The Royal Blue Resort & Spa Crete

Private beach access. Great restaurant/food options. Buffet was great. Accommodating staff. Good amenities with a lot of things to do for the whole family. Clean. Overall a wonderful summer holiday in Crete for us. Btw, we stayed in September (shoulder season) so less tourists I suppose

We had a wonderful stay at this hotel! It is absolutely huge, which means there are plenty of room options depending on your preferences. We were lucky enough to have a beautiful seafront room overlooking the pool, and watching the stunning sunsets from our own pool was simply amazing. The main pool is very large, with plenty of sunbeds, so there was never an issue finding a place to relax. There is also an adults-only pool, which is a great addition and perfect if you’re looking for a little more peace and quiet. We were especially touched by the lovely surprise we received for our 20th wedding anniversary — a delicious chocolate cake and a bottle of wine waiting for us in our room. Such a thoughtful gesture and a wonderful way to celebrate! The daily turndown service was another nice touch, and the housekeeping team did an excellent job throughout our stay. The food was also very good, with a huge variety of dishes to choose from. As someone with celiac disease, I do feel that the hotel could make a little more effort when it comes to gluten-free desserts, particularly at breakfast and dinner. Having a few more options in the dessert section would make an already great dining experience even better. Overall, the staff were friendly and helpful. I felt that the cooks could have been a little more welcoming, but this did not affect our experience. The restaurant is very well organized, and throughout our entire stay we never encountered any problems. Overall, we had a fantastic stay and would happily come back. The beautiful seafront setting, lovely pools, great food, thoughtful anniversary surprise, and excellent housekeeping all made our stay very special.

Limited choice for gluten free

The entire resort is amazing. Staff super attentive and friendly. Breakfast is very good.

The balcony could have more privacy. In the bar they are stingy with the mixed nuts.

The beach and the swimming pools

We received a 2-Star Room at 5-Star Prices This was not a 5-star room but barely two stars. I arrived disappointed, and unfortunately, the experience only got worse. The room was very small (definetely not 30 m2 we booked) outdated, and looked nothing like the pictures online (no sofa bed plus double bed - there was no space for both in the room - which had max 16 m2). There was no iron, the phone couldn’t even contact reception, and the entire space felt neglected. I had to wait a full day and a night just to be moved to a room that actually fit what I booked. I lost valuable vacation time packing, following up, and solving problems that shouldn’t exist at this big price. The Kids Club was poorly managed, and at the children’s pool, they had no towels available. Staff told me to go to another pool to get one. Why set up sunbeds and a kids’ pool if you can’t provide something as basic as towels? Worse, the elevators weren’t working, and reception rarely answers calls. I had an incident in the room and was told someone from cleaning would come — they apeared after 4 hours. I had to chase them down myself, repeatedly. On top of it all, the hotel charges for water in the restaurants even if you book half board - there is practically no available drinkable water there - you have to order it at 5 euro/bottle. At breakfast they serve some in tiny glass vases - clearly limiting access to something as essential as water. Depending on family, prepare yourself to spend just on water about 25 -35 eur per day for 5 - 7 bottles (750 ml). This stay has been a constant frustration. Outdated rooms, poor service, lack of communication, and disorganization. Definitely not five stars! We will never return, and I strongly suggest you think twice before booking.