"Our visit to Crete was our very first, and we chose to stay at the JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa. From the moment we arrived until the day we left, our experience exceeded all expectations. The welcome we received was exceptional. Instead of the usual check-in process at the reception desk, we were warmly greeted by the staff and invited to sit comfortably while enjoying a refreshing welcome drink. The entire check-in process was completed for us in the most professional, elegant, and courteous manner. It immediately made us feel valued and relaxed after our journey. That same evening, we were kindly escorted to meet the hotel’s management during the management cocktail reception. It was a pleasure to meet the entire management team, who personally introduced themselves to us. We were especially impressed that the General Manager, Mr. Moustakis, took the time to speak with us personally despite his busy schedule. Every member of the management team was warm, approachable, and genuinely committed to making us feel welcome. Throughout our stay, Ms. Mary Kalogeri took outstanding care of every detail. She was always available to assist us with a genuine smile, exceptional professionalism, and remarkable kindness. Her dedication to guest satisfaction is truly outstanding. The same can be said for every member of the reception team and the concierge staff, who consistently provided attentive, friendly, and efficient service. Our room was simply beautiful, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the sea. Waking up every morning to such scenery felt like a dream. The private pool was spotless, and the room was maintained to the highest standards. Housekeeping visited twice a day, and every time the room was perfectly cleaned and beautifully arranged. Their attention to detail could not have been better. The entire resort is immaculately maintained. Every public area is spotless, beautifully designed, and surrounded by lush greenery and carefully selected plants, creating a peaceful and elegant atmosphere throughout the property. The views from every corner of the hotel are absolutely spectacular. Whether from the restaurants, the pool areas, or simply walking through the resort, the magnificent sea views and the surrounding landscape create an unforgettable experience. The culinary experience deserves special recognition. Every meal we enjoyed was excellent, and the service was outstanding. Considering that we visited during the busy month of July, the professionalism, efficiency, and friendliness of every team member were truly impressive. Breakfast was exceptional, with an outstanding variety of high-quality dishes presented beautifully in the buffet. Enjoying breakfast while overlooking the sea made every morning feel special. During breakfast, we once again met Mr. Moustakis, who was walking through the restaurant, greeting guests and taking the time to speak with them personally. This is something that is rarely seen in luxury hotels today and clearly demonstrates how important every guest is to the hotel’s management. The other restaurants throughout the resort were equally impressive, offering excellent cuisine, wonderful service, and stunning views. After spending a full week at the JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa, we can honestly say that it is one of the finest hotels we have ever had the pleasure of visiting. Every moment of our stay was memorable, thanks to the outstanding facilities and, above all, the incredible people who work there. Our sincere thanks go to the entire hotel team for doing everything possible to make our stay unforgettable. A special thank you to Ms. Mary Kalogeri, Mr. Moustakis, and every member of the management, reception, concierge, housekeeping, and restaurant teams for their warmth, professionalism, and genuine hospitality. We look forward to returning in the future and highly recommend this wonderful resort to anyone visiting"

"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."

"We just completed our stay as a family of four with two teenage children. All I can say is that this hotel exceeded our expectations in every way. When we arrived we were greeted by Joanna and the front desk staff. Our room was not yet ready and Joanna escorted us to breakfast. We were able to check in early and get our trip started which we very much appreciated. Throughout our stay we used the concierge team a lot and they were really exceptional. They helped us to rent a car for the day to drive to Elafonisi beach, with recommendations on where to stop on the route. The process was seamless and they handled the logistics. We also took a taxi into Old Town Chania and they arranged for a car home on a very busy night when we could not arrange for a taxi on our own. We also had a very early morning ferry out of Heraklion which was over two hours away by car. They arranged for the car to pick us up and had to go breakfast waiting for us in the lobby when we left. The hotel itself is breathtaking and every detail was considered when appointing the room. We appreciated the comfort of the room amenities and spent significant time at the pool and beach. Since our children are older, we got a later start in the mornings and there were always enough sun-beds at the pool and beach. I honestly can’t say enough about our wonderful stay. This hotel is a gem and we already miss it! Thank you for making our trip so special."