More Traveller Reviews of Elounda Blue Bay
Relaxing
from Bigmuma
We have just returned home having spent a very relaxing couple of weeks at the Blue Bay. After reading reviews before we went we were a little worried but were very pleasently surprised, yes, the drive is steep and if you have walking difficulties I would give it a miss but by the end of two weeks we were coping very well - panting rather than gasping! The rooms are comfy and ours had a stunning view of the bay and spinalonga. The bath is very small but the shower makes up for it. The room was cleaned every day with linen and towels being changed every two days. Having to put toilet paper in a bin was challenging to remember but they were emptied every day and you soon get used to it. The staff were very friendly and helpful particularly Monika in reception, the lady in the shop and the lady from the beach, always a smile and a greeting and happy to chat. The food was good and tasty with plenty of salads to choose from and several main courses. The desserts were delicious. The pool area can get quite crowded and there is the dreaded beach towel run for the sun beds, even to the point of people putting down their towels the previous evening! After a couple of days looking for three sun beds together, we gave up and used the beach, we always got sun beds and although it was only very small, it never felt crowded. There were quite a few water rides available as well as water skiing. There is very little evening entertainment, we were lucky to be there during the world cup when the bar was full with everyone supporting their own teams. There is a pretty footpath into the town of Elounda which takes about 15-20 minutes where you will find lots of restaurants and shops. You can also book day trips from here. We hired a jeep which was well worth it, we visited the crete aquarium (very good), went to Samaria Gorge (needs a whole day, walking books and plenty of water) and to vai beach (very disappointing).
Disappointing
from py07per
Very basic rooms with an extremely steep climb to the top of the hotel with no help with luggage offered. In order to enjoy the holiday I upgraded my room to a suite which was much nicer but it cost me over 520 euros to do so. Rooms were clean and towels changed every day and linen every other day. On our last night we had a theft from our room while we were at dinner - only one item. When I reported the theft to the assistant manager I was told that it was not possible. Decided it was not worth the hassle of calling in the police for an item valued at around £100. A disappointing end to the holiday. Views were fantastic and the private beach, although small, was very enjoyable with food and drink on sale all day. Staff were lovely and food was OK.
Very disappointed
from BME
Having been to Crete at least 7 times in the past (to the North and West of the island), we decided this year to explore the East of the island for a few days during our stay. What a disappointing experience we had at the Elounda Blue Bay Hotel. The hotel, which claims to be 4-star, only deserves this rating for one thing; the view. Almost every other aspect of the hotel we found to be lacking:- - Lack of sun loungers and parasols at pool (10 parasols) - poolside area untiled - cement-type finish - cracked - Small tables and chairs littered under trees at pool area, making it look very untidy - private beach had toilet paper floating on water - smell of sewage at various areas in the hotel, particularly at the end of the driveway en route to private beach - lights along internal walkway all broken/melted - walkway to room at top of hotel ridiculously steep - had to stop for a "breather" while climbing to room - steep walkway to room dangerously finished in very rough concrete - Bedrooms very small and basic - had to move furniture to balcony to create space - Food just about passable - Restaurant looked like a canteen The hotel had an uncared for appearance generally with no attention to detail. Crete is a wonderful island - we will be back again, but not to Elounda Blue Bay Hotel. What a disappointment.
A Very Enjoyable Experience!
from MissyP
Just returned from a week at the Elounda Blue Bay - first time in Crete! and what a good first impression we had! On the whole we have all possitive things to say about the hotel. Hotel staff very friendly, especially towards our 10 year old daughter. Nothing was too much bother. Food excellent and a good selection. Pool bar excellent. To the person who said they were slow - so what! you are on holiday! what a nice change! no feeling of being rushed! it certainly made us relax and appreciate our time. You could order, swim or sunbathe, then they would come over to tell you when your food was ready. Rooms were basic but clean. View over bay and Spingalonga Island, stunning!! made the hike to room 419 worth it!!! Hence the negative. Hike being the op word! never mind walking difficulties if you have heart problems etc stay well away! A hand rail would have been nice, to stop the feeling you were going to run down the hill without stopping! Before you go I would check which rooms you'll be allocated first if you can. 100-300 were ok. (200-300 managable) anything above that bring your crampons!!
A steep story
from man_i_love_the_cake
The Elounda Blue Bay is rated as a 4* A1 hotel, and by greek standards it really is. The rooms were immaculate and cleaned everyday - the cleaners were totally overworked! However, the hotel did not quite live up to my expectations. For a start please do not underestimate the huge bank up to the hotel - I'm only 20 and found it hard going in the mid-day sun when I wanted to get back to my room. Also, there's a lift in reception to the second floor but then there's a bank and steps to the third floor (where we stayed) and the hill was even steeper after that! Travel light is all I can stress - our cases were far too big to drag up stairs so we had a real struggle! The hills are what make Crete so beautiful and the views from all rooms are amazing so don't let this put you off, just letting you know that there are pros and cons - like everywhere. The food in the restaurant is pretty good - all fresh just sometimes some odd combinations of foods! The waitresses are lovely - the male waiters are miserable as sin and pretty damn rude if you aren't tipping them hugely! The walk into Elounda takes aroung 20mins and is well worth it. Lovely outdoor bars along the harbour. Plaqua is also lovely (in the opposite direction to Elounda) and quite upmarket - worth a visit just for the amazing seafood. The 'private beach' is small but ok, it lost the sun around 3 so we went to the municipal beach Elounda most days. There are no where near enough loungers for the pool. Overall, although I sound as though I hated every moment, we had a lovely time. Crete never loses its charm for us.
