Jo-An Hotel

booked the holiday for my wedding anniversary and took our daughter son in law, their 8 month old baby and my sister. The service received from the bar staff was probably the worst service I'd received in my life! To be told that I thought rose wine was red wine with water as rose wasn't included in the all inclusive. The roof top pool was definately roof time and you had to travel in the lift to the ground floor to buy drinks from the only bar. Service was the poorest I've ever received. Will not ever recommend this hotel to anyone. Seemed like they'de received our money in advance so it didn't matter what service they provided. Wish I'd stayed at home.

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The Joan Palace hotel is ideally situated just a short walk from the Old Venetian Town (about 200 Metres) and has a large Supermarket just across the road.
Also next door is one of the best fruit and vegetable shops I have ever seen. Having said that there are a number of factors about the Hotel that need attending to.
The Reception is quite impressive and the Staff - as previously reported - are absolutely superb. We were Half Board and the Breakfast was perfectly adequate.
However the Dinner, whilst no doubt nutritious, was only average. It also seems that the Hot dishes are cooked at the sister Hotel about 6 Km away and transported to the Palace.
This means that unless you eat early the food becomes rather jaded. The Rooms are adequate but are showing their age with tatty carpets and flaking plaster.
Also some of the electrical fittings look decidedly 'iffy'. A major plus is the individual room Air Conditioning. Be warned that the room doors cannot be secured from the inside. We discovered this when attempting to have a lie in one morning only to be awakened by the maid coming into the room after a very perfunctory knock - I don't know who was more shocked as I tend to sleep 'au natural' Be sure to put the 'do not disturb' sign outside the door.
The Roof Pool is pretty good but has limited accommodation and the advertised Roof Bar was not in evidence.
Rethymnon is excellent and the people more friendly than anywhere else I have visited in Greece. The Town Beach is not good but walk another 800 metres and there are extensive 'Blue Flag' Beaches. Sun Beds and Umbrellas cost 8 Euro's for 2 per day. If you want an excellent meal then go to the 'Loggia' Taverna in the old town. It’s not easy to find but is well worth it. The food is spectacular.
Keep clear of the Saturday/Thursday Market - the only things for sale can best be called tasteless Tat.