Kirsteen Grant
I was on a solo trip last week and stayed at the Elounda Bay Palace. The hotel was perfect in every way if you’re looking for a friendly relaxing getaway. It was very clean and the half board breakfast and dinner buffets were excellent with great choices. Special shout out to Sofia and Maria in the restaurant - they could not have provided a better or more welcoming service! All of my needs were taken care of - there was even food and a bottle of wine waiting in the room when I arrived to check in after midnight. Thank you for a wonderful stay!
Rob Isozaki
Not a convenient location for sure but big, secluded, and quiet nice resort. There was a bit of hiccup during check in and they could've handled it better but overall very friendly and nice. Clean and pretty peorperty. Can walk to cute little town in about 20min but recommend to get a ride to next town (north or south) for good shopping.
Tricia Barrett
A truly exceptional five-star beach resort in Crete. The setting is stunning, with crystal-clear waters, beautiful beaches, and unforgettable sunsets. The rooms are elegant, spacious, and immaculately maintained, many with breathtaking sea views. Service is warm, attentive, and effortlessly professional, making you feel genuinely welcome from the moment you arrive. Dining is outstanding, with fresh Mediterranean flavours and excellent local wines, which can be enjoyed in a variety of restaurants throughout the hotel. A perfect blend of luxury, tranquillity, and authentic Greek hospitality — I can’t wait to return.
Jovan Jovanovic
What a rollercoaster of experience. From terrible to good and back to terrible. We were in the hotel in August 2025.
We booked a classic room with a mountain view because we weren’t planing on spending much time in the room - other than for sleeping, and as soon as we arrived, it seemed that sleeping won’t be possible. Classic room is at least 20 years old, with some wires hanging from the wall, disgusting plastic curtains in the shower, very tired… A 5 star hotel you would wonder? Should be 3. But, all of that, we would have survived because it’s classic/older room, we didn’t research much prior to booking it, but then the AC… man the AC.
AC is a device from the 80s, EXTREMELY loud, without any temperature control, only with a fan switch with 3 speeds in the wall. To cool down the room to some remotely acceptable temperature, you have to keep it on the highest setting at all times - on which you can’t hear your thoughts. Try sleeping with it.
We complained tomorrow to our agency and after a visit from the AC service man, we were offered another room, an upgrade, with a garden view (again, not really important), and with a newer model of AC - with a temperature control. They have newer ACs in renovated rooms, keep that in mind. Of course, we moved.
At this point, besides the fact that the whole hotel is noisy, you can hear doors slamming all the time, room was ok, it was about to be a good vacation.
Hotel is stupidly expensive, as if someone set some random high numbers as prices for everything. One example is a glass of wine. A glass of wine is 12 euros. On Crete, a wine island, where you can get 1 liter of AMAZING wine in any shop for between 5 and 10 euros. Why do this to yourselves? Needles to say, we didn’t spend much on the drinks or anything in the hotel, shops are near, and you can get anything you need cheap.
Another example is a meal in a lunch restaurant, you need to spend around 30 euros for a souvlaki or similar, while you can’t find that same meal in the city anywhere to be more than 14 euros.
Food in the main restaurant should be better in a 5 star hotel, felt more like a canteen, but okay, what was available, was tasty.
Days went, it was cool, we were dragging water, drinks and snacks from stores, but it was fun. Until the checkout.
On the checkout, we were greeted by a bill for a few coffees and drinks we had on the beach and something from the minibar. Minibar was a mistake, we didn’t touch it, we even left our room with like 3 more waters and 2 cokes. We just asked if someone could check simply because we didn’t touch the minibar - we brought our own stuff and as mentioned, prices were ridiculous. 5 mins later, a room manager shows up and starts arguing about 2 bottles of water, he’s like, “who took it then? Who took it? Guests from another room? I had to refill, means you took it!”. A 5 star hotel manager arguing about 2 small bottles of water? I tried explaining that there are even more drinks in the room and mini bar than there were originally but no, he says they refilled, keeps arguing.
Obviously I wouldn’t continue the conversation and paid, but for a 4000 euros vacation, and a 200 euros normally accepted and paid bills, you, as a room manager, decide to argue with a guest about 2 small bottles of water instead of being like, cool, maybe we made a mistake, no problem, whatever? That’s just completely unacceptable.
So, a conclusion, beach is nice, sea is beautiful, hotel has a good location, stuff is kinda neutral and uninterested, but after the argument and the fact that they have a 3 star rooms in a 5 star hotel, I would be very very careful if I decide to come back here. I still wouldn’t, but I could cool down.
Zino Spinedi
The hotel is by no means bad, so I want to make it clear that my two-star rating should not be seen as criticism of the hotel itself, and especially not of the staff.
The reason I am giving only two stars is that this is absolutely not a 5-star hotel, although it presents itself as one and charges accordingly. At best, it’s a 4-star property. The food is fine, but nothing special. The grounds are spacious, yes, but far from a 5-star standard, as everything feels old and in need of renovation.
The rooms are by far the weakest point: outdated, worn down, small, and very nois. you hear everything.
The best thing about the hotel is the staff. Whether at reception, housekeeping, or service, everyone is extremely friendly and attentive.
The worst thing is the value for money. The hotel sells itself as a 5-star property, which it most definitely is not, yet still charges 5-star prices. (For example: a non-alcoholic beer at the pool costs €8.)
Not worth the Money, but not a bad hotel
