Gouves Bay Hotel

I thought the location couldn’t have been better, right on the beach surrounded by bars and entertainment with a shop right next door. The atmosphere was friendly especially the bar tenders on the pool bar made us feel extremely welcome. With the rooms being high value for money with amazing views over either the pool/sea or the mountains of Crete, and the walls are sound proof with no noise from outside coming in. Honestly couldn’t rate this hotel higher, this has exceeded the expectations majorly

We stayed at Gouves Bay for eight days, and unfortunately, our experience fell significantly below the standard expected of a four-star, family-friendly hotel.

The condition of our room was extremely disappointing. There were multiple issues, including ants crawling across the floor, a cracked, dirty and rusty shower, and a broken ceiling fan, which resulted in the ceiling becoming covered in mosquitoes. Although our towels were replaced daily, the beds were made, and fresh bin bags were provided, the housekeeping service appeared to stop there. The floors were not cleaned, and the surfaces were not wiped down throughout our stay. We had specifically requested accommodation for three people, including a cot suitable for a four-month-old baby. However, we were provided with a toddler-sized cot, which was not appropriate for our needs. Despite the hotel being aware that we were travelling with a young baby, we were allocated a room next to the entertainment area ( less than 25 yards away ) and down a flight of stairs. There is no lift access unless you are staying in the main building, making the location particularly inconvenient for a family that needs to use a pushchair constantly. Uncomfortable beds, a poor bathroom, unacceptable cleanliness, and room facilities far below four-star standards.

The pool is divided into a children’s section (0.80m deep) and an adult section. The adult pool has no depth markings and becomes extremely deep very quickly. Just one metre from the ladder, I could no longer touch the floor without diving down. The deepest end was so deep that the bottom was not visible, and even after diving down, I could not reach it. While there is nothing inherently wrong with a deep pool, this is concerning for a hotel advertised as family-friendly, particularly as the only barrier separating the deep adult pool from the children’s pool is a single metal pole. There is also no lifeguard on duty, only a sign advising guests to contact reception in an emergency. With no direct access from the pool, guests must walk around the entire hotel, creating serious safety concerns. Drowning can occur in less than 30 seconds. A sign stating “you swim at your own risk” is not an adequate safety measure, particularly when the bar is right next to the pool and young children may be unable to read or understand the warning. The only peice of equipment available in an emergency is a lifebuoy, which is located up a set of stairs, away from the pool.

The dining area is too small for the number of guests the all-inclusive hotel accommodates, resulting in waits of around 20 minutes for a table on most evenings. The waiting staff, however, were excellent, friendly and helpful. Despite the hotel’s claims about its food, the variety was disappointing, with almost identical meals each night and only minor changes to the meats and desserts. The drinks were also disappointing, often tasting overly diluted or flat. Note that even if you have paid for a full day, your all-inclusive benefits end at check-out. This is frustrating if your transfer is not until later in the afternoon, as you are left without the benefits you have paid for.

The spa is disappointing, consisting of little more than a shed with a table next to the entertainment area. However, a complimentary 15-minute massage is provided on arrival, which must be used within two days. The entertainment is fantastic but, there is limited variety, with most evenings consisting of a disco and little entertainment for children, which is annoying for a family hotel. Despite entertainment officially ending at 23:00, excessive noise often continues until 02:00, making it difficult to ignore and sleep.

The gym facilities are excellent, with everything you could need. However, the children’s play area is concerning, located at the side of the hotel next to both a road and a swimming pool, which is far from an ideal or safe location for children. Parking is also very limited, with approximately 10 designated spaces.

After raising our concerns and complaints on the final day of our stay, the hotel offered us a double room to rest in until our flight as 'compensation'. The difference was immediately noticeable. The hotel clearly prioritises it's double rooms over it's family rooms. The double being at a much better standard than the family room, although still below four-star expectations. Rather than addressing the issues raised, the hotel appeared more focused on moving us elsewhere than resolving the underlying problems. It feels like they just added a small child area and labelled themselves a 'family hotel'.

When a staff member, who appeared to be a manager, asked for our honest feedback, she seemed more focused on justifying the issues or making them worse than resolving them. We shouldn’t have had to complain; our stay should have been enjoyable from the start.

Overall, the staff are excellent, particularly the morning receptionist, who always made us feel welcome and brought smiles to the children’s faces. She was incredibly helpful and genuine. The staff as a whole, make the hotel what it is. The local cats was another highlight. However, the hotel falls far short of a four-star standard, feeling closer to a three-star at best. Safety concerns with the facilities, alongside the frequent disruptions and ongoing issues, significantly impacted our experience. Unfortunately, despite the wonderful staff, this hotel was far from the family-friendly, enjoyable stay we expected. I unfortunately do not recommend this hotel to anyone, looking for a 'family friendly' experience. Nothing like what it has been aventisied.

Absolutely grim hotel and nothing like the pictures or description! Not a 4 star.. a 2 IF THAT! Dated,filthy, hairdryer blew up and food disappointing! Not to mention the dirty sunbeds, rusty loungers and a falling down shed for a “spa”. Told we cannot change rooms due to nowhere else yet hotel empty! Horrendous for the money paid! Do not visit!