Iberostar Creta Panorama & Mare

Chris Jefferies

We were a party of 6, myself and wife, daughter and partner and 2 grandchildren, 14 & 10 years old. The older grandchild has ADHD & learning difficulties & a nut allergy. We decided to choose the 'All Inclusive" because it meant the children could choose whatever, and it took away the stress of choosing a dish at a restaurant and then not liking it. The staff lady in charge of 'Allergies' in the main restaurant was excellent and every day and each meal would help our grandson to choose a menu that didn't contain nuts. So helpful and decisive about what foods contained what. So All Inclusive was the best decision. The main restaurant and the pool restaurant, food was great. For all meals there were extensive and varied choices. Food was hot, cooked while you wait and always plentiful. All sorts of drinks, including alcholic drinks were just fine, no limits, great cocktails. The swimming pools were an unexpected disappointment as the majority of pools were salt water. Very clean but so so sore on the eyes. We did find a 'normal' water pool at the end of the complex, near the high motorway bridge. It was a smaller, deeper pool and solved the problem of stinging eyes. One other criticism is that staff on the main reception desk knew very little about trips that were available from the hotel. We asked about the 'Prevail Palm Beach ' - Palm Forest Adventure. When asking for information we were told by the receptionist that there would be a lot of steps to climb both ways there and back to the beach. As I had had a knee operation and climbing a lot of steps I decided it would not be advisable for me to go on the trip. Annoyingly, there were NO steps to climb to get to the beach, but a great little boat ride. So I missed out on a really great trip which the rest of the family enjoyed. One thing I would advise all those thinking of going on beach trips to secluded beaches, do wear flip flops or some feet protection as my granddaughter unknowingly trod on something which resulted in going to the Medical Centre for treatment. The Little Train trips/excursions are worth doing. The entertainment was good, the team certainly put in a tremendous amount of effort to keep their customers happy. Some really funny sketches. Impressive amount of languages spoken to cater for many nationalities. In all it is a lovely hotel, friendly welcome, pleasant staff, clean and comfortable rooms, nice hot showers, pretty well kept grounds. We as a family would recommend this hotel, especially the fully inclusive package, worth the extra to have a lot less hassle, just more relaxing time.

Chris W

Service at the resort was polite, yet ultimately unhelpful in resolving room issues. The air conditioning in our room had two settings: Arctic winter or off. There was no middle ground, and despite raising concerns, management seemed indifferent, offering no alternative room or compensation. Their response, boiled down, was essentially, "The rooms are old, what do you expect?"—a sentiment I’ve never encountered in any hotel, whether in a modest guesthouse or a five-star Mediterranean retreat. Speaking of the room, it wasn’t just dated; we were assigned a handicap-accessible room, despite having no such need. While accessibility is important, it felt a bit like sitting at a table for twelve when you’re dining solo. The food was a curious experience. It was generally tasty with a wide selection, but unfortunately, what followed the first day for me and the second day for my girlfriend was far from acceptable. To put it delicately, we experienced symptoms remarkably similar to food poisoning from seafood for the rest of our stay. Needless to say, this put a major damper on our vacation, turning what should have been a relaxing getaway into a constant scramble for the nearest restroom (which from the beach was quite a trek). It was an unforgettable experience, but for all the wrong reasons. The beach? Well, let’s just say the word "beach" is generous. Picture cement blocks, an industrial aesthetic, and a handful of loungers and umbrellas for the masses to Hunger Games over. In addition, it was steep to get to from the main building. It was less Mediterranean bliss and more a game of “how fast can I leave?” BTW, 3 euro per day for the hotel safe key is just plain insulting. The gardens were immaculate with pristine lawns, vibrant flowers, and perfectly manicured hedges that made you feel like you’d wandered into a royal estate. There was no toxic "misting" system like you get at hotels in Egypt that kill the insects and cause cancer. Also, the place was clean and the drinks at the main bar were genuinely good (not so much at the pool bar). In conclusion, while we might have been able to endure the dated rooms and underwhelming beach, the digestive distress made this stay one for the history books—just not the kind I’d recommend revisiting.

