Grecotel Marine Palace and Aqua Park

Great location Excellent service Atmosphere great Rooms good

We’ve just returned from a really lovely stay at the Grecotel Marine and Aqua Park, Crete and overall we were very impressed with the hotel. The biggest thing that stood out was how friendly and helpful the staff were. Everyone was welcoming and nothing ever seemed too much trouble – “of course, no problem” was the response to everything!

We arrived late at night and the night staff were lovely. Check-in was quick and the buggy took us straight to our room, which was very welcome after a late flight.

Our room was a really good size and the beautiful ceiling made it feel even more spacious. We had a good-sized balcony, comfortable mattresses and plenty of storage. The bathroom was also a good size, with a lovely shower, great water pressure and a good hairdryer. House keeping was excellent.

There were a few minor things that could be improved in our accommodation. The fridge cupboard had no handle so we needed to use a teaspoon to open it each time! The wicker bed frame was very noisy whenever anyone moved during the night. Some shelving for toiletries and more than one towel hook / rail with instructions for the air conditioning would have been helpful.

We thought the food was excellent overall, with a huge amount of choice. It worked particularly well for us as my child prefers plain food and there was plenty they were comfortable eating, while I could enjoy lots of colour and variety.

Alcoholic and soft drinks were all branded. There were also juices and slushies.

One evening we ate at the BBQ and the setting was lovely, particularly as we watched the sunset. They also have a Greek Taverna and Pan Asian restaurant, eat in and private dinner options.

The only food criticism would be that the hot food was often warm rather than hot, and the toasters weren't particularly effective. Neither spoilt our holiday, but they could definitely be improved.

The dress code had me a little concerned before we went but it is far more relaxed than the wording implies. The hotel dont want people to be in swim wear in the restaurants but other than that please dont worry, there are no fashion police!

The ice cream selection during our stay was vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, caramel, marshmallow, tiramisu and mango, with sauces and toppings.

The pools were all lovely and very well maintained. We particularly liked that you could continue using them outside lifeguard hours. The hotel's approach to sunbeds was excellent. With beds around the pools, on the beach, on grassy areas and around the accommodation, there was no need to get up at dawn to reserve one.

The towel tagging system was also brilliant. You could leave your lounger to go for food or a drink. Towels were tagged with a ticket and time and when staff did the next round 30 - 40 mins later if it was still unoccupied towels were removed preventing someone reserving it for the whole day. Due to the volume of loungers and the space it never felt necessary to reserve a lounger anyway.

Pool / beach towels were available and you are encouraged to change them every 2 days. There are towel collection points around the hotel.

The aqua park was clean and, during our stay mid Aug, there were no queues. We went several times, did the slides and then simply headed back to one of the main pools or the beach. It was great being able to use it as much as we wanted.

Inflatables are allowed in the pools, which was another nice touch but certainly in the large saltwater pool by the beach it never felt crowded.

The beach was beautiful and exceptionally clean. The sea was probably the clearest seawater I have ever seen.

There were plenty of activities throughout the day if you wanted to take part. Sports activities, water polo, water gym each morning and swimming lessons were also offered. Night time football matches. There was a beach volleyball court, football/tennis facilities, giant chess, a gym and a spa.

We didn't need to use the kids' club, but it looked really good and there seemed to be lots available for children, a small sheltered play park, face painting, games, a disco each night and a bouncy castle / slide.

There was also a good range of evening entertainment. During our stay we saw an acrobatic and fire show and a live singer, there was also a Greek dancing night, karaoke and a disco. Holiday entertainment is often hit and miss trying to cater for everyone, at this hotel it was pretty good.

Other useful things We had a late evening transfer home and were really grateful that we could use the spa showers and changing facilities on our last day. They weren't air-conditioned, so it was quite warm, but having somewhere to shower and change made a huge difference.

Our luggage was kept securely in a dedicated room after we checked out.

There is a small onsite mini-market, plus a few little shops selling souvenirs, Cretan goods and things you might need. There is also a massage/nail art place directly opposite the main hotel entrance.

Panormos itself is very quiet. It has a small strip of shops with a few restaurants, a supermarket and places selling Cretan goods and souvenirs, so don't expect a busy resort. We liked the peaceful setting.

There were lots of cats around, as you'd expect in Greece, and they all appeared healthy and well cared for.

One thing we weren't comfortable with was the horse and cart outside the hotel. The horse was in the shade, but we didn't see any obvious water or food and it didn't look like a particularly enjoyable existence.

Overall This is a really lovely family resort with a huge amount of space and plenty to do if you're looking for it and without ever feeling crowded. We loved the pools, the beach, the crystal-clear sea, the aqua park and the relaxed approach to sunbeds. There was plenty of food choice, lots of activities, some entertainment, and the staff were genuinely fantastic. There are a few small things that could be improved, particularly some aspects of our room and keeping the restaurant food hotter, but these were minor compared with the positives. We had a fantastic holiday. The combination of beautiful grounds, lovely staff, great facilities and the ability to have a completely relaxing holiday without having to rush around made this a really enjoyable stay.