When I first arrived at Abaton Island, I had a warm, friendly welcome and a glass of ice-cold Sangria whilst I went through the dinner and spa reservations for my stay. What a great first impression. Shortly after, I was given a grand tour of the hotel and was shown where to find everything. Alongside that, I was recommended some lovely places to eat on the island should I venture out.

I was staying in the luxury guest room with a swim-up pool; I had a gorgeous bathtub in the middle of my room and a walk-in shower room. My room was perfect; the interior was minimalistic, spacious and clean. All amenities are at hand; I didn’t request anything extra as I had it all! And the mini-bar had a great selection of snacks and beverages, so I didn’t need to wander out. I think I ran a bubble bath each night of my stay; you’d regret it otherwise! I would relax there; whilst catching up on my favourite book accompanied by a glass of red.

They offer an extensive list of treatments at their Anapnoe Spa; lots of them cater to couples experiencing treatments together, as this is a popular honeymoon destination hotel. There are so many options; Turkish bath cleansing therapy, resurfacing facials, hot stone massage, Elemis ocean body wraps and so much more! They have five treatment rooms and a relaxation room with an indoor pool, should you wish to relax with your favourite book.

I chose to experience a luxury reflexology treatment in their resort spa called Anapnoe, which is a Greek term for breath. Breathing is a powerful tool in learning to be in the present moment and helps to relax the mind; Anapnoe Spa implemented breathing techniques throughout my experience. My treatment lasted for 60 minutes and in those 60 minutes, I completely drifted off into utter relaxation. Reflexology is one of the most underrated treatments and the benefits are endless. I felt great after my treatment and was given lots of helpful advice to take away with me.

For dinner, you have options to dine in the hotel’s main restaurant, F-Zin Ivy League Restaurant or one of their four independent restaurants on site, WOW, Buddha Bar, Elemes and Bony Fish. There is no need to leave the island because everything you need is right on your doorstep; of course, if you fancied venturing out for the evening and dining in Hersonissos Town, then it’s only a short 5-minute drive away. You can have the best of both worlds here; an intimate dinner front-facing the beach or visit the town and find an independent restaurant to dine in.

During my stay, I had the pleasure of dining in WOW, Buddha Bar and Bony Fish; it would be impossible to choose a favourite between the three. Each place I dined in had such impeccable standards; simply choosing one would be a crime!

On my first evening, I dined in a steak house called WOW; my meal certainly lived up to its ‘wow’ title! This restaurant is very vibrant and has a great ambience. During my meal, I did feel overwhelmed as each dish complimented the other so perfectly; I couldn’t have dreamed of a better first meal here at Abaton.

What I Ordered:

Starter: Tortellini with corn cream, truffle, parmesan pannacotta and mushroom stock
Main: Rib eye steak medium-rare with a side of truffle mac and cheese, kale with greens and grilled broccoli
Wine: Chunky red Zinfandel

I would have loved to order dessert after dinner (if all of that wasn’t enough), but I was too full up from demolishing all of my delicious steaks, that I left no room. The chunky Zinfandel was recommended to me by my waiter; it paired perfectly with the rib-eye and brought out all the flavours. I would recommend everything that I ordered; it was simply faultless.

Buddha Beach Bar is one of Crete’s hotspots on the island; I now understand why! It was my favourite place to spend the day; there’s an infinity pool, surrounded by beautiful wooden cabana beds, situated right on Abaton’s private beach with a full view of the Aegean sea; it catches the most sublime sunset!

At lunch, I was in my element. I was relaxing at the pool, soaking up the sun, all whilst enjoying my ‘ultimate pina colada’, served in a giant roasted coconut and devouring mouth-watering sushi; it makes sense why it’s everyone’s favourite spot on the island.

What I ordered:

Ginger shot
Spicy Edamame
Bao buns with shrimp & basil mayo
Salmon sushi & sashimi
Salmon avocado rolls
Shrimp sushi

When I was ordering, Claudia, my lovely waitress, was very insistent that I try the shrimp bao buns; I was so delighted I listened to her recommendation because out of all the dishes I ordered, it was my favourite. The next day, I went back to the Buddha bar for lunch to taste the bao buns again; they packed so much flavour!

Something I found so interesting about staying here is that all of the teas, juices, smoothies and shots are all made fresh daily in Abaton’s Laboratories, and then they’re bottled up. I opted for the ginger shot as there are many detoxifying health benefits, helping to kickstart your metabolism.

Bony Fish was the final dinner of my stay, what a way to end such an unforgettable trip! It’s a seafood restaurant specialising in classic seafood cuisine, all of the ingredients are delivered fresh on the day from the Aegean sea, making it even more special.

What I ordered:

Saganaki with shrimps
Lobster risotto
Einomaypo red wine

I don’t know where to start; first, I apologise sincerely if my mum is reading this because this risotto was the best I’ve ever tasted. She does make a beautiful mushroom risotto though, so she can have that crown instead. Back to the lobster risotto, it arrived to me at the table on a trolley whilst the waitress started to break up the lobster in front of me. I was then kindly taught how to retrieve more lobster meat by myself using a pick and fork. It was a bit messy; I don’t think it’s my forte; however, I’m so glad I was taught the skills to do it myself. If you’re ever dining at Bony Fish, you need to order this dish; I promise you won’t regret it.

There are so many things to do at Abaton and in Hersonissos that you have everything right at your fingertips. If you don’t want to leave the resort, you are spoiled, with some fantastic shops, Hellene Chic, Riveria concept boutique, Designer Jewellery and Man of Honour. I had an Abaton beach bag and straw hat and I wore them throughout my entire stay; they were fantastic.

One thing, in particular, I loved about staying here, is the privacy of this hotel, although there are many areas where you can be around company if you wish, you can also discover so many cosy spots where you can enjoy a special moment with your loved one. Whether you set up a spot on the beach watching the sunset or you cosy up opposite the huge pool which dazzles with lights in the evening with a sensational view of the seafront, you will make the best memories here.

This hotel is one of a kind; my whole experience was so special that I completely understand why people choose to spend their honeymoons here because I certainly will be! Abaton Island has my heart. Everything you could wish for in a hotel is right here at Abaton. Every staff member I met was so lovely that I was tearing up as I left in my transfer car. I didn’t want to leave but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end; until next time Abaton!

A; Themistokleous Avenue, Chersonisos 700 14, Greece
T: +30 2897 026410
W: Abaton Island Resort & Spa

Daniel Tobin