Elounda Residence Resort and Waterpark

"We have returned from the May half term week and feel so let down by the hotel and £3500 down the drain. I spent the week feeling penalised for being British. I was waiting to go home from the day I arrived. It was the longest week ever! We had no hot water for showers. It was luke-warm if you were lucky. We had a 2 bedroom apartment which I don’t think had been used in a long time. I don’t think it was even cleaned for us. The bed bases were filthy. The bathroom and the floors were dirty. Our apartment smelt of gone off lettuce. It was so bad. Our air conditioning kicked out black stuff for the first couple of days which was a telling sign the room hadn’t been used in a while. Bath towels are old and Pool towels are grim. A pale brown/green with stains. Apartment walls are so thin. It’s so so noisy. That’s also down to disrespectful neighbours having arguments in the night too. I didn’t sleep the whole week more than a couple of hours. We had a broken bed so it made so much noise to roll over and you rolled into the middle. We reported this to the manager one day as he wonders around at mealtimes and he said we will see what we can do and of course nothing happened. Day one I emailed the reception to ask how much an upgrade would be as the room just didn’t work for us. I know they see those emails as they asked me to email the booking confirmation to them when we arrived and they got that straight away. I would have paid a few hundred to upgrade to a villa to not have the experience we did. We requested a two bedroom place but ended up with a long corridor with a tv on the wall in the most pointless place. A little kitchenette with no tea and coffee like other reviews mention. We did struggle having no living space for a family of 4. My favourite thing about a holiday is dressing up in the evening for a nice meal and entertainment. Hardly anyone dressed up and the entertainment was awful. We went back to the room to play UNO instead. I am not a fussy eater but I barely ate. It was never warm, always empty or run out of plates. I saw staff wiping the food from the sides into the food- gross. Some very strange concoctions. Never vegetables. The pool lunch is a little better. We ate out more than we would have liked considering we spent £3500 for all inclusive. We also had a battle for a late checkout. I ended up having a rant to the manage and thankfully that time I was listened to and offered another room for the last day. It wasn’t as simple as using their luggage room. It’s outside the reception and left open and unlocked all day for anyone to walk in! I don’t think staff quite appreciate the cost to families when they’re so dismissive. The Pros: -Plenty of sun-beds -The waterpark area doesn’t open until 10 so theres no reserving and some lovely quiet areas. -Bar man and two pool bar ladies are friendly and always smiling. -Taxis to Nikolaos and Plaka are a must and €18. Boat rides to Spinalonga from Plaka are €12. -Elounda is only 15mins walking. The shuttle doesn’t take you all the way and leaves you on a steep hill still a 10 mins walk away. It’s much flatter walking the other way. -As soon as you arrive. Get your name on both clipboards for the onsite restaurants. They are the only hot, fresh nice meals you will get!"

"Wonderful stay with huge rooms and idyllic spot and views! As a family of 4, we were lucky enough to be placed near reception and had a huge 2 floor apartment. Rooms were cleaned daily and new towels given. Staff were attentive, chatty and nothing was too much. Mealtimes were especially good in terms of service and meals were replenished promptly. Food was fresh, plentiful and varied every day. We were there for 12 days and managed 3 days in the à la carte restaurants. The Greek restaurant was especially good! The moussaka was unreal. A special mention to the amazing desserts. I usually find all-inclusive desserts to look so much better than they tasted- this was not the case here where the desserts put a good half a stone on me. That said, I used the gym to counteract and found plenty of machines to use. The slides were great and the children’s park at the bottom was great for my little one and got her in the shade. A special thanks for the special entertainment- specifically the saxophonist, the Latin evening and the traditional Greek night. There could be a little longer kids disco as the little ones loved this!"

