RG Village Crete

"Came to Crete as part of a multi island family trip. RG Village Crete is located about 15 minutes from the main beach area which requires transportation, very difficult parking if going by car. It’s also located about an hour away from the port area and Chania, which seems to be the main location for excursions. As a timeshare owner and regular patron of other timeshares we traded for we have a range of experiences. First RG Crete is all inclusive, about 70 EU a day/person, which I knew. Similar to a cruise, the food is plentiful but mediocre buffet. The staff rules are amazingly unforgiving if you would like to take a piece of bread or an orange back to your room for later. Ironically, you are allowed to have a beer to go. Worse, if you have an excursion that starts early and not in this area you’re out of luck , as their answer was go buy food at the grocery. Breakfast starts at 7:30 and no wiggle room. There is not even a coffee maker in the room, you get one key, which if not inserted in the slot to keep on the electric on everything turns off. Also, a bit difficult if you’re a family using their 2 bedroom. Ps, when they say 2 bedroom, that’s it, one bathroom between the 2 bedrooms, no kitchen, sitting room. Service is at best strict and definitely not accommodating unlike where we had stayed in Mykonos, which couldn’t have been nicer. Lastly, when approaching the resort if coming by your own vehicle, there is no signage, when navigating says you’re there, you’re at the parking area on a cliff overlooking the resort, then take elevator down to lobby. They do have multiple pool areas and nice sitting areas. At best 2-3 stars in the US. My advice is stay in Chania."

"Our experience at RG Village was one of stunning views, a friendly staff, solid (if limited) food options, and a few odd rules. Overall it was a positive experience, but there are a few things you might want a heads up on. First of all, in our opinion, the staff was overall very nice and accommodating. We could tell it’s a relatively small team, which gives it some of its charm, as you will get familiar with the same faces pretty quickly. There’s Despina from the Stasi coffee (and also pool towel rental) booth, Chris the shuttle bus driver, Kostas the upstairs bartender, and Valda (hopefully spelling that right) from the Spa and Excursions desk. These people work really hard and any limitation on service is really no fault of their own. Okay, now some of the negatives. We didn’t mind the food, as we’ve heard others complain, but you may grew bored with it after a few days. Solid dietary options for your standard meat / bread / fruit / and salad lovers, but if you’re Glutten-free or have a stricter diet, this might be also a challenge. Also, the room key situation. We could not understand why they would only give one key per family per room. Truly could not understand why. The key itself powers the lights and AC to each room, so only having one key per group makes some logistics like two people splitting up at the resort a lot more complicated. Random items are not included in the all-inclusive, including those Stasi ice coffees, drinks after 11:00, and for some reason, Stella beer. Odd little discrepancies like these, especially when they advertise as five-star are simply baffling for the price you’re already paying. The kitties are all cute. We loved them, and would play with them every day. If you’re a cat lover, this is a nice added perk. You’ve probably read many of the reviews by this point and might feel mixed about what your experience will be like here. While there are off rules that are unique to this hotel, a little expectation setting and preparation can help you still have a very pleasant stay at RG Village Crete. Here are a few tips: While the staff communicates the rules, they do not make them. Do your best to be patient. For 7 days, we saw the same people every day and they do work hard. The ones we spoke to are raising families, saving money for university or internships abroad. Be kind. The kitties roaming the property were also the best hosts! The food simply does the job in feeding you. It’s not over the top, but we planned a few meals out. We highly recommend the restaurant that they offer a shuttle to, especially around sunset. It is beautiful oceanside dining and the food is great. The shuttle to Rethyhmo will also provide you with great options. Kostos is the bartender that comes in around 7 and he is fantastic. He will make you a strong drink and is very hospitable. However, we talked to a few people around the resort that hoped the drinks included in the all inclusive were stronger and were upset the all inclusive only went to 11 each night. We pretty much double fisted beer and wine the entire time, which was fine as we aren’t big liquor drinkers. If you hope for something stronger, I’d recommend buying booze at a local supermarket instead of at the market upstairs that is a bit overpriced. The pools are beautiful and the adult only pool at the top with a view of the ocean is wonderful. We went most days to that pool. The pools do close at 6 and 7 respectively. If you have the means, I’d recommend booking a room with the pool attached so you can get morning dips or night swims. There is only one key per room which was a tad frustrating and it cost money if you loose it. My husband and I figured out a routine though. I would go up first to get pool chairs in the shade and he would come a little bit later with coffees to our spot. It never felt like one of us was locked out. There is self-service coffee in dining areas, but we highly recommend the coffee made at Stassi. It is well worth one Euro and we enjoyed a cup daily. You also get a free water bottle with each purchase. Take out more euros than you anticipate needing. Beach towels are $20 euros each with a deposit returned at end if you return them. All excursions must also be paid in Euros. There is an ATM at the entrance of hotel, but it probably would have been easier if we just had more than enough to begin with. Bring your own water bottle to fill up at the filter stations around the resort. For some reason, they do not let you fill up water bottle at the main dining areas. Again, we only got over this quickly because we were prepared. This was out first time in Crete and there is simply so much to do!! We personally were okay without a car because we took advantage of the shuttle and transportation that came with the excursions. We met people that opted into renting a car last minute, as they wanted more flexibility and mentioned it was easy to rent a car in Rythemo. The front desk can also order a cab for you or give you local numbers. This is not the resort that does entertainment every night. We were okay with this as we don’t have kids. We did enjoy their local Cretan night on the last night of our trip. We booked excursions and loved the ones we booked, mainly Balos Lagoon and Elafonisi Beach. You can’t book in advance, but it was very easy on-site upon arrival. We also booked the spa on our last day which was great and very relaxing. Beyond a massage, you get access to a sauna, tranquil environment and some indoor pools. If you’re still not having a good time, make friends with others at the resort and just laugh about the odd quirks of the RG Crete. We enjoyed connecting with other guests and all kinda learned the ropes together."

"Hotel Rimondi Grand Village presents itself as a 5-star hotel, but it is absolutely not worth this rating, for several reasons. The services, facilities, hygiene, and overall quality are not up to standard. Compared to the stories from fellow travelers staying at neighboring Iberostar hotels, for example, RGV is a complete joke. I don't want to position myself as a professional reviewer, but I have been traveling for over 20 years and can say with hand on heart that I’ve seen my fair share of hotels. This is without a doubt the worst experience so far. For reference, we stayed in room 111, which is relevant for a few specific points. >> THE GOOD << - Air conditioning in the room - Comfortable beds - Very quiet location in an olive tree valley—perhaps a bit remote, but you figure: "it's an all-inclusive hotel, I don't need anything extra, it'll be fine!" - Nice walking paths - Lovely spa with a wide range of massages - Friendly and helpful bar and kitchen staff (I want to emphasize that the reception/manager does not fall under this) - Free shuttle to and from the beach, as well as in the evening to restaurant 'Paraplous' (which they collaborate with) - Restaurant Paraplous: a highly recommended restaurant with great staff who pay attention to detail, serving mouthwatering dishes (you get a 10% discount on the bill if you book through the hotel—do double-check your bill at the end, though!) >> THE BAD <"