Iberostar Selection Creta Marine

Joe Kelly

To start with thank you to the staff at the hotel who ensured we had a great trip. The staff really go above and beyond to look after you and make sure you have a good time, this was especially useful for us with one of our party requiring a wheelchair. Staff on reception were friendly and helpful, especially Maria, they booked a taxi at a much more reasonable rate than I found looking online. The hotel is in fantastic condition, its super clean and even while we were there plants were being replaced to ensure that there were plenty of flowers in all the flowerbeds. The whole place is very well looked after and you can tell care has been taken to ensure guests have a good stay, there are lots of areas where guests can have a seat or a lounger and multiple bars dotted around the complex. There are three pools including a large pool with a pool bar that you can "swim up" to and two smaller pools. One of which has a bar adjacent, the Ouzo Bar which has beautiful views overlooking the sea. Its nice to be able to have a proper glass here if you are drinking at the bar, it makes sense for them to be plastic to takeaway. Nicola on the bar is a shining light, happy, chatty and incredibly efficient. There are also a couple of beaches that are have loungers to relax on. Most of the hotel is wheelchair accessible and easy to move around but there are some areas that are a bit steep and a user may require some help. I think this is a natural consequence of the hotel being built onto the side of a hill overlooking the sea. Thankyou to the daytime staff at La Laconda supplying us with drinks and putting up with us getting in their way while we played games The Saloni bar is excellent, large with a great terrace available to sit on, in the evenings they have entertainment. We tended to sit at the bar where we were excellently looked after especially by Dimitri and Timo. Their friendliness and humour made our evenings, it was a highlight of our holiday. A surprisingly number of drinks and cocktails are available on the all inclusive, we particularly enjoyed the mojitos and martinis. In the buffet restaurant, as with the rest of the hotel staff are friendly and helpful. It is a large room so is easily accessible for a wheelchair and the outside seating area is excellent with a great view if you are by the windows. The food is generally very good; highlights for us included, the grills where a member of staff grilled meat or fish to order, we particularly enjoyed the tuna and the sea bass, the salad selection with a huge range of salad items including feta, olives, fresh vegetables and the local Cretan/Greek food, a wide selection of Greek honey at breakfast and the homemade pizzas coming straight out the pizza oven. Some dishes are overcooked but in general the food quality is very high for a buffet and there was always multiple things we enjoyed eating. Whilst the buffet is generally good for allergens, specifically gluten free in this instance, with allergens shown against the dishes, allergens are not labeled on all dishes, including some obvious allergens, meaning it is unclear on some dishes if the allergens are present. Some dishes varied each day as to which allergens were shown as being in a dish, fries were one day shown as gluten free and the next not. Additionally the correct labels are not always shown against the right dish leading to further confusion. It is a good system that when done correctly it works well but occasionally isn't properly sorted. The Thalassa restaurant which you can prebook when staying a certain number of nights is a beautiful restaurant with views over the ocean. It has a real premium feel, and the opportunity to come here as part of an all inclusive is an absolute treat. The food was fantastic, and beautifully presented on the plate. It has a very "Masterchef" feel so we were unsurprised to see that it had a menu designed in conjunction with the 2019 winner. Overall its a fantastic hotel and I would highly recommend it!

Charlotte K.

We stayed at the hotel with 2 small kids for 7 nights. We booked a beachfront family bungalow which was new, clean and very spacious. I’d recommend booking a bungalow rather than a room in the main building. We were unlucky with the weather for the first half of the vacation but luckily there was the animation team (kids club), who were amazing and always provided fun activities. There is also a nice outdoor playground and the kids pool, main pool, and beach are all great for kids. The food was alright, we only ate at the main buffet restaurant and there was always something to our liking. There’s also a small shop with essentials at the hotel (from snacks to pool toys). All in all, a beautiful resort for families.

ER

Our family's favorite hotel! We managed to visit this wonderful hotel for the second time this year, which always offers new and wonderful surprises. The gardeners take care of the freshness and renewal of the magnificent landscaping, the cleaning team ensures that everything shines with cleanliness. The meals are very tasty and varied. The entertainment includes all age groups, from the youngest to the grandparents. The hotel management is very sympathetic and cares wholeheartedly about the satisfaction of vacationers. The entire service is of a very high level, the staff is professional, friendly and caring. There are always enough staff at the hotel reception and everything runs extremely smoothly. The international entertainment team is amazing in its creativity and synergy, being active both in daytime activities and often as talented artists in evening performances. This time the surprise performer was the famous Austrian baritone Thomas Weinhappel. We felt like we were in paradise, living in the middle of a beautiful botanical garden, with incredible views of the sea, and being looked after by the hotel's excellent team. Special thanks to Nicos and Eleni, excellent managers in their field.

James Cotton

Great stay overall, with a few drawbacks We stayed here for 9 days in a room with private pool access and a sea view, and overall we had a great experience. The resort is excellent for both couples and families. The staff were always smiling, polite, and professional, and the level of service — from restaurants and buffets to excursions, luggage handling, and transport — was very good. The buffet food was enjoyable, with a good variety including local dishes. The location is also convenient, although having a rental car is definitely recommended to explore the area. There is free parking available just outside the hotel, which was very much appreciated. The room itself was comfortable — the shower was excellent, and the beds were some of the best we’ve experienced, with very thick and comfortable mattresses. The pools were lovely, and the sunbeds were great, although the pools are not heated, so they were a bit cold in April. Now for the drawbacks. If you’re not on an all-inclusive package, drinks are quite expensive. We were paying €4.70 for a Pepsi, and it was only 220ml — not even the size of a standard 33cl can. We also had an issue with our room during two days of heavy rain, where water was leaking through the front door and pooling inside. This made things quite difficult, especially with a baby. For a 5-star resort, I felt more could have been done — either offering a room change or checking in more frequently to help manage the situation. We ended up using our own bath towels. Another slightly aggravating point was the on-site massage center. Staff regularly walk around the pool and beach areas trying to sell their services. While understandable, it became a bit repetitive and intrusive over time. Despite these points, this seemed like a one-off issue, and overall the stay was very enjoyable. We are already considering coming back to Crete, and I would definitely look at staying here again — next time, I might even bring my mum along for some babysitting!

Princess A

We had an absolutely wonderful stay at Iberostar Creta Marine. From the moment we arrived, the hospitality and attention to detail made us feel truly welcome. A special mention goes to Ellie from Guest Relations, who was absolutely amazing — so friendly, helpful, and always went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect for us. She really made our stay extra special! She made it so easy to book excursions and taxis so if you feel overwhelmed speak to Ellie!!! She will help you and check up on you through the holiday to ensure your all okay. The pool bar team, especially Niki, were fantastic — always smiling, super friendly, and made the best drinks. They created such a relaxed and cheerful atmosphere by the pool. The food was incredible — so much variety, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. Every meal felt like a treat, and the service throughout the resort was excellent. The hotel itself is spotless, with beautiful grounds, great facilities, and stunning views of the sea. Whether you want to relax by the pools, enjoy the private coves, or explore the area, there’s something for everyone. Overall, an amazing experience — we can’t wait to come back!