During the trips Daniel and I took around the world in recent years, I always looked at all the young European couples with their sweet little babies and toddlers and told myself that this is how I dream of being when we start a family of our own. That was the picture I had in my head long before we even planned to get pregnant and become a family. Of course, the background voices I heard around me were completely different from that perfect picture in my head… You could say that pretty much across the board, the bottom line was that a vacation with kids is not really a vacation, and that if you want to go on vacation and actually enjoy it, then “do yourselves a favor and leave the baby with grandma and grandpa”. So they said. I heard a lot of background noise from those around me about many parenting-related things that were not necessarily relevant for us, and I also strongly believe that many experiences in life (and all the more so when you become parents) depend greatly on the preparation you do in advance and on the mindset you are in.
After we more or less got used to our new post-birth life, it did not take us long to start thinking about our first family vacation.
If I am not mistaken, we booked an appointment at the Ministry of Interior to issue Yasmin's first passport just a few weeks after she was born, and we got her passport when she was less than two months old. Originally, we planned to go on our first family vacation abroad on my birthday in September, when Yasmin would be almost 6 months old, but after meeting friends who had just flown abroad with their 6-month-old baby, we realized that it is actually easiest to fly with babies in their very first two or three months, because that is when they sleep the most and are the easiest to manage 🤓
So yes, flying with such a tiny little cub can be a bit scary, especially for new parents, but we decided we were going for it and quite spontaneously booked a vacation.
The destination was clear to us from the start. We knew our first family vacation abroad would be a classic lounging vacation, and that the flight of course needed to be relatively short, so without too much deliberation we decided to go for a vacation on the island of Crete in Greece. Long-time readers here on the blog have surely noticed that Daniel and I love Greece very much, and you could say we have been opening our summer vacation season there for several years in a row (minus 2020, of course…), so it was only natural that our first family vacation would be there too. We had no deliberations about the hotel either. We usually love discovering new hotels, but because this time we wanted to play it safe and avoid additional uncertainty (beyond what already comes with a first vacation with a baby), we decided to book a resort that we not only know is one big wow, but that also carries special nostalgic and sentimental value for us: the place where Daniel proposed to me more than 5 years ago 🥰, the stunning Daios Cove hotel. So of course the first thing we did was go to the WTC website, the center for international tourism for luxury vacations in Greece and around the world, through which Daniel booked our previous vacation at the resort. Through the WTC website you can arrange your vacation from A to Z, including hotel, flights, transfers and meals, and set off with total peace of mind (always advisable for a family vacation, and all the more so for a vacation during the Covid period…). From the moment the all-inclusive everything was booked, we started excitedly counting down to our first family vacation 🤗
Let's Cut To The Chase – Everything You Want to Know About a Vacation Abroad with Your Baby
Getting to the Resort
When you set off on a first vacation with a baby, especially when it is a first flight abroad, there is a lot of uncertainty and, as a result, quite a few worries… How will the car ride to the airport go? Will everything go smoothly at security and in the terminal? And how will we survive the flight?
So first of all, my recommendation is to take a few deep breaths and remember that plenty of new parents with tiny babies have flown abroad before you and survived to tell the tale 😉 We decided we were arriving as prepared as possible, with all the gear and accessories that could make the journey to the hotel easier (have you already downloaded my complete baby packing list?) and simply going with the flow.
The drive to the airport went especially smoothly thanks to a rain stick we packed in advance in our diaper bag, which put Yasmin to sleep for the entire ride within about a minute and a half. When we arrived at Ben Gurion airport, Yasmin was so excited by all the action and the screens around, and luckily she was simply a model child and lay in the stroller throughout the entire security screening and check-in.
