"Our first visit to Crete and this part of the island, and what a stunning destination it is. The scenery is beautiful, the weather has been fantastic, and we have experienced genuine warmth and hospitality from many of the local people we have met outside the resort.
Unfortunately, our experience at the JW Marriott Crete has been far more disappointing.
My family and I have travelled extensively and stayed at some exceptional five-star hotels around the world, including the Ritz-Carlton Dubai and The Andaman Langkawi. We therefore have a reasonable understanding of the level of service and hospitality one would expect from a luxury five-star property.
Sadly, our experience at JW Marriott Crete has left a lot to be desired, particularly given the price point of an 11-night stay.
I have never previously felt the need to raise this concern in a hotel review, but there were occasions during our stay where my family and I felt an uncomfortable racial undertone in the way we were treated as guests who are not white Europeans. I want to be clear that this is our experience and perception.
However, when you repeatedly feel that the colour of your skin may be influencing the level of service or attention you receive, it is something that cannot simply be ignored.
One example involved the hotel's security arrangements. I hired a car for 10 days during our stay. Reception staff informed me that I could park the vehicle myself on site or have a member of the bell team do so. I chose to park the car myself, as I have done when travelling around the world. During the first three days, the same female security officer approached me and my family on three consecutive occasions, asking who we were and whether we were staying at the hotel. I appreciate that security staff have a job to do, but after seeing us arrive and leave daily, and after repeatedly explaining that we were hotel guests, the repeated questioning became uncomfortable.
This concern was raised alongside another incident involving an item belonging to my daughter that was accidentally removed from our room. The item had significant sentimental value and had been with her since birth.
Our concern was not simply about the item, guests should reasonably expect personal belongings to remain in their room unless there is a clear reason for their removal. Initially, we felt the response from management was somewhat casual and dismissive of the seriousness of the situation.
Following a conversation with Mary from Guest Relations, the item was returned approximately an hour later, with the explanation that it had been mixed up in the laundry room. Mary subsequently provided a written apology, which I appreciated.
We were also invited to a cocktail evening hosted by the General Manager as recognition of our Marriott Bonvoy membership. Unfortunately, during the event, the General Manager did not approach or speak to us, despite there being only around 10 guests present at the time. Not sure why the GM invited us to not talk to us on the evening.
During the evening, we also spoke with another family of ethnic background who told us they had experienced issues during their stay and felt they had been treated dismissively by the General Manager. I cannot comment on their experience, but hearing it did add to our own concerns.
Another significant issue involved my daughter's nut allergy. At check in, we completed the hotel's allergy declaration form and clearly stated her nut allergy. This information had also been communicated to Marriott Bonvoy before our arrival.
Throughout much of our stay, breakfast options were extremely limited for my daughter, as we were repeatedly told that many items contained nuts. It was only yesterday that Elsa, the Breakfast Restaurant Manager, took the time to properly understand the allergy and make suitable preparations for her breakfast this morning (10 days on).
Thank you, Elsa, for finally taking the time to understand and address the issue properly.
I also want to recognise the staff members who made a positive impression.
Anna, who welcomed us and checked us in, has been wonderful throughout our stay. A special thank you also goes to Argyro, who has shown genuine hospitality every day, taken a personal interest in our experience and provided us with excellent advice about what to see and do in Chania. She is a fantastic example of what genuine hospitality should look like and is a real asset to the hotel.
Finally, regarding our departure, we were asked at check-in whether (11 days ago) we required a late check-out. We explained that our flight was at 22:30 and requested a 14:00 check-out, subject to availability.
Today, we followed up on that request with reception staff and were told that 12:30 was the latest possible time. The Front of House Manager then intervened (rather abruptly while I’m talking to reception staff) and explained that the hotel had a sale in the last couple days and the room needed to be vacated by 12:30.
I fully understand that late check-out is subject to availability. However, having made the request 11 days earlier, I did question why the matter had not been addressed sooner if the hotel's occupancy requirements were already known.
So, is the hotel in a beautiful location? Absolutely.
Does it have some good facilities? Yes.
Are there some genuinely friendly members of staff? Without question.
Is it worthy of the JW Marriott name based on our experience? Unfortunately, no.
The hotel has only been open for around two years, and there is clearly still much to learn about delivering a consistent luxury guest experience to all guests, regardless of their ethnic or racial background.
A truly great five-star hotel is not defined by grand gestures, expensive facilities or superficial smiles. It is defined by the small things: attention to detail, genuine warmth, recognising new & returning guests, listening when a concern is raised, not getting defensive about issues and making every guest feel equally welcome.
Would we return to Crete? In a heartbeat.
Would we stay at JW Marriott Crete again? That is questionable, unless there are meaningful changes in the approach to management, guest relations and the consistency of the guest experience.
This review reflects the experience and perceptions of my family and me during our stay."
