RG Village Crete

"Had a great week at RG Village Crete. Everything was good, but honestly, Kostas the bartender made the trip. He was working pretty much every day and was always on it. Super friendly, made a great atmosphere at the bar, and just really looked after us. Big thanks to him for making our holiday so good"

"As a young couple, we were initially a little sceptical about staying at RG Village after reading a handful of negative reviews online. We almost let them put us off booking, but we’re so glad we didn’t. From the moment we arrived until the day we left, we genuinely couldn’t understand how people had come to those conclusions. Our experience has been nothing short of outstanding. From the warm welcome on arrival to the moment we checked out, everything has been absolutely faultless. The accommodation is spotless, well-maintained and has everything you need for a comfortable stay. The pool area is beautiful, there are always plenty of sunbeds available, and the entire complex has a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere that makes it incredibly easy to switch off and enjoy your holiday. If you’re looking for somewhere lively with loud music and parties, this probably isn’t the place for you—and that’s exactly why we loved it. RG Village is perfect for anyone wanting to relax, unwind and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. It has a calm, friendly atmosphere where you can genuinely recharge and enjoy your time away without feeling rushed or crowded. The hosts deserve so much credit for creating such a welcoming environment. They are always around if you need anything, incredibly friendly, and nothing ever seems too much trouble. They make every guest feel valued, which is something that really stood out to us. A very special mention has to go to Despina at Stasi Coffee Bar. She has been absolutely amazing throughout our stay. Every morning and throughout the day she greeted everyone with a smile, remembered people’s orders, and always took the time to have a chat. Her kindness, positivity and genuine care for the guests made our holiday even more special. She is an absolute credit to RG Village and someone we will definitely remember when we think back on our trip. As a young couple aged 19, one thing we were initially concerned about was getting around, especially as many car hire companies in Crete have minimum age requirements above our age. We were pleasantly surprised to find that a hire car isn’t even a necessity when staying here. The hotel runs regular shuttle services, making it easy to get to nearby beaches, restaurants and towns without any stress. That said, if you do want to explore more of the island, we found a company called Easy Rent in Rethymno who were happy to hire a car to us at 19 years old. Many other companies we contacted had much higher minimum age requirements, so this made a huge difference and allowed us to see much more of Crete during our stay. Overall, we honestly cannot recommend RG Village highly enough. It has exceeded every expectation we had. It’s clean, peaceful, incredibly well looked after, and run by genuinely lovely people who clearly care about giving their guests the best possible experience. If you’re reading reviews and wondering whether to book, don’t let a few negative comments put you off like they nearly did for us. We have had an absolutely perfect holiday from start to finish, and we will 100% be returning in the future. Thank you to everyone at RG Village for making our first trip to Crete so memorable—we’re already looking forward to coming back."

"Overall, we had a lovely holiday and enjoyed our stay. The hotel offers good value for money, but there are several points that prospective guests should be aware of before booking. **Pros** * Self-service beer available at the lunch/pool bar, which was a nice touch. * The hotel was generally very clean, and the staff clearly took pride in maintaining the grounds and communal areas. * Good value compared to many other hotels, which was one of the main reasons we chose it. * Excellent air conditioning in the rooms, capable of cooling to 17°C, which was very welcome in the heat. * Even on the busiest days, we had no difficulty finding two sun loungers together by the pool. * The gym was better than expected for an all-inclusive resort, with two good-quality treadmills, a Smith machine, and dumbbells up to 15kg. I've stayed at resorts with far worse gym facilities. **Cons** * The hotel operates on a cash-only basis for most purchases, with a cash machine conveniently located just outside. This felt like an unnecessary inconvenience. * Although advertised as a 4-star hotel, the tourist tax charged was in the same band as a 5-star property. We were not made aware of this before travelling, which felt misleading. * There were no TVs in any of the bars, so major sporting events such as the World Cup were not shown. The bars also closed at 11pm. * All-inclusive wristbands were removed on the final day. As we arrived early on the first morning and departed at 9pm on the last day, we effectively received six full days of all-inclusive food and drinks despite paying for a seven-night stay. After checkout, only the lunch café was available for a limited selection of food and drinks, and this closed at 6pm. * The gym doesn't open until 11am, which is disappointing as many guests prefer to exercise early before the hottest part of the day. * Some of the bar staff came across as unfriendly. On one occasion, I politely checked whether I was pronouncing a drink correctly but was ignored and served the wrong drink. The bar was quiet at the time, and it felt as though serving guests was an interruption to their conversation. * No resort map was provided, making it difficult to find facilities during the first couple of days. For example, we were told towels were available at "Stalas Square" without any explanation of where that was. * The location is quite isolated. It's not within walking distance of the beach or any local shops, and our transfer from Chania Airport took over two hours after multiple hotel drop-offs. * The shuttle bus to the local town incurs an additional charge. While this isn't unreasonable, it's something that has been included at other all-inclusive resorts I've visited. * The food was of reasonable quality for an all-inclusive hotel, but the selection was repetitive, with very little variation throughout the week. * The spa treatments were excellent, but it was disappointing that both the jacuzzi and steam room were out of order during our stay. * Drinking water stations were often warm, making it difficult to get cold water. Guests were also not permitted to refill bottles at the lunch station."