Golden Port Salou & Spa Hotel

"Rethymno Palace is a beachfront hotel with immediate access to the sea. The hotel is very nice and highly recommended. The location is also ideal for taking day trips and exploring the entire island. Crete is huge, so this should be taken into account when planning your trip. We booked two rooms and both are well-furnished. The bathrooms and also all other areas throughout the hotel were clean. We felt very comfortable. The buffet at the restaurant was extensive and varied. All the foods were delicious. We also recommend the À-la-carte-Restaurant. The menu offers delicate dishes from appetizers to desserts and the staff was very polite and courteous. I also treated myself to a massage at the spa. Hasmik, a kind-hearted person, first advised me on the options that were right for me because of my sports injuries. After that I booked a massage and I was so excited that I booked the next session right away. She had a sympathetic ear for me and works very professional and empathetic. She has healing hands and a magic touch. I am very grateful to her. Dear Hasmik, I hope to see you again. Lavaguyn maght'ank'ners (my best wishes). I would also like to thank Ms. Tzagaraki from the reservations department for her support during the booking process. I really appreciate her work. The whole reservations team was very helpful and promptly addressed our concerns on site. Dear Ms. Tzagaraki, as I mentioned when I was there, I’ll be coming back."

"The Room. We stayed in a twin garden room. It was clean and tidy, some bits were dated, but we didn't mind. The AC and the fan worked ok, but the room didn't get too cold and it was still very warm. The bed mattress was firm, but very comfortable, wish they had slightly better pillows. The bathrobes were provided, but extremely small size. Towels were nice and soft. The bathroom was complicated. The rainfall shower head was in an awkward low position and the bath was small and dangerous to climb out of. The sink plug didn't work either. There was no shampoo provided, but the body lotion was very nice. The every day watering of the grass below us and the constant sprinkler sound was really annoying. The doors were not sound proof, you could hear people slamming them and walking by clearly. The balcony bars are not child friendly and the sliding door has no child lock. Also there is little privacy while you are on the balcony, anyone can easily climb over and on some nights it was very unpleasant to have the balcony doors open because so many people were smoking next door. The mini fridge didn't include any drinks and could barely keep our drinks cold. Although we appreciated a bottle of wine as a welcome gift, it wasn't very good. A large bottle of water was also provided for the room. The hotel areas were tidy, somewhat modern. Lobby decor was really nice as well as the garden, although I wish there were more draught tolerant plants. There was a fee to use the safe. No room service available. The Food. We had booked half-board with our stay, but were not informed beforehand that the dinners will not include soft drinks. Not even water! The breakfasts were terrible. Soggy bacon, cheap salty sausage, terrible pancakes with too much baking soda, no salads for breakfast either. Instant coffee from the machine and juice were terrible. The only good choices were eggs, yoghurt , jam and maybe some bread. The dinners were not great either. Everything was too salty and dry. Weird combinations, usually 3 choices of meat and fish. Cooked vegetables were overdone. The salads were great. Wish there were plain side options like boiled rice or roasted potatoes. The pastry chef did a wonderful job as desserts were very good and the presentation was lovely. Unfortunately the ice cream was terrible. It seemed everything was quantity over quality. The staff were running around everywhere and there were too many of them, didn't seem like a relaxed environment you wanted to be in. You barely finished your plate and there was already someone hovering to take it off you. The head waiter would randomly come to your table in the middle of dinner and ask you to sign a receipt for your drinks. Hated this. If you didn't want a drink at dinner they would sneer at you. 2 Mythos beer was €11, a bottle of wine both greek and Italian that costs around €6-7 they sell for €25-30, what a rip off. Mojitos at the beach bar were also awful. On some days they would have large tourist groups arrive at the hotel which probably has contracts with travel agencies. The food quality slightly improved on those 2 seperate days, the greek food tasted great, but on seafood day the prawns and some fish were overcooked and dry. The Staff. Most of the staff seemed very welcoming and had knowledge of several languages which was very impressive. The cleaning ladies were the most pleasant to us. The lady in the gift shop was warm and friendly. All the waiting staff seemed nice, but also exhausted. There was a table with the tips inside the buffet which I found was strange. They should be paid more instead of relying on tips, especially since rarely anyone carries cash to a buffet. The Pool and The Beach Once we saw that the pool floor is getting mopped with chemicals and everything runs down to the pool itself, it put us off actually using it. The towels needed a deposit and unfortunately could only be changed every 2 days. The beach area was very rocky and difficult to get into for a swim. Lots of hidden rocks. Would not class this as a 5 star hotel,.maybe a 4 at a push."

"It’s great at all Really relaxing massage Perfect treatment Working with love"