Greek family-run hotel group Mar-Bella Collection has picked up its first property on Crete. Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa, set on the coast at Plaka near Elounda on the island's northeastern tip, is joining a portfolio that until now has been spread across Corfu (MarBella, Nido, Avali) and the mainland (Elix). The resort closes for a rebrand and refit, with doors reopening under the Mar-Bella banner for the 2027 season.
The location alone explains the purchase. Elounda has been one of Greece's most reliable luxury destinations for decades, and Cayo sits directly opposite Spinalonga — the fortified former leper colony that's one of Crete's most visited historic sites. The towns of Plaka and Elounda, both stacked with waterside tavernas, are within easy reach.
The property itself covers 35,600 square metres and holds 117 rooms, suites and villas across 11 categories. Every category has a sea view, and most come with a private pool — a layout clearly built around the privacy-first crowd that Elounda attracts. Food and drink spans five restaurants and three bars, plus a spa, and the activity list runs from hiking and cycling to cooking classes, private boat trips and organised excursions to Spinalonga and the port town of Agios Nikolaos. There's a conference centre and wedding facilities too, so it doubles as an events venue.
What changes under the new owners? Chief commercial officer Periklis Gompakis says the priority is lifting service standards to match the rest of the collection without sanding off the character that made the resort popular in the first place. The bigger shift for travellers is family provision: Mar-Bella plans a carefully structured offering with dedicated adults-only and family zones, and a new kids' club will join the existing playground. In practice that means the resort will court couples seeking quiet and families travelling with children at the same time, without diluting its high-end positioning.
For holidaymakers eyeing a Crete trip in 2027 or beyond, this adds a fresh option in a corner of the island that already carries serious pedigree — Elounda's hotel strip has long been where luxury brands cluster. Worth noting too that Mar-Bella's existing Corfu and mainland properties hint at the group's style: polished but not stuffy, family-run rather than corporate.
If Spinalonga views and a private pool are on your wishlist, it may be worth tracking the reopening news — and in the meantime, nearby Elounda and Agios Nikolaos offer plenty of alternatives for a Greek island stay.
