King Minos Retreat Resort & Spa

Abby Stead

Had the best weeks stay here (despite timing our trip here with such awful weather)! Every single member of staff are so helpful, kind, friendly and accommodating, making our stay here unforgettable. We were half board and swapped all our evening meals for lunch as we normally always prefer to eat out in different restaurants in the town whilst on holiday in the evening. There was always plenty of variety and choice of food. On our last night here we were just about to leave the hotel to go for food and drinks in Hersonissos, when we had received a weather warning alert and it had started thundering and lightning. We went down to reception to ask if we could pay to have our evening meals here (as we had already had our two meals included in our half board, breakfast and lunch), the receptionist was so kind and thoughtful and actually gave us a card so we could have our evening meal in the hotel complimentary!! Our hotel room was always cleaned spotlessly, and amenities were always stocked up. Special mention to George who works at the pool bar.. he has such a positive energy and vibe, he was always making sure us, and other guests were happy. He’s so friendly and welcoming, and went the extra mile to make sure we were having a good time. Will definitely be back to this hotel when next in Crete!

Tom Snowden

Beautiful beautiful resort with the most wonderful staff who are very friendly, welcoming and observant. Observant in a way they noted what drink and offered me a suggestion on a alternative to try which i loved. Rooms were very clean and well maintained and i loved their shower soap in the room. During our stay both me and my partner experienced a Spa treatment (Massage) and this was wonderful really helped us unwind for the holiday so we could truly relax and enjoy our time. Evening Entertainment was good but i think could be better. Also i think would be good to offer other entertainment during the afternoon. For Half board the buffet food was rather hit or miss and personally i ate better outside the resort. I found food ether under cooked or over cooked and lack of flavour to some dishes. Wish i could give it a 5 Star but i have to give 4 mainly because of the food and having a culinary background for a 5 star resort i expected better.

Kg

We had an amazing 10-night stay at King Minos Retreat and would definitely recommend it. The hotel is immaculate throughout. It’s clear that it has been recently refurbished, and it really shows. The rooms are modern, clean, and well-maintained, while the pool, bars, and restaurants are constantly being cleaned and looked after. There are always plenty of staff around keeping everything spotless and ensuring guests are well looked after. The majority of the staff were absolutely fantastic. From the bar staff to the restaurant team and the housekeeping staff, everyone worked incredibly hard, were always polite, and couldn’t do enough for you. A special mention has to go to Tristan and Erol from the pool area. They were exceptional throughout our holiday—friendly, hardworking, professional, and always smiling. They are a real credit to the hotel and genuinely made our stay even better. Their customer service was outstanding, and they deserve a lot of recognition for the work they do. There are a couple of negatives worth mentioning. The hotel is situated on a fairly steep hill, so it may not be ideal for elderly guests or anyone with mobility issues. It’s also a reasonable walk into the town, although taxis are inexpensive and only take around 10 minutes. The biggest disappointment was the reception team. Unfortunately, we found several members of the reception staff to be quite rude and dismissive. On our final day, the hotel kindly extended our all-inclusive package until 3pm because we had missed our first day due to our flight arrival time, which we appreciated. However, our return flight wasn’t until midnight, so we asked if it would be possible to swap our included lunch for dinner instead. We never received a response, and when we asked again later, the reception staff were abrupt and told us it wasn’t possible. We were then informed it would cost around £50 per person just to have the buffet for dinner. After spending thousands of pounds on a 10-night stay, this felt disappointing, so we decided to leave it and wait until we reached the airport to eat. It’s a shame because the reception team’s attitude didn’t reflect the excellent service provided by the rest of the hotel staff. They could certainly learn a lot about customer service from their colleagues. Overall, though, the positives far outweighed the negatives. The hotel itself is beautiful, the facilities are excellent, the food was great, and the hardworking staff made our holiday memorable. We’d happily return in the future and are already talking about coming back one day. Thank you to everyone at King Minos Retreat for a wonderful holiday.

Niclas Wirtz

We had a truly wonderful time at the King Minos Retreat Resort & Spa and can wholeheartedly recommend this hotel. The entire team was always friendly, attentive, and incredibly welcoming. You can really tell that great importance is placed on making every guest feel comfortable and well looked after. A very special thank you goes to Dionisis and Mikel from the hotel bar. They were definitely one of the highlights of our stay. Their service was excellent every single time, they went above and beyond to accommodate every request, and their friendly and relaxed personalities created such a great atmosphere. It was always nice to have a quick chat with them and exchange a few words. That perfect combination of professionalism, attentiveness, and genuine friendliness is exactly what makes a hotel stay truly memorable. Thank you both so much! Apart from that, the hotel was excellent in every respect. The service throughout the entire resort was of a very high standard, all staff members were helpful and attentive, and we felt genuinely welcome from the first day until the very last. For us, the King Minos Retreat Resort & Spa is an absolute 5-star recommendation. We would definitely stay here again and would like to thank the entire team for making our stay so enjoyable and memorable!

Rhea McKinney

​We visited in mid-April and the hotel was wonderful. Since it was the shoulder season, it was incredibly relaxing and quiet. This made navigating the hotel a breeze; the layout is intuitive, and everything is easily accessible. The restaurant experience was particularly pleasant because it wasn't crowded - the food selection was great, and we never had to queue or rush, which I imagine might be different during the hectic peak season. ​Our room with a private pool was spacious, modern, and very clean. The amenities (coffee machine, kettle, etc.) were a nice touch, though the pillows were very thin like a pancake, which was the only minor downside to the room. The location is also perfect: a short walk to the beach and very close to local shops. You do have to travel out for any sightseeing. There is a little train which takes you around part of the island. ​However, the spa was a major disappointment. I paid a premium price for a massage that was supposed to be 60 minutes (including a 10-minute voucher extension), but the therapist was very half-hearted and I was in and out in just 40 minutes. The massage itself was uncomfortable; the therapist kept digging her thumbs into my neck even when I tried to move away. ​To make matters worse, the staff hands you a questionnaire and watches over you while you fill it in, which felt very intimidating when I just wanted to leave. When I reported the issues later, I was only offered 30 minutes in the sauna - a poor resolution for a ruined, expensive treatment. ​Summary: 5-star hotel and dining layout, but 1-star spa service. Stay for the rooms and the peace, but skip the treatments.