Hedonistip: One of the most important tips I can give at this stage is to move to the front of the security line with your baby and ask whether it is possible to get priority so you wait as little as possible in line (after all, babies have very limited patience…). They are not obligated to move families with babies to the front of the line, but most of the time the staff is genuinely considerate and it is completely worth a try 😇
The flight itself was what I was most worried about, mainly because I was afraid of feeling helpless if Yasmin had unbearable pressure in her ears and I would not know how to solve the distress. The tip that came up most often on this topic was to breastfeed during takeoff and landing (you can also bottle-feed or at least offer a pacifier, because the sucking motions are supposed to have the same effect as the gum chewing or yawning that we adults do during takeoff and landing). Another tip I received was to give ear drops before boarding the plane, but even though we stocked up on drops in advance, in the end we did not use them this time. On the outbound flight I breastfed during takeoff and landing and it went successfully with zero crying. Yasmin slept almost the entire flight and it was simply a delight. The flight home was another story, unfortunately. The beginning was actually promising because Yasmin arrived at the plane completely exhausted and fell asleep even before takeoff, but during the last half of the flight she suffered greatly from ear pressure, and once she woke up nothing helped anymore, not nursing and not the pacifier. She was so miserable that I cried along with her 🙈 But I accepted that there was not much to be done and knew in advance this might happen, so I simply hugged her and held her close until we landed.
Back to the journey to the hotel… After a short flight we landed at Crete's small (and unimpressive, exactly as I remembered) airport, passed quickly through passport control and a super short PLF form check, collected the suitcases and went out to the arrivals hall, where the private driver we had arranged in advance (with a car seat for our little cub, of course) through WTC was waiting for us. The vacation packages you book through WTC also include airport-to-hotel transfers in the price, but the ride in the shared transfers takes much longer than the direct route to the resort (the bus stops at several hotels along the way, with Daios Cove being the last resort on the route, if I am not mistaken). We also thought it would be less suitable to travel the whole way with tiny Yasmin on a bus sitting on our laps, and we wanted the option to pull over if needed. We debated whether to rent a car and a baby seat or to choose the upgrade to private transfers through WTC, and in the end what tipped the scales was the fact that we were not planning to leave the resort at all anyway, especially given that this was not our first visit to Crete and that it was our first vacation with Yasmin, so we were less inclined to go out and wander around with her this time (which was also the reason we chose in advance an indulgent resort that has everything, the kind you never want to leave 😊). In short, the private driver escorted us from the arrivals hall to a luxurious, spacious and indulgent Mercedes equipped with a comfortable car seat for Yasmin, so we felt we had absolutely made the right decision. It took us about 45 minutes to reach the resort, and the whole way we enjoyed classic Greek views of olive groves, little bays and stunning blue sea. The ride back from the resort to the airport was also very smooth and calm, so I completely recommend this option if you too are traveling with a baby and debating.
The Location
The Daios Cove resort sits in a private bay in the northeast of the island of Crete, not far from the town of Agios Nikolaos, and is less than an hour's drive from the island's main airport, Heraklion. In principle, if you have chosen to spend your vacation at Daios Cove there is a good chance you will not want to leave the hotel at all, but if this is your first time in Crete I highly recommend renting a car for at least one day and touring the area. The interesting points of interest around the hotel are the town of Agios Nikolaos, the town of Elounda, the small fishing village of Plaka, and Spinalonga (the famous leper island). If touring the hotel's immediate surroundings left you wanting more and you are not afraid of a bit more driving, it is worth taking a look at the travel guide I prepared for the other side of the island, northwest Crete, home to the city of Chania and the island's most famous beaches.
The Design
One of the things I have never been willing to compromise on in hotels is the whole matter of design. I know that for many people design is secondary to things like food or service, but in my eyes they are of exactly equal importance. After all, if you have seen how much time, thought and energy I invested in designing our home, you can understand how important the aesthetics of the place I am in are to me, so when we go on vacation it is important to me to stay somewhere at least as well designed. Now, here is the thing: until recently, most of the hotels Daniel and I chose to stay at were adults-only hotels. Why? Yes, partly because we preferred a vacation free of the soundtrack of crying, shouting and rowdiness, but mainly because hotels of this genre are, by default, more designed and chic than hotels catering to families with small children. Which makes sense overall, because there are usually criteria that interest vacationing families more than design, not to mention that kids mean more wear and tear for a hotel… Now, it was clear that my preference for hotels with a high standard of design would not change or lessen just because our little cub joined the family. So while it is now a bit more challenging to find hotels that meet all my criteria and are also kids friendly, that does not mean hotels of this kind do not exist at all, and Daios Cove is exactly a hotel that meets every criterion that matters to me.
