"We stayed at Aulus Chania Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton, at the end of May, shortly after the property had reopened under the Domes banner. Having previously had a fantastic experience at Domes Zeen Chania, we booked this resort with high expectations. Unfortunately, our stay was characterised by operational issues, unavailable facilities and a general sense that the property had opened before it was truly ready.
It is only fair to start with the positives. The location is excellent, around 30 minutes from Chania Airport, close to several beaches and in a relatively peaceful setting. Having a car is highly advantageous as it allows you to explore some of Crete's fantastic beaches, restaurants and attractions beyond the immediate area. The resort works well as a base for exploring western Crete.
Many of the staff were friendly and hardworking despite the challenges they were clearly facing. Thanasis in the buffet restaurant was exceptional and consistently delivered the level of service you would expect from a premium hospitality brand.
I would also like to recognise the excellent service provided by the pool bar team. The Ukrainian lady and Greek gentleman working there were fantastic throughout our stay. They remembered our usual drinks, made excellent recommendations, always greeted us warmly and genuinely seemed to enjoy interacting with guests. Their humour, friendliness and professionalism stood out and helped create some of the most enjoyable moments of our holiday.
The teams in the bars and à la carte restaurants were also excellent and helped salvage parts of the holiday.
Unfortunately, the problems began before we even reached our room.
Despite informing the hotel of our expected arrival time in advance, we arrived to a chaotic reception area and waited more than three hours for our room. During that time, there was almost no communication, no offer of changing facilities so we could start using the resort, no orientation of the property and no realistic estimate of when the room would be available. We were eventually directed to lunch, only to discover the restaurant had already closed. As a result, we paid for lunch elsewhere despite having booked an all inclusive holiday.
Our original accommodation was a King Horizon Open Plan Suite with Plunge Pool. While attractive in photographs, the reality was very different. The room felt dark, the plunge pool received almost no sunlight and there was little privacy due to a pathway directly in front of the terrace. The pool itself remained cold throughout our stay. Noise was also an issue, with live entertainment from the bar above competing with music from the corridor speakers. Housekeeping was inconsistent, with a dead spider remaining in the shower for two days and the minibar not always being replenished as promised.
We eventually requested a room move. The replacement room provided more sunlight but was effectively a downgrade from the suite we had booked. The room was prepared with twin beds despite our reservation being for a couple, and rather than replacing them, staff simply placed a topper over two separate mattresses. One mattress was heavily worn, making sleep uncomfortable.
Beyond the rooms, numerous advertised facilities were unavailable. The saltwater pool remained closed until our final day. The floating sea platform shown in promotional photographs was absent. Sea access from the resort was unavailable. We were told permits and installation were still pending. None of this information was communicated before arrival.
There were also signs throughout the property that work was still ongoing. Roofs were being painted, maintenance teams were addressing snags, deliveries were arriving regularly and many loungers and chairs lacked cushions for most of our stay. While these issues gradually improved, guests should not be experiencing them during a fully operational season.
A particularly concerning incident occurred when a fire alarm sounded throughout the resort one morning. Guests proceeded to the assembly point only to find no staff present. We eventually went to reception ourselves and were informed it was a false alarm, despite alarms continuing to sound around the property. The lack of staff guidance during what guests reasonably believed could be an emergency was disappointing.
Dining availability was another frustration. Although we had booked all inclusive, the à la carte restaurants were fully booked until our final two evenings, significantly limiting access to one of the resort's main attractions for most of our stay.
The cumulative effect of these issues was significant. We spent much of our holiday outside the resort, purchasing food and drinks elsewhere and repeatedly chasing updates from management rather than relaxing. We met with Guest Relations, the Operations Manager and the General Manager. While apologies were offered, there was little meaningful follow-up and none of the major concerns were fully resolved during our stay.
I genuinely believe this property has potential. By the end of our visit, improvements were already being made, with new furniture cushions arriving, maintenance work progressing and some facilities becoming operational. It was clear that staff were working hard to address many of the issues we encountered.
My impression was that the resort reopened before every aspect of the guest experience was ready. Given time to resolve the remaining operational issues, complete outstanding works and ensure all advertised facilities are available, I believe the resort could become the quality destination that its branding and marketing suggest.
I suspect the property will be in a significantly better position by the end of the current season, and guests visiting next year may have a much smoother experience once the teething problems and opening-season creases have been ironed out.
However, based on our experience, it was not operating at the standard expected of a Domes-managed Curio Collection property. My recommendation to future guests would be to verify that all advertised facilities are fully operational before booking."
