To earn Marriott Bonvoy points in Canada, the easiest way is via one of these 3 credit cards:

• The Marriott Bonvoy™ American Express^® Card
• The Marriott Bonvoy^MD Business American Express^MD* Card
• The American Express Cobalt^MD Card

Each one offers a nice welcome bonus and the ability to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on each of your purchases.

You could have both Marriott Bonvoy cards and collect your points in your Marriott Bonvoy account!

With the 5 membership rewards points per dollar you earn on:

• grocery stores
• restaurants and bars
• convenience stores
• food delivery at home

it is like earning 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar!

It’s the travel hacker’s favourite card in Canada.

As part of our one-week trip to Crete – without the kids – before going to the Domes Noruz Chania Hotel, Autograph Collection, we stayed 2 nights at the Domes of Elounda hotel, Autograph Collection.

The Domes of Elounda Hotel, Autograph Collection is located on the northeast coast of Crete, close to the city of Elounda and about an hour’s drive from Heraklion.

His address: Tsifliki, Elounda – Crete 72053 Greece

About an hour’s drive from Heraklion and 3:30 hours from Chania, the Domes of Elounda Hotel, Autograph Collection is located in an area still very wild on the seaside.

If you are in a rental car, a valet will take care of your car. Our luggage is taken care of too, and we will see them back in our room.

Instead of checking in at the front desk, we will be brought outside by a receptionist, which makes for a nice introduction!

While she was handling our passports and some formalities, the bartender brought us some very refreshing welcome cocktails.

We appreciate the calm on this terrace and a light breeze while it is more than 35 degrees Celsius.

While Jean-Maximilien is busy filling out the registration documents…

… I take the opportunity to walk around this terrace.

It is a particularly pleasant place, especially in the early evening when a pianist is present near the bar.

Once the registration is complete, the advantages reserved for Titanium (and Platinum) Elite members are presented to us:

• breakfasts
• 1 meal for 2 people at dinner during our stay
• 30 minutes access to the spa

We will then be taken to our room in a cart.

The room booked with points was type “1 suite with a room and a bubbling bath”.

We were upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite with private pool, i.e. 4 categories above. Thanks to Titanium Elite status for this new upgrade!

So we arrive directly in the living room:

Lounge that has a very nice ceiling height:

In this lounge, there is a well-stocked mini-bar.

And a Nespresso coffee machine, with an office that we won’t use… preferring “the one” on the terrace!

A welcome gift awaited us (Jean-Maximilien said we were celebrating a birthday during our stay):

Head to the master bedroom, with a wardrobe separating it from the bathroom.

The master bedroom is pretty ordinary. No “wow” effect as in other luxury hotels we have been able to stay in.

The bathrobes are good quality, on the other hand the television is rather old and small. But who watches TV during a holiday in Greece?!

Little surprise when we return to our room the first night… 😉

The bathroom consists of a large bathtub/shower and toilets.

The other part of our suite is made up of a second room that we will not use.

The second bathroom consists of a copper sink, toilets and a small shower.

The centerpiece of this suite is its terrace.

It consists of a sofa, 2 sun deckchairs and a table Jean-Maximilien will use as a desk:

From this terrace, we have access to a small private swimming pool.

You won’t do any lengths in this pool! On the other hand, it is handy to cool off – every 10 minutes – during a tanning/working session on the terrace.

The view is particularly pleasant in the morning when the sun is flooding the terrace with light.

Below the reception is a lightly used swimming pool.

This is the adult pool. As there are many children in this hotel, other swimming pools are dedicated to them.

No closed gym here: everything is outdoors.

Let’s go to the beach now!

To reach it, it is necessary to walk the path that leads to it (possibility of being taken down by cart) and which passes under the road along the seaside.

The beach is private and rather narrow.

However, there are many areas to be isolated under olive trees.

A bar and restaurant are present on both sides of the beach.

A pontoon allows you to admire the view, or make an appointment for water sports.

See you now at the spa!

Unlike the Domes Noruz Chania spa, Autograph Collection which is free and with the possibility of access to it at will, the spa of the Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection is not free.

However, thanks to the Titanium (and Platinum) Elite status, we had access to a 30-minute route.

I couldn’t photograph the other rooms that consisted of a sauna, a steam room, multiple showers with hot/cold/sound effect, and a rest room.

To access the family complex, I advise you to ask to be driven there by cart. This one is behind the hill of the main building.

In fact, the Elounda complex is divided into two parts.

On foot, you can first go up to the helipad, which will give you great views of the area…

… before accessing to the family complex.

The first space you will see is the teen club:

… or the big kids!

Next door is the children’s club with indoor and outdoor spaces.

Everything is well-thought-out and the babysitters take care of the children.

Then you have access to a very large swimming pool for families, and a paddling pool for the little ones.

Many relaxation areas are available, as well as a convenience store with international newspapers and magazines.

A bar and restaurant are present:

To go back to our suite, we will use a cart.

Thanks to Titanium Elite (also possible with Platinum Elite) status, we were entitled to a free breakfast each morning.

This is a restaurant with indoor and outdoor spaces.

We chose to sit in the Silence Zone – compared to the one for families (including the terrace).

It’s a buffet, but it’s possible to get eggs served your way.

The sweet part:

The salty part:

This buffet was perfect, as was the table-service.

Thanks to Titanium Elite status (also possible with Platinum Elite), we were treated to a dinner for 2 people, once during our stay.

We chose to have dinner there on Saturday for the Greek Evening. Here are the pictures of the buffet starting with the salty:

Then the sweet part:

A very good buffet to taste many Greek specialties!