T Rev

I stayed here in August 24 with Wife and two kids (13 and 17). We found the hotel, staff and amenities all brilliant. * Before you do anything other than checking in, book the barbecue meal * honestly, one of the best settings and food you could ever imagine! I only found this out on another review and they could charge £100 per person for this and it would be worth it, honestly! All in all, a fabulous hotel, lots of pools, excellent food and everything was immaculate. They have a little marina and private beach too, oldest kid did a jet ski which she loved. You have to book restaurants at a certain time which is a pain but worth it as they become very busy. I’d definitely go to Rethymno (€27 in taxi - set fares everywhere so no rip off in taxis) as the beach is brilliant and lots of restaurants / bars / market etc. If your kids are sharing the room, ask reception for extra mattresses and pillows as their beds have very thin mattresses and uncomfortable. * I’ll reiterate - book the barbecue as soon as you can!

Christian French

Initial abridged thoughts are below, I’ll combine into a more thorough review once I get home. Room is a little dated, location is lovely and the views are beautiful. Only been here a couple of days, service so far is good. Pools are saltwater and this does sting the eyes so it’s worth bringing a pair of goggles. It seems that the gardens are watered with the waste water from the lavatories as the smell of effluent can be overwhelming at times and it’s literally everywhere. Unsurprisingly given the above, gastroenteritis has seemingly swept through the place in our second week, my little one has suffered a serious bout and nearly everyone in our party of six has suffered diarrhoea. I must say though, the staff have been great while my little one has been ill, as she’s been sick on the bedding several times they have come out and changed it really promptly. The staff are really accommodating and professional. I cannot fault them at all. We secured a late checkout to keep our little one in a cool room while she’s recovering and for that I’m really grateful. A few other families have also had the same thing after speaking with a few people, apparently it seems to happen at a similar time every year. I can only imagine that it’s because of people’s lack of cleanliness which is outside of the hotel’s control. Make sure you wash your hands regularly. The lobby bar is great, the terrace has a lovely outlook and the drinks are excellent. Had a few Mojitos and they’re properly made. You need a smartphone to visit here really as all the restaurants require you to book before visiting, which can be a bit of a chore. The beach is nice and there are two very sheltered coves where you can snorkel in safety and there’s no current at all. I’m not a great swimmer and I really felt safe and enjoyed the snorkelling around the coves. There are thousands of fish in the sea and snorkelling around them is a real treat. The little shop on site sells snorkelling masks and although they’re cheap and cheerful they do work okay. They sold out of them while we were here. Evening trips to Rethymno and Panormo are only a short hop away and have been wonderful, the local eateries are a change.

Ana Dragomir

It might have been a nice experience, unless you get infected—which we did on the second day. Many guests caught a virus, and it’s spreading very quickly. Last night, my son started vomiting in his sleep. We called the receptionist, and she said she would check "if they had enough bedsheets for replacement." I’m sorry, but that is simply not an acceptable response from a four-star hotel. They eventually brought us two bedsheets but didn’t assist with cleaning the room at all. We were left alone with a sick child and a bed full of vomit. We requested more towels and received only three. We ended up cleaning, washing, and disinfecting (they didn't even provide some substances to use for desinfection, we just used the hand soap) the room ourselves as best we could, then put the soiled towels outside the bungalow. Eight hours later, the sheets were still there—now just placed in a plastic bag. We called again in the morning to request disinfection, and the receptionist asked us to specify exactly what we needed them to do. They still haven’t come, and we’re still waiting and hoping. We had a similar, though much less serious, incident in Turkey, where the room was disinfected and cleaned within 20 minutes after our child got sick. Oh, and one more thing: my husband also fell ill on our second day here, and the doctor confirmed it was a virus. All in all, this has been a horrible holiday. We’ve regularly visited Greece in the past, but we’re seriously reconsidering it for the future, and we’re clearly questioning the hygiene standards at Iberostar. **P.S.:** In case you’re wondering, the nearest clinic is more than 20 minutes away by taxi, and there is no doctor on the premises. We were also informed that the public hospital is very busy and not recommended. Initially, my husband was suspected of having a stroke before they confirmed it was the virus, and we were told that the public hospital might not even have a neurologist on duty. The private hospital is supposedly better but is about an hour away from the hotel. Now, we’re waiting to see if the hospitalization costs (over 1,000 euros) will even be covered by our insurance. All in all: a nightmare