Civitel Creta Beach

The service and the staff was wonderful. The beach is clean, overall very nice experience.

Twin beds are not the play. If they could have more double beds offered, would be 10/10.

A great place with a big pool and direct access to the beach. The staff was very helpful with booking a taxi for 4 AM. The city centre of Heraklion and Knossos are easily accessible by bus. Last but not least the bungalows are spacious, comfortable and clean.

One tiny detail: the coffee machines at the breakfast buffet only make instant coffee. It would be nicer to have proper freshly grinded coffee for breakfast.

Our stay at Civitel Creta Beach was truly exceptional and exceeded our expectations in every possible way. The entire establishment is absolutely beautiful, perfectly maintained, and wonderfully curated. Every corner reflects an impressive level of care, professionalism, and attention to detail. The grounds, gardens, common areas, beach, and pools are all professionally and impeccably maintained, creating an atmosphere that is elegant, relaxing, and incredibly welcoming. Our wonderful experience actually began from the very first moment of our arrival. As we were arriving after midnight, the hotel had thoughtfully anticipated that we might be hungry after our journey. To our great surprise, they had prepared a lovely complimentary selection of delicious sandwiches and nibbles to welcome us. Such a thoughtful and generous gesture, especially at that late hour, immediately made us feel genuinely cared for. It was one of those small but incredibly meaningful touches that says so much about the level of hospitality and consideration given to their guests. One of the highlights is undoubtedly the gorgeous private beach, equipped with extremely comfortable sunbeds and umbrellas. Everything is beautifully organized and cared for, making it the perfect place to relax, enjoy the wonderful Cretan sea. The swimming pool is simply amazing—spacious, beautiful, spotlessly clean, and perfectly maintained. We particularly appreciated the thoughtful attention given to families, with a separate pool dedicated to the precious little members of the family, allowing children to enjoy safely. What makes Civitel Creta Beach even more special, however, is its extraordinary staff. From the very beginning, we were welcomed with genuine kindness, warmth, and professionalism. Every single member of the team was incredibly friendly, attentive, and exceptionally helpful. Whatever we needed, there was always someone ready to assist us with efficiency, patience, and a sincere smile.

If we may offer just one small and friendly suggestion for the future, perhaps the shower heads could benefit from a little update. This is by no means a criticism and certainly did not take away from our wonderful experience; we simply feel that this small improvement would complement the otherwise beautifully maintained and thoughtfully curated facilities even further.

The location was excellent—just a short drive from Heraklion and conveniently close to key attractions like the Palace of Knossos and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum. On-site parking was a major plus and one of the main reasons I chose a resort just outside the city rather than staying in the town centre. The breakfast was enjoyable, offering a good variety to start the day, and the resort's private beach was beautiful and a lovely spot to relax.

Unfortunately, the reception and check-in experience was one of the worst I’ve encountered during my travels abroad, and certainly the most frustrating during my stay in Crete. When I booked through Booking.com, I paid in full, including taxes, as confirmed on my invoice. However, upon arrival, I was asked to pay additional charges for taxes. Despite showing them my Booking.com confirmation—which clearly indicated taxes were included—the staff insisted they had not received payment for them and requested a separate transaction. When I explained that every other hotel I stayed at in Crete included taxes within the original booking, I was simply told to contact Booking.com to resolve the issue. I tried to point out that the issue was not with Booking.com's process, but rather with the hotel’s own handling of bookings, but this was dismissed. In addition, the room I was given had a very strong smell of cigarette smoke, despite being advertised as non-smoking. It was extremely unpleasant. The room also lacked expected amenities—there was no shampoo or conditioner provided, only a razor, bar soap, and a shower cap. After a long day of sightseeing, I was looking forward to relaxing and watching some Netflix, but the television did not support streaming services or allow casting from a personal device, which was disappointing. Lastly, the gardens on the property were poorly maintained, with weeds growing throughout, which detracted from the overall presentation of the hotel.