Can't beat Crete

A trip to Crete's TUI Caldera Palace left Isobel Pankhurst uber-relaxed

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Arriving at the TUI Blue Sensatori Atlantica Caldera Palace felt worlds away from your typical all-inclusive hotel.

Perhaps it was the rather lavish lobby or the fact that there was a wedding going on as I headed to my room.

Or maybe it was that once I arrived at my room, I discovered that it was one of the hotel's swim-up suites, and I would be able to almost just roll out of bed and into the pool if I desired.

Flying into Heraklion airport, the hotel was just 20 minutes away.

Depending on how much luggage you pack, you could be sunning yourself by the sea less than one hour after your plane touches down on Greek soil.

Food and drink

The first evening, I went to Sofas Taverna in Hersonissos for dinner where I had the best vine leaves I have ever had in my life. The rest of the food was also delicious, and this is somewhere I'll definitely be returning to if I make it back to Crete sometime.

The rest of my evenings in Crete, I opted to get food at the hotel, which included the “Around the World” buffet and two of the hotel's other restaurants.

The first of these I visited was the Mediterraneo Fine Med Cuisine, which is not included in the all-inclusive, meaning you'll have to pay a little extra to dine there.

I opted for a burrata salad and a cauliflower steak main, followed by some pistachio ice cream - all of which I loved. The next restaurant I tried was Oregano, which serves authentic Greek cuisine. Here, I ordered a bean starter and a mushroom and dill main, which, again, were delicious.