London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 16, 2026

Inside Dominic Raab's £1000-a-night Crete holiday as Afghanistan collapsed

Inside Dominic Raab's £1000-a-night Crete holiday as Afghanistan collapsed

BUNGLING Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab was having a splashing time in his £1,000-a-night holiday suite’s private pool as Afghanistan collapsed in chaos.

Mr Raab, 47, lapped up the luxury of his resort’s exclusive “Amirandes Family Suite” which boasts its own pool and garden in Crete.

A look inside the £1,000-per-night resort in Crete where Dominic Raab stayed while Afghanistan was falling to the Taliban

The bedroom in the luxury holiday resort

The beachside terrace with a pool

And he was unable to tear himself away from the dream hideaway among millionaires and celebrities for three crucial days as the Taliban encircled Kabul.

Raab was facing the axe from “furious” Boris Johnson today amid claims his inaction could have cost the lives of trapped translators facing revenge for helping British forces.

And his cabinet post was hanging by a thread last night as more details of his stay at the sumptuous Amirandes Boutique Resort emerged.

Sources revealed last night that his Brazilian wife Erika Rey booked the ground floor suite in her name.

Their ground-floor apartment boasted 40 square metres of tastefully-furnished living space opening out onto a 70 square metre garden complete with his and hers sunbeds.

The couple baked in glorious 30C sunshine and cooled off in their own plunge pool on their private terrace, a stone’s throw from the manicured beach.

They enjoyed the choice of the palm-fringed resort’s Lago Di Candia and Minotaur restaurants - adorned with genuine Picasso ceramics - and three beachside bars.

The hotel - styled as a “sparkling boutique resort for the privileged and perceptive” - also offers pampering treatments and massages at its Elixir Alchemy Spa.

Mr Raab has claimed he continued to monitor the Kabul crisis while on holiday


Mr Raab’s arrival was so low key that staff had no idea the British minister was the tanned tripper enjoying swimming, sunbathing and paddle tennis until he suddenly checked out.

A source told The Sun: “His arrival was so discreet that few people realised there was a British minister here until he left in a hurry.

“Their suite was beautiful with its own pool and garden but was by no means the most expensive here.

“He seemed to be really enjoying his holiday until he cut short his trip and left last Sunday - it wasn’t until then that people realised he was a VIP.”

'Monitoring crisis'


Father-of-two Mr Raab has claimed he continued to monitor the Kabul crisis while on holiday and insisted he did not spend long periods sunning himself.

But Brits at the hotel yesterday claimed he spent “hours” chilling out on Sunday as the bloodthirsty Islamists began pouring into Kabul, sending Afghans fleeing for their lives.

Fellow guests of the politician included millionaire tycoons and Game of Thrones actor Iain Glen.

Ian, 60, who played dragon queen Daenerys Targaryen’s bodyguard, Ser Jorah Mormont was still relaxing with his family at the resort today.

Raab has been accused of being “asleep at the wheel” when he ignored pleas to phone his Afghan counterpart to help the translators.

He is said to have delegated junior minister Lord Goldsmith to make the important call - but it emerged yesterday that no call was made as events spiralled out of control.

One hotel guest said he saw the top Tory on the beach between 11.30am and 3.30pm local time on Sunday as the Taliban moved into the Afghan capital.

The tripper - who asked not to be named - said he saw Mr Raab swimming, running and washing sand off his legs as Britain’s biggest foreign policy calamity in decades unfolded.

They added: “There was one point when I saw him using his mobile phone.

A view of the luxury villas in the Amirandes Beach Resort where the Foreign Secretary spent his holiday


“It looked like he was checking messages or texts as he was sitting on his lounger. But, I didn’t see him on the telephone talking.”

A Foreign Office source disputed the witness’s account and insisted Mr Raab had spent only limited time on the beach.

It also emerged yesterday that the embattled minister had been on his sun lounger in Crete from August 6 - a week before Kabul’s fall gathered pace.

'Caught off-guard'


Mr Raab has admitted he was “caught off-guard” by the speed of the Taliban advance which he said “’no one saw coming”.

But he insisted he returned to the UK late on Sunday evening “as soon as the situation deteriorated and demanded it”

Mr Raab issued a statement defending his decision not to call Afghan foreign counterpart Hanif Atmara yesterday.

“He said: “On Friday afternoon, August 13 , advice was put to my Private Office recommending a call to the Afghan Foreign Minister.

“This was quickly overtaken by events.

“The call was delegated to a Minister of State because I was prioritising security and capacity at the airport.

