Sara Martin
Rating this as 3-star due to low quality of the food in the main restaurant. The food was not fresh, as we would have expected when visiting Greece. It tasted like it was frozen and re-heated. Juice is not fresh. Coffee in the room is instant coffee. I would have at least expected a mini-espresso machine like we had in 2 star hotels.
On the positive side, Rooms were spacious and very clean. Service was cordial and friendly. They provided a free bottle of wine, apples, and water in the room. Location was nice since it is right on the beach, but otherwise it wasn't really close to anything prominent. (It's about a 30-min drive to Knossos.)
Urvashi Lad
We arrived at 11pm and they gave us a family room. Which was small and a bit dated. Which shocked me as they’re considered a 5 star hotel and affiliated with Melia which is a great hotel group.
I went to receptions and had a chat with the night manager, the next morning the duty manager Dimitria spoke to me and said that she’ll do something. And she really pulled all the stops out. We got upgraded to a brand new renovated room, that hadn’t been used before with a beautiful bathroom, new products such as a bed etc and the kids had their own space too.
They mentioned the entire hotel will be renovated by next year.
This made our trip, the kids were happy and so were we. Loved the hotel, it’s a small resort but gorgeous. The water in the sea is so clear of you come out of the hotel and go right for 5 mins.
Would go back!
Peter Hovanec
We recently spent two nights at Blue Sea Beach by Meliá in Crete, and I can confidently say it was one of the best hotel experiences we’ve had. From the moment we arrived, the hotel gave off a very pleasant and welcoming impression. Although it’s known to be the oldest hotel in Crete, it has been beautifully renovated and exudes both charm and modern comfort.
Rooms & View:
The rooms are clean, stylishly decorated, and feel fresh. The design is simple yet elegant, with all the amenities you would expect from a high-standard resort. One of the biggest highlights was the stunning view — waking up to the sight of the sea was truly unforgettable.
Staff & Atmosphere:
The staff are another big plus of this hotel. They’re friendly, professional, and create a relaxed yet attentive atmosphere. What made it extra special was the fact that some of them clearly have a soft spot for the Czech and Slovak Republics — one of the bartenders even spoke Slovak, which was both surprising and really heartwarming. It instantly made us feel more at home.
Drinks & Bar:
The cocktails and drinks at the bar were outstanding. I would go as far as saying they were the best drinks I’ve ever had at a hotel — easily comparable to high-end cocktail bars we’re used to at home. The bartenders truly know their craft, and every drink we tried was perfectly balanced and beautifully presented.
Food & Dining:
The food was delicious with just the right amount of variety — not overwhelming, but enough to always find something tasty. It felt like every dish was made from quality ingredients, and it was clear that attention was given to both taste and freshness.
One of the highlights was the barbecue night (for an extra charge), which included a great selection of grilled meats, traditional Greek dishes, and even live Greek music and dancing. The atmosphere was festive, and it was a memorable evening. There was even a photographer taking professional pictures before dinner, which were available for purchase the next morning — a nice touch.
Beach & Location:
The beach is just a short walk away, across a local street. While it’s not directly on the hotel grounds, it’s still easily accessible and the walk itself isn’t an issue. Once there, you can enjoy the beautiful sea and sun in a peaceful setting.
Overall Impression:
To sum it up, Blue Sea Beach by Meliá exceeded our expectations. It combines the charm of a historic hotel with the comfort of modern renovations, and the personal touches — from friendly staff to exceptional drinks and cuisine — made it truly special. I give it a solid 5 out of 5 stars and honestly can’t think of anything to criticize. We’d happily return and recommend it to anyone visiting Crete.
Holly Punter
Stayed here 5 nights and do not understand how it has so many 5 star reviews! This is NOT a 5 star hotel, you get what you pay for (very little) and it’s very surprising that this is affiliated by Melia. The food lets this hotel down. It is not what you would expect from a 5 star hotel. It is cold and bland and not much variety or options. The rooms are small and old if you choose the junior suite. There are only a few sunbeds with nice cushions, the majority are old plastic ones which desperately need replacing. We were lucky that it was quiet so managed to get the nice comfortable sunbeds most days but if it was busy I would have been very disappointed. Again this is not what you expect from a 5 star hotel.
The most awful thing was the flies on the last two days. The main restaurant seemed to have a fly infestation. There were HUNDREDS in the restaurant near the food and all over the tables. There were dead ones all along the windows. I understand that flies are hard to manage but there seemed to be no attempt to even remove the dead ones on the floor! We had to move tables 3 times to get away from them. You can see in the pictures they are all over the table (at least 10 in that picture) and the railing leading to the food! On our last day other guests seemed to be complaining at the flies and quality of the food. It was shocking.
The staff in the restaurant and bar were so kind and attentive but the receptionists were rude. When we checked out no one asked how our stay was. Location is amazing will definitely return to Stalis but not this hotel.
Emma
We travelled in October 2024 with young children, having previously visited twice before when the hotel was Blue Sentido.
The hotel is very clean and nice, however, this hotel does not cater at all for children - our children were very disappointed at the poor mini disco and turning up when mini disco was supposed to be on and it wasn't. It ruined our holiday as the hotel was advertised as having kids entertainment.
Years ago the mini disco used to be held in the main bar area so parents could enjoy a drink. However, they put the mini disco on in the outskirts of the hotel where it was so dark, poor sound system, no atmosphere at all. It was shocking. One evening my kids got dressed up excited to go to mini disco, only to turn up and the person meant to be taking mini disco was kicking a football around instead. We left before we got hit by a football and asked why was mini disco not on.
Almost all the guests at this hotel frowned upon the kids as if it should be an adults only hotel. We didn't feel welcome at all with the kids. There is nothing for kids to do during the day and nothing in the evening.
The evening entertainment is not great. And the bar area is full of older German people smoking and being very loud.
On a positive note, the hotel is very clean and staff are friendly but the place has a weird atmosphere with nothing for children.
We asked for a sea view room but were put into the Annex building which felt really shut off from everything. Lots of mosquitos around. I got around 20 bites during our 7 day stay.
Manager was very nice but kids facilities and entertainment very poor. This should be an adults only hotel. Wouldn't return.
My Booking