I do not need to elaborate too much in words for you to understand that this is a resort of the highest level, design included. The photos speak for themselves 😍 From the hotel entrance, through the lobby, the restaurants and the entire pool and sea area, Daios Cove is a hotel full of chic and design thinking. That said, keep in mind that the hotel is built on a mountainside in a terraced manner, and moving between the levels where the hotel facilities and restaurants are located is done using stairs, a funicular (a kind of transparent cable car from which you can see the view) or a buggy you can order to get around the resort. Before this vacation we had not even thought about the fact that getting around such a complex would be more challenging with a stroller, and it turned out that sometimes we actually preferred to carry the stroller by hand rather than make unnecessary, cumbersome detours around the resort to get from point A to point B. So true, it is not the most ideal thing in the world, but on the other hand, we prefer to compromise a bit on convenience and enjoy a hotel that meets our standards in terms of design, so for us it was really not critical and we were truly glad we chose this resort for our family vacation. It is important for me to emphasize this because I realize there are people who, unlike us, would prefer 100% convenience and compromise on style.
The Service and the Atmosphere
The service at Daios Cove is without a doubt among the best we have encountered. From the moment we arrived at the hotel, the pleasant, professional staff greeted us with a warm, smiling welcome, our suitcases and bags were immediately taken to our villa, and we did check-in at the hotel bar with a chilled, refreshing welcome drink facing the amazing view of the bay. Right after that we were driven by buggy to our villa by one of the hotel staff, who was lovely and explained everything we needed to know about the hotel, its facilities and our villa. Throughout our entire stay, the hotel staff was available at any hour and made sure our vacation would be perfect. Every morning our villa was cleaned to perfection during breakfast, and the room service (which was on our speed dial, you will understand why in a moment 😇) was truly better than expected.
The Villa
Another reason we chose Daios Cove specifically for this vacation is that the hotel has a wide variety of rooms, including different types of rooms with a private pool. This time it was very important to us to book a room with a private pool, because this was, after all, our first vacation with our little cub in the hottest season there is (July), so we wanted the option of sitting by the pool and sunbathing while Yasmin slept in the air conditioning in the room with the monitor (and that was by far the best decision we made!!).
We stayed in a One Bedroom Villa with Private Pool, which was perfect for our needs. Beyond it being a very spacious room (95 square meters, essential with all the chaos of baby gear 🙈), the villa we received had the amazing view of the resort's famous bay, and it was even more perfect than I remembered. Believe me, if you are already waking up at five in the morning, you might as well enjoy the sunrise facing this incredible view 😍
The villa spreads over two levels… On the upper level: a large living room, a minibar and coffee corner, a huge bathroom with a bathtub, shower and toilet, a terrace with the dreamy blue view of the bay, the yard and a private seawater pool on the front line to the sea. The moment we entered the room I asked whether it was possible to bring a crib to the upper level so we could put Yasmin down for her daytime naps close to us (while we enjoyed ourselves at the pool 😇), and within a few minutes a housekeeper arrived at our room with a perfect fabric travel crib. On the lower level is the bedroom with another huge bathroom, a terrace and private access down to the beach. In terms of design the room is very classic, not something innovative and super special, but very pleasant and warm.
The Food
Already on our previous vacation at Daios we were very impressed that the food at the resort is of a very high standard and that there is a large selection (I was not kidding when I said you really do not need to leave the resort during the entire vacation 😏). Besides the resort's main restaurant, home to the dining room with the large, impressive buffet, the resort has 2 more quality bars (the kind where they mix sophisticated cocktails), a Greek taverna restaurant, a cool beach restaurant, a fusion restaurant with a seasonal kitchen, and a kitchen with a separate 24/7 room service menu.
As villa guests, part of the package we booked through WTC included membership in the exclusive Residence Club. If I were asked to describe in one sentence what the Residence Club even is, I would say it is what can turn a great vacation into a perfect one. Why? Because it is a club intended exclusively for guests of the hotel's suites and villas, and it grants an upgraded vacation experience that includes a luxurious all-inclusive gastronomic celebration throughout the hotel. Yes, that means that as part of our package we could eat and drink *almost freely* at all the resort's restaurants and bars, and no less important, we could freely* order room service to our villa! (*Almost freely* because there were a few things that carried an extra charge, but truly 95% of the menu was included!).
