom Villa Private Pool Harbor View/Sea View
A two-level villa set slightly inland with sea or harbour views: two en-suite bedrooms, a sitting area, a veranda with heated pool and a shaded garden. Sleeps four adults plus an infant.
Olives & Sea 3 Bedroom Villa Private Pool Harbor View/Sea View
A two-level villa: upstairs an en-suite bedroom, a living room and a veranda with heated pool; downstairs two en-suite bedrooms with walk-in wardrobes opening onto a garden with dining table, barbecue and hammock. Sleeps six adults plus an infant.
Aphrodite’s House – Club Suite 3 Bedroom Private Pool Seafront
A single-level suite at the water’s edge with three en-suite bedrooms (the main bathroom with Jacuzzi and private hammam), a lounge, work and dining areas, a kitchenette and a terrace with a seawater pool. Sleeps six adults plus a child or an infant.
Poseidon House – Club Villa 2 Bedroom Private Pool Seafront
A two-storey seafront villa with two en-suite bedrooms, a living area with kitchenette, an upstairs balcony and a terrace with a seawater pool and outdoor dining. Sleeps four adults plus a child or an infant.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.