Peninsula Resort & Spa

"We are spending our vacation at this resort on Crete and would like to share our experiences. Overall, we are very satisfied and would book the hotel again. Grounds & Rooms The resort is very large and spacious. The buildings are located on different levels. Within the main complex, the areas are easily accessible, while some outlying buildings are connected to the restaurant and pools via paths outside the grounds. So you should be good on your feet. Our room is spacious, beautiful, and comfortably furnished. We especially liked the terrace with a mountain view and the additional sea view. A small point of criticism: When the air conditioning is turned off, the room air sometimes smells a bit stale. With the air conditioning running, the problem does not exist for us. Food & Drinks The buffet is extensive, varied, and of very good quality. Whether meat, fish, vegetarian, or vegan – everyone will find something here. Breakfast is also very decent and offers, among other things, freshly prepared eggs, fruit, bread, and various Greek or Cretan specialties. At lunch and dinner, there are rotating dishes and themed evenings. On Cretan evenings, regional fish dishes such as sea bream are also offered. However, the large dining hall is more reminiscent of a cafeteria or canteen. During peak times, it is quite loud and not very cozy. A more pleasant design could make a big difference here. Water, juices, and other drinks from the dispensers are perfectly fine. Personally, the house wine does not suit our taste and is barely drinkable for us. For an extra charge, however, there is a small selection of Cretan bottled wines for about 18–25 euros, which we liked very much. Beaches & Pools The resort is located directly by the sea, but does not have a classic hotel beach right outside the door. The beautiful, smaller beaches Paralia Monafatisa and Paralia Psammoura can each be reached in about ten minutes on foot. During the high season, they are likely to become very crowded quickly. It takes about 15–20 minutes on foot to reach the main beach of Agia Pelagia. Additionally, there is a concrete platform right by the sea with ladder access to the water. Important: This area has not just aged, but was severely damaged or partially destroyed by the last storm. As a result, for example, permanently installed tables are damaged and in some cases no longer present. We very much hope that the hotel will restore this area, because as a direct access to the sea, it would be a truly beautiful addition to the resort. There are several swimming pools for this, including a very nice large saltwater pool as well as other pools and a children's area with a slide. Location & Excursions Those looking for relaxation and who mainly want to enjoy the pools, the sea, and the hotel grounds do not necessarily need a rental car. For those who want to discover Crete, we personally recommend renting a car right at the airport. We found attractive offers via comparison portals like Check24. This allows for flexible exploration of the beautiful island toward the west, east, and into the interior. Parking facilities are available at the resort. Even without a car, there are options: Buses run from the reception to Heraklion several times a day. From there, you can take bus line 2 toward Knossos and visit the famous archaeological site. You should budget approximately 9–11 euros per person for a round trip; please check the current fares in advance. Service & Staff A big compliment to the entire team! The staff members are extremely friendly, helpful, and attentive. The service is truly outstanding. I myself worked in the hospitality industry for a long time and have already gotten to know many hotels. Based on this experience, I can say that the team here is truly impressive. Our conclusion A beautiful, spacious resort with very good food, friendly staff, and many opportunities for relaxation. We see potential for improvement primarily in the dining hall, the concrete platform damaged by the storm, and the room air in our room. Those who know what to expect can spend a very nice vacation here. We enjoyed our stay very much and would book the resort again!"

"Magnificent. Granted, the room overlooked the arrival area, but the bedding is comfortable and it is fairly soundproof; cleanliness was average. Dazzling, varied cuisine, delicious vegetables, different fish every day, drinkable wine, delicious beer in a sublime setting. The staff is kind and efficient. Memorable Greek evening for the quality of the dances and the atmosphere. But one wonders why there are 10 of them in the entertainment team when only Tex is competent, but he only hosted 2 evenings in 7 days, and even then, one evening as a replacement for the dancers. Definitely go quad biking on an excursion."

"The location of the complex above the bay is very beautiful. The complex is built on a hillside, over several levels. As a result, the complex is naturally not suitable for guests with limited mobility. Pools are located on two levels. In addition, there is a promenade deck with access to the sea (not suitable for non-swimmers). To the left and right of the hotel are two small sandy beaches that do not belong to the hotel. The rooms are distributed among various buildings. Orientation is a bit difficult at first, but you get used to it. Our room was quite okay, even if simple and functional. The four sleeping spots are divided into two parts, with an interconnecting door. The bathroom area is located in between. The rear area is therefore very dark and uncomfortable. Especially since the lighting concept belongs more in the basement of a Berlin backyard building. The bathroom is very small. The shower is not enclosed. Because of the low water pressure, there are no major floods anyway. Also telling is the broken part of the bathroom mirror, which apparently no one wants to replace. As a manager, I would be worried about liability (as I would be, by the way, about the defective lighting in some dark stairwells). On some days, the hallways smelled alternately like a smoking lounge (my suspicion: the cleaning lady) and a sewer. The two giant cockroaches in the hallway and room also raised doubts about the hygiene. The outdoor facilities are nice, even if their state of maintenance raises questions (nothing is protected from the weather, so that, for example, ping-pong tables are wavier than the Bergisches Land region). Some areas were already being demolished now in October. The pools are nice. The saltwater pool could, however, use more frequent cleaning of leaves, etc. To be cleaned. I only fear that there is too little space when the weather is good and the hotel is fully booked. Unfortunately, people smoke here too. In bad weather (like we had), there is hardly anywhere to stay. The lobby is dim and not very cozy. The lobby bar is dim, making it difficult to play games. Above all, however, shisha is smoked there, so we left immediately. In addition, there is a small glass enclosure where you are protected from the rain. There is also a room with a poker table and pool table. The two tennis courts are in good condition. The basketball court is also okay. There is also a tiny and run-down (e.g., the treadmill ran unevenly and was almost dangerous) gym (maximum occupancy 2 people), which was hard to find and was not mentioned at check-in. 75% of the guests are French. Accordingly, communication is mostly in French, including the entertainment. Communication with the staff is difficult: English only works to a limited extent. The food is okay. The buffet restaurant offers sufficient variety and sufficient quality. We did not use the a la carte restaurant (even though we had a voucher) because the selection was too limited and did not suit our taste. We hardly used the snack bars. The staff was friendly. However, the service can still be improved. In the restaurant, cutlery was often missing and glasses were also frequently out. The quality at the reception was mixed. At check-in, we were told the room should be ready in 15 minutes. When we came back, another employee knew nothing about it anymore. In the end, it was two hours. The introduction to the hotel and the facilities was rather rudimentary. A positive aspect at check-out was the option for a late check-out or the use of a separate dayroom."