Now, for us this was truly ideal because: a) we had a private pool at the room, and what is more fun than free room service by the pool?, b) when our little cub slept we could make the most of the time and enjoy our food in peace and quiet at the pool, c) I am not a big buffet person, and the Residence Club membership lets you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hotel's restaurants.
We opened all of our mornings at the resort at the Ocean restaurant (a fusion restaurant with a seasonal kitchen), a restaurant located next to the adults-only pool and full of style, in its design and service as well as its food. Breakfast at the restaurant is à la carte style, meaning you order freely from the menu, and as you can see from the photos, there was a large selection and everything was of the highest possible standard.
We ordered almost all of our lunches during the vacation from the room service menu and ate by our private pool, but we were so enthusiastic about this restaurant that it was also the only restaurant we decided was worth sacrificing pool sunshine hours for and having lunch at, and that meal too was simply amazing.
As for dinners and meals at the other restaurants, unfortunately we did not really manage to eat at them because Yasmin was less cooperative 🙄🙄 But from what we saw and experienced, everything was truly top level.
The Resort Facilities
As befits a luxurious 5-star resort, the resort complex has all the things you could dream of for a perfect vacation:
The pools – The resort has 2 pools. The main one is a large, impressive infinity pool and the secondary one is a more boutique pool intended for adults only. Both pools (which are located close to each other, making them perfect for families with older kids too…) are equipped with indulgent wooden sun loungers with thick, pampering mattresses and large, chic parasols.
The beach: A private beach, but truly private, because unlike many other hotels that sit on a shared stretch of coast, Daios Cove sits in a magical bay that belongs to the resort alone. The beach is of course also equipped with indulgent sun loungers and parasols, and the beach area also has a small water sports complex and a bar-restaurant.
The spa: The resort has a large spa complex with heated indoor pools, a jacuzzi and a sauna, but all of these were closed due to Covid… I remembered the hotel's spa very fondly from our previous visit, but this time I had a very unsatisfying massage experience (both in terms of the atmosphere and the quality of the treatment) so I was disappointed (and I even told Daniel he should cancel the treatment we had booked for him the next day). On the other hand, I heard from a friend who also stayed at the hotel that she had a wonderful massage a few days after us, so it may be that I simply landed on an unsuccessful therapist 😢
Kids club: We did not even consider leaving Yasmin at a kids club on this vacation (it was, after all, a first vacation and she was not yet 3 months old), but because many of you asked me about a kids club at the resort, I looked into it and we even visited it ourselves 😊 The club is divided into 2 age groups: the “Crib Club”, from 4 months to 4 years (it is a service with an extra charge, but how amazing is it that such a service exists?! Honestly, if I had known in advance, maybe we would have flown there when Yasmin was old enough… then again, I do not know if I would have the courage yet to leave her at the club alone 😇), and the classic kids club suitable for ages 4 to 12. The club staff is supervised by the British childcare experts Worldwide Kids Co, which complies with British standards and regulations. From what I saw, it truly is a kids club of a very high standard, with an impressive team. In short, total peace of mind for parents (who can meanwhile enjoy themselves at the adults-only pool 😉).
The Price
Daios Cove is a luxury resort sold exclusively as part of WTC vacation packages and also by independent booking through the various booking sites. I highly recommend booking a full vacation package through WTC, both because in my comparison the prices were far more worthwhile and because it lets you set off on vacation with a calm mind and no worries. The price is not cheap (certainly compared to other deals you can find in Greece) but very reasonable relative to the excellent hospitality experience, the hotel facilities and the amazing location. The package price depends on the room type, the package type, the timing of the stay (midweek or weekend) and of course the season – click here to compare prices according to your needs.
How funny, I suddenly realize this is the first hotel I have written about twice on the blog! (If you feel like peeking at the first post I wrote about the resort almost 6 years ago, you are welcome to click here). There is no doubt that Daios Cove has left an especially sweet memory throughout all these years, and this last vacation left us wanting more 😌
