"Our stay at Civitel Creta Beach in September 2025 was deeply disappointing and in no way justified the hotel’s advertised 4-star rating. Despite repeated complaints on site, thorough documentation, and multiple follow-ups after our stay, no meaningful solution was offered. Ultimately, the situation became so untenable that we were forced to leave two nights earlier than planned. To this day, the hotel has neither provided a substantive response nor refunded the unused nights.
We had booked a “Premium Bungalow,” yet the assigned bungalow was located directly next to the staff and guest parking area, with no privacy, no visual barrier, and no sense of a premium or relaxing environment. From early morning onwards, there was constant noise from garbage collection and staff vehicle traffic. The view was directly onto a cleaning staff storage shed. This location was completely inconsistent with the room category and the expectations created by the hotel’s description.
The condition of the bungalow itself was unacceptable. The door could not be locked, which posed a serious security concern given the immediate proximity to the parking area. There was no hot water at the sink during our stay. The refrigerator was defective and extremely loud, making sleep difficult. The shower was leaking, causing the bathroom to flood repeatedly. In addition, there was intense nighttime noise from extremely loud crickets directly outside the bungalow, making proper rest nearly impossible. Alternative rooms were shown to us, but they were either directly adjacent to our bungalow or had other significant disadvantages, so no real solution was offered.
The overall condition of the hotel grounds was equally disappointing. Large areas of lawn were completely dried out and reduced to bare soil, palm trees and flowers were visibly withered, and walkways were dirty. Rust stains and corroded furniture were present throughout the property. The entire resort appeared neglected, outdated, and poorly maintained, which is unacceptable for a hotel claiming a 4-star standard.
The restaurant experience was also far below expectations. Due to strong winds, the indoor dining area was used, where the furniture was heavily worn, tightly arranged, and appeared unhygienic. The dining room was overcrowded, noisy, and stuffy. On several occasions, the service staff behaved unprofessionally and lacked appropriate distance. The glass front with sea view was so dirty that the view was barely visible. At no point did dining feel pleasant or of acceptable quality.
The beach and pool areas continued the same pattern. The beach was poorly maintained, with visibly dirty sun loungers. The foot showers were particularly concerning, as they were heavily soiled with algae, mold, and rust. Around the pool, wooden loungers were unstable and rust stains were visible on the ground. Again, this fell far short of what one would reasonably expect from a hotel of this category.
The advertised sports and leisure facilities were practically unusable. The outdoor gym consisted of a rusted and unstable weight bench, heavily corroded weights, and a broken treadmill. The condition of the equipment did not allow for safe or meaningful use.
Most disappointing, however, was the way our complaints were handled. When we explained at reception that our expectations of a 4-star hotel were not being met, we were told that we could “just leave and find another hotel.” No genuine attempt was made to resolve the issues. After our departure, multiple written complaints went unanswered. There has been no response from management and no refund for the two nights we did not stay.
In summary, Civitel Creta Beach failed both in terms of quality and professionalism. The lack of maintenance, the mismatch between marketing and reality, and above all the unwillingness to take responsibility for legitimate complaints make this hotel impossible for us to recommend."