“In any event, the Afghan Foreign Minister agreed to take the call, but was unable to because of the rapidly deteriorating situation.”

Taliban fighters stand guard in Kabul after the city fell into chaos

Hundreds of Afghan citizens piled on board a US carrier plane in an attempt to flee the Taliban

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Spain in Ecstasy: "We Feel Unbeatable, We Taught the Whole World a Lesson"
Spain and UK Dismantle Gibraltar Border Following Landmark Schengen Integration Treaty
Church of England Rejects Plan to Rewild Thirty Percent of Land by 2030
UK Parliament Examines Future of Gaelic Broadcasting in Scotland
Thames Water Faces Criticism Over Four Million Pounds in Bonus Payments
South East Water Crisis Puts UK Water Regulation Under Renewed Scrutiny
UK Report Highlights Racial Inequality in Homelessness Support Services
UK Government Defends Proposed Social Media Curfew for Teenagers Despite Criticism
Reform UK Gains Recognition as Major Political Party in New Polling
Labour Party Faces Internal Divisions Over Gaza Policy and Asylum Reform
Experts Warn UK Housing and Transport Infrastructure Is Unprepared for Rising Extreme Heat
UK Human Rights Committee Begins Review of Immigration and Asylum Bill
UK Parliament Launches Inquiry Into Declining High Streets Across England
Bank of England Governor Warns of Growing AI Risks to Global Financial Security
UK Public Finance Institutions Mobilize Fifty Billion Pounds to Support Growth and Jobs
UK Parliament Opens Inquiry Into Long-Term Strategy Toward Russia
UK-India Trade Agreement Takes Effect With Zero-Duty Access for Nearly All Indian Exports
Forget Tinder: The Surprising Platform Where People Find Love
UK Government Faces Growing Debate Over Local Control of Immigration Enforcement
UK Biodiversity Forum Highlights Business Need to Protect Natural Environment
UK Parliament to Consider Workplace Temperature Limits Amid Climate Concerns
UK Parliament Considers Independent Immigration Appeals Authority Proposal
BBC Charter Renewal Scrutiny Intensifies as Parliament Reviews Broadcaster’s Future
Parliament Reviews Future of UK Maternity and Neonatal Care Services
UK-India Trade Accelerator Launched to Help Smaller Firms Expand Into Indian Market
UK Business Leaders Meet in Edinburgh to Address Economic Risks From Biodiversity Loss
UK Parliament Prepares for Sir Keir Starmer’s Final Prime Minister’s Questions Before Leadership Transition
Green Party-Led Lewisham Council Moves Against Cooperation With Home Office Immigration Raids
UK Government Faces Parliamentary Pressure Over Capita Contracts in Shared Services Programme
UK Economy Expected to See Modest Growth as OECD Highlights Fiscal and Global Risks
Public Accounts Committee Warns UK Government’s Four Point Three Billion Pound Shared Services Plan Risks Failure
EU and UK Sign Agreement Removing Gibraltar Border Controls After Years of Post-Brexit Uncertainty
OECD Warns UK Must Maintain Fiscal Discipline as Andy Burnham Prepares to Become Prime Minister
UK-India Free Trade Agreement Enters Into Force as Businesses Seek New Growth Opportunities
Harvard Astrophysicist to Lead U.S. Scientific Advisory on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena
On the Island That Did Not Yield to Trump, There Is No Electricity, and 10 Million Live in Darkness
Emergency Sirens Activated Across Bahrain as Interior Ministry Issues Shelter Directives
Key Trends to Watch
United Nations Expert Calls for Full Implementation of Supreme Court Ruling on Legal Definition of Sex
Industry Coalition Urges Labour Lawmakers to Back Continued North Sea Oil and Gas Production
Parliamentary Committee Calls for Tougher Restrictions on Unhealthy Food Advertising
Government Expands Awaab's Law to Cover Heat and Additional Housing Hazards
Energy Regulator Opens Independent Investigation Into National Grid Operator
United Kingdom and European Union Sign Landmark Gibraltar Border Agreement
Chancellor Unveils Financial Services Reform and Artificial Intelligence Strategy at Mansion House
Counterterrorism Police Take Over Investigation Into Killing of Former Minister Ann Widdecombe
Beer Industry Warns UK Rules Could Limit Growth of Alcohol-Free Market
Home Office Faces Legal Challenges Over Asylum Seeker Accommodation Closures
UK Heatwaves Linked to More Than Two Thousand Seven Hundred Deaths as Climate Debate Intensifies
Home Secretary Faces Pressure Over Political Security After Ann Widdecombe Murder Investigation
×