KING MINOS RETREAT Resort & Spa

“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.”

“I recently stayed at King Minos Resort with my friends and unfortunately our experience was extremely disappointing, particularly with the à la carte restaurant and spa facilities. The restaurant was honestly one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had. When we sat down, the cutlery already laid out on the table was visibly dirty, with food stains still left on the forks. We had to call the manager over and ask for all of the cutlery to be removed because we didn’t feel comfortable using it. In the end, we actually went to the resort bar ourselves to get plastic cutlery because we had completely lost confidence in the hygiene standards. What made the situation worse was the attitude from some of the staff. After we complained, one of the younger female waitresses was laughing and clearly gossiping about us with another waiter, which came across as very rude and unprofessional. We were also told the restaurant was “fully booked” for the next three days, yet when we arrived the restaurant was practically empty apart from our group. The spa experience was equally disappointing and absolutely not worth the money. We paid around £80 for what was advertised as a 45-minute massage and sauna experience, but it felt like we were sold a completely false experience. When we arrived, we had to wait for another couple to leave the sauna, and after only a couple of minutes of using it ourselves, we were told we had to leave because another booking was arriving. Overall, the massage and spa experience did not justify the price at all. The resort itself has potential, but the poor hygiene, lack of professionalism from staff, and misleading spa experience really ruined parts of our holiday.”

“Me and my partner recently enjoyed a 7 night stay at this resort. Arrival and check in was swift, and we even got a short golf buggy ride to our room. We chose a sea view room with a jacuzzi which was great, however I think we picked the wrong time of year as it was super warm! During the evening when the sun was down it was pleasant to use. The room was great and well presented. My only issue was the air con wasn't as strong as previously experienced at other places. It worked well, but didn't go as cold as I selfishly like! The lowest it would go was 20*c. This wasn't a major issue at all and didn't cause discomfort to a typical Brit who doesn't like warm weather but just something I noticed. We were on a half board package for 7 nights so experienced every day of the week and I thought the food offerings were varied enough each meal. There were the same few things offered at breakfast / lunch each day with some new options every day. A bonus with this hotel is they would let you swap an evening meal for lunch, you just had to inform them the day before and they gave you a ticket. This was good as it allowed us to go out for an evening meal without losing out on what we had paid. The only thing I found poor was that you had to pay for water with each evening meal. I understand we were on a half board package and this may be a thing in general now but I thought for how much we had paid this may have just been included. It was 3.50 euro for a cold bottle which was enough for 2 people. We didn't use the gym or spa however the outdoor area around the pool, we spent a lot of time around there. There were some sun loungers directly around the pool which were difficult to get with how popular they were, but this wasn't an issue as I prefer the shade and there were plenty of more sun loungers / beds that had curtains scattered around the outdoor area if you weren't a complete sun worshipper! These were readily available and we didn't struggle to get these in early / mid July. We made use of the poolside bar to order food each day. As we had a big breakfast, we just ordered some food to share in the middle of the day to put us on until tea which worked really well and I thought the options were fairly priced. This meant we didn't have to spend a fortune on lunches and you could get it ordered to where you were staying around the pool. I found this service to be really quick, and when you had finished with your food, it didn't take long for the staff to clear your waste. Staff were present all the time and I found them to be really helpful and friendly throughout our stay. The customer service in our experience was fantastic and that is a big selling point for me. Whilst we didn't experience any evening entertainment, there was stuff on every night and you were handed this information sheet at check in. They had poolside performers on some of the days during the afternoon and I thought these were good. The hotel was a short walk away into the local town and you had access to the beach nearby. You also got 15% off I think it was with the local beach club for loungers, towels, food drink etc which was handy. I would definitely return to this hotel and I don't say that about many places. Although we had a private transfer, it was only around 30 minutes from the airport so it was in a good location and not a long transfer away. One thing to bear in mind is the tourist tax. This is obviously not set by the hotel but for a 5 star resort in Crete, it is 15 euro per room per night so it cost us 105 euros. Not quite as cheap and cheerful as Spanish taxes for example but this is something I only realised a week before our arrival. It's not a deal breaker as such but just something that is handy to know so you aren't shocked on arrival! Thanks to the hotel team / staff for a lovely holiday :)”

“​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.”

“Great hotel with modern and spacious rooms - extremely clean and well maintained. Good wifi, USB ports and large balconies. The staff are friendly and attentive Lots of food choice for breakfast and dinner (we stayed half board so can't comment on the lunch). Slightly set back from the main strip so very quiet and relaxed. Well worth a visit!”