"We just returned from an absolutely marvellous stay at Elounda Residence Resort & Waterpark, and it was one of the most interesting holidays we ever had. We travelled as a family of four ( 2 adults and 2 children age 9 and 14). The location is simply stunning. Situated on the hillsides, the hotel offers breathtaking panoramic views of Elounda Bay, the sea and the surrounding mountains. I’ll be honest: our arrival at the Elounda Residence Resort & Waterpark was slightly daunting. The resort is built into a steep hillside, and if you arrive late or with heavy luggage, the climb from reception to the upper rooms can feel like an expedition. They did provide us with a complimentary golf cart service and the service is available most days but you have to wait or ask at the reception for one. We were initially placed in a room at the very top of the second hill, and the walk up was certainly a workout! The apartment we were allocated the first couple of days was very small, had no hot water and was not a 4-star hotel quality in terms of amenities and décor. After we brought this to the manager’s attention, we were moved to a premium maisonette that was exactly what we expected from a 4-star hotel. My advice is to book a maisonette or an apartment in the new buildings. Our agency had misleading photos and information on their website and we’ve paid premium price for a low quality 2 bedroom apartment. Always check before you travel! :) Most of the staff members were incredibly friendly, polite and attentive, going above and beyond to ensure our comfort. The balcony views were simply magnificent —watching the sunset over the bay from our own private terrace was magical. Housekeeping was excellent, with towels changed regularly and the room kept spotless throughout our stay. The young ladies at the receptions were also very kind and friendly, especially Chrisa :) They all speak several languages so there were no communication issues. The children loved the water park with its fun slides and the separate kids' pool area, keeping them entertained for hours. The saltwater pools were a lovely touch, and there were plenty of sunbeds available in both sunny and shaded areas. We also played basketball and volleyball together. There is also an area for mini golf and a children soft play area which we never used. The hotel also offers a great selection of dining options, including the main buffet with a wide variety of delicious food, as well as the charming Raki & Meze Tavern for traditional Greek cuisine and the Grill Restaurant. For the Raki and Meze and Grill Restaurant you need to make a reservations and it’s usually fully booked but we were lucky to get a reservation in both. We enjoyed the BBQ meat at the Raki and Meze but the burgers in the Grill restaurant were not really that tasty. The breakfast buffet offered a great variety of fresh fruits, yogurts and hot options to start the day. For dinner, the all-inclusive selection was impressive, with something different every night ranging from Greek specialties to international dishes. The staff members in the restaurants and bars, particularly Ilie and Bianca, were incredibly friendly and attentive. The hotel caters for vegans and vegetarians too. Even the most fussy eater (like my kids are) can find something to eat as there is fast food like chips, fish fingers, nuggets and pizza that are all very delicious. The deserts are scrumptious and we tried each and every single one of them :) This reminds me that I have to go back to the gym to shed the extra pounds haha The hotel has an outdoor gym (for over 18 only) but we haven’t used as it was too hot during our stay (that was our excuse!). The hotel offers evening entertainment for both kids and adults alike but we only attended them for a couple of days as we were too tired after our trips. We rented a car for a few days and visited Elounda, Plaka and Agios Nikolaos. If you are a fan of water sports there is plenty to do from renting a boat, a ski jet or go for swimming or snorkelling. We loved Amazonas Park in Neapoli, an animal sanctuary with exotic birds and various species of monkeys. We walked through the lemurs’ enclosure and they jumped on our shoulders to eat the fruits and vegetables we purchased for them. Our advice is to rent a car as Elounda and the surrounding areas are magnificent! There are lots of amazing restaurants by the sea that offer freshly cooked fish and traditional Greek cuisine. We also loved the Greek coffee and their delicious ice creams! This reminds me to warn you that the hotel’s coffee is terrible. They have good coffee too but it’s not free. We also bought bottles of water from the supermarket as you only get bottles of water on your arrival day but they have water dispenser in the restaurant. The rest of the drinks were as expected and we even tried the traditional raki (for adults only! :)) A big Thank you to Georgios, the spa therapist, for his professionalism and welcoming demeanour. The treatment room was pristine, with candles and relaxing music, creating a truly serene atmosphere. He took the time to understand our needs before starting and ensured we were comfortable throughout the session. The use of high-quality Bio products during the facials and neck massage left our skin feeling nourished and completely rejuvenated. Last but not least, our special THANKS go to the hotel’s manager Pavlos, who made sure we were always happy and looked after. His proactive attention to detail and genuine care for guest satisfaction transformed a good holiday into an extraordinary experience that we will gladly recommend to others. We truly appreciate everything you have done for us! You are a manager every hotel should have! I worked in the travel and hospitality industry for almost 20 years and I have travelled a lot so I expect a 4 star hotel to meet all the necessary requirements. This is the first family-run hotel that we've been to and we can say that the owners do a great job in trying to compete with the big chains of hotels across Europe. Overall, this resort is a perfect blend of relaxation and family fun. The combination of impeccable cleanliness, top-tier service and that unforgettable view makes Elounda Residence a true gem in Crete. We would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing, happy and memorable holiday. We will be back!"