great holiday
from gladt0beh0me
My boyfriend and I returned from Crete on saturday after a truly brilliant holiday. After reading some of the reviews i was a bit apprehensive about the food and hotel, but all i can say is that some people are just too fussy!! The rooms were cleaned every day and sheets and towels changed every other day. Of course the rooms are a bit basic (it is a Greek hotel, not the Hyatt!) but we had no complaints. The hotel was one of the best i have stayed in, and the staff were always chatty and pleasant. The food was varied and had plenty of choice for everyone. I would recommend that fussy eaters go self catering on their next holiday! We only spent one day of our holiday by the pool, as the beach was so lovely (although the beach belongs to the hotel, you still have to pay for the beds). The walk to town took a leisurely 20-30 minutes, which was nice to work off the three course dinner! we usually paid for a taxi back to the hotel, which only cost 4 euros. The hill up to the hotel was a bit of a killer, so would not recommend to people with walking difficulties. I would recommend a trip over to Spinalonga, but do not pay for this through the reps (as usual they try to rip you off!). The boat runs from the harbour every half an hour and costs only 10 euros each, and you are picked up after an hour on Spinalonga which is plenty of time to have a good look around. All in all, we had a brilliant time in Elounda and met some lovely people. I would definately consider returning and would recommend this hotel to anyone. The only negative was that we should have booked up for a fortnight.....
Loved the View
from poohhead
Just arrived back from one week at this hotel, have to say the hotel location was excellent, our room was clean and view was stunning. The hotel staff were very polite and all tried to please. Only slight moan was the food was nice and we could get by, but more variation of food was required. Would defintely go back to this hotel but only recommend one week.
Peaceful and Tranquil Holiday
from Woman with a Suitcase
We returned from the Blue Bay on Tuesday evening. I had read reviews before I went and was concerned about some comments made in relation to the food. Both my husband and myself are reasonably fussy about our diet and we can honestly say that the food was very good at dinner most evenings. Breakfast would benefit from a little more imagination. Our room 323 had a marvellous view of the bay and Spinalonga Island and was spotlessly clean on arrival with linen changed every second day. Reception staff were very friendly and helpful and Manolis the Waiter had a good sense of humour. It is a great pity that he could not share some of his humour with the other waiter. We were unfortunate enough to have to sit in his section one evening during our stay and he did not approach us about drinks until we were almost finished our main course and we found his attitude somewhat hostile. The snack bar at the pool needs to move into the future. The pace is very slow (slower than normal Greek time!) and the menu is not very varied. We enjoyed our week at the Blue Bay and it is only a fifteen minute walk into Elounda. We have visited Crete for the last four years and the people in Elounda are every bit as friendly as all other Cretan people we have met during our stays on the Island. We will return to Crete and would consider going back to the Blue Bay. We had a late night flight back to Scotland and we managed to secure our room until 1800 hrs for 32 Euros. 32 Euros well spent to enjoy some prime time at the pool and leave the hotel feeling very relaxed and hassle free.
Disappointing - not what the brochure says
from A TripAdvisor Member
We were planning to spend a relaxing week in May in a part of Greece that we love, and given the brochure reviews and photo's we thought we had found a gem - reasonably priced, modern hotel with lots of facilities. What a disappointment when we found out that we had arrived in the first week of the season and most things were still closed - pity brochure hadn't advised of this! The pool bar opened from 11am - 2.30pm and getting anything to eat or drink outside these times was impossible. The shop opened when the owner could be bothered - usually for a couple of hours each day. The fitness room / gym was available only if you could give reception 4/5 hours notice and the beach was closed! The bedrooms do not resemble the photos; be warned they are basic and not a 3 or 4 star level, we had a leak in our bathroom which the hotel advised us they had fixed and would not listen when we advised that our bathroom was constantly swamped in water - in the end we stopped telling them and just used extra towels to mop up the water. The restaurant staff were lovely and very friendly but the restaurant resembelled a school canteen and the experience was one of speed eating lukewarm food. We ate out most nights and found the quality much better in both Elounda town and Ag Nik. All in all we will not be going back to this hotel - the pool and the views are the best part and hence why they feature so heavily in all the brochures!
Relaxing Holiday
from A TripAdvisor Member
I have just come back from the Elounda Blue Bay. My Mum and I went seeking sun and relaxation and were not disappointed! The Hotel location is just stunning, the pool and beach areas wonderful. However, the rooms were pretty poor. Food was great. It is very quiet in the evening so not really suited for those seeking a lively resort. Overall, it was a superb holidayt and we really relaxed.
More hotel photos
A short break away was needed for our Anniversary in September 2009.I had read the book "The Island" by Victoria Hislop, and wanted to see the leper colony that she had described in the book.Blue Bay seemed to have all the answers, so we booked. Paying extra for the view... more