Grecotel Lux Me White Palace

Not a bad location, with Rethymno Old Town only a 20-minute taxi ride away and well worth a visit. The hotel grounds are extensive, and the views from the main bar area at sunset are absolutely stunning. There aren't any bars within walking distance of the hotel, but there are a few nearby shops where kids floats are much cheaper than buying them from the hotel shops.

We stayed in a family room, which was spacious, clean, and equipped with a mini fridge that was replenished daily. Standard toiletries and a hairdryer were provided, although you'll need to request an iron. One downside was the soundproofing, which wasn't great, as we could often hear noise and conversations from neighbouring rooms.

The staff were friendly, hardworking, and always polite. However, it's clear the hotel is understaffed. While cost control is understandable in any business, service levels have suffered as a result. The poolside food and drink ordering app was unavailable for the entire week, likely turned off due to capacity issues i imagine! It was also difficult to attract the attention of staff around the pools, as they rarely seemed to circulate to take orders or clear tables. As a result, ants were often noticeable around poolside areas. Evening service could also be quite slow, particularly during entertainment shows

The food in the à la carte restaurants was excellent, particularly at the White Restaurant, where both the service and the quality of the dishes were spot on! In comparison, the buffet was somewhat underwhelming, with a limited selection and many of the same dishes appearing on multiple evenings. We had breakfast in the buffet restaurant every morning because we weren't aware that à la carte breakfast required advance booking until we arrived, by which point there was no availability. That said, the buffet breakfast was still very good, offering plenty of choice and the usual omelette station. One common complaint we overheard from other guests was the lack of table service for coffee, as its a self self-service Nespresso pod machine.

Entertainment was decent, with most evenings centred around a single main venue featuring live music. Sunday felt noticeably quieter, with very little happening. The bar also closes at midnight, which causes the atmosphere to fade quite early. There are no nearby tavernas or bars unless you're willing to take a taxi, and there are no televisions in the bar areas, so football fans wanting to watch football will also need to head elsewhere. The children's disco takes place outdoors and is fairly low-key, although the team does make a good effort. One thing to note is the mosquitoes, which were particularly active in this area and resulted in quite a few bites!

One of the highlights of our stay was the Agreco Farm experience. For a small shuttle fee (€8ea), you get a farm tour with animals, small antipasti-style snacks along the way, and finish with a traditional sit-down meal featuring multiple courses. The evening is rounded off with a Greek dance performance too!

Overall, we had a good stay and found this to be a good family-friendly hotel. However, I wouldn't personally rate it as a true five-star property; I'd place it at the upper end of four-star standard at best. Improvements such as a heated baby pool, more entertainment options during the day/evening, more waiting staff, and a few more pop-up food and drink stations would significantly enhance the experience. Given the price we paid, I expected a little more, particularly as I've stayed in several four-star hotels that offered better overall value and service.

I am extremely well travelled as I like to explore different hotels/trips and locations every year for the last 30 years. In 2023 I visited this hotel and it really exceeded my expectations that I kept thinking about it and so I went back last year August 25 and again this year as I was so impressed that I had to book it again. This is a first for me :) Starting with accommodation I have stayed in the sea view superior guestroom, the family swim up guestroom, and the swim up grand family suite. Honestly all the accommodations are exceptionally comfortable for couples or families. There isnt much wardrobe space so if your an over packer like me I would recommend packing cubes to keep your clothes in. Other than that the beds are comfy, rooms always clean, mini bar complimentary and always stocked there are plenty of towels for pools and room. No fussing about pool towel cards or exchanging for fresh always replenished which is just one of those touches that help make you more comfortable on holiday.

The food is incredible, especially for an all inclusive its rare to be able to eat in every restaurant and have gourmet dining without paying extra. I have tried all the restaurants and had no issue with getting even 5 of us booked in at the times we wanted. The front desk team were amazing at helping out if you can find a time or availability on the app. Food wise the choices even in the buffet are extensive, suited to all palettes and allergies. Probably for me the Greco Farm trip is a must and the guest restaurant Lobster. But genuinely all equally amazing. My daughter loves the fresh waffles so is always excited for it to open and she also loves the chocolate fountain in the buffet.

Hotel staff are always friendly and helpful even the manager Vardis will go out of his way to greet you and ensure you are having a pleasant stay.

The pools have comfortable beds and there is service at both the main and activity pools. There is no rush to grab beds as reserving isnt allowed which makes it much fairer and we never struggled to get poolside beds at 9:45/10 when we had finished breakfast. The beach is also lovely and you can even order there is you want.

If you have kids there are plenty of activities and evening fun/entertainment for them. We also did some water sports and booked the yacht trip with concierge which I would recommend. You can also book to go to the waterpark in partner hotel about 15 mins away which is actually really good.

If you are into health and fitness then the yoga and gyms are great.

The bars have all the premiums spirit choices so I definitely had my fill of Tanqueray and fever tree tonic. The wine cellar and sommelier is so lovely and knowledgeable she helps you to find the wine for your meal or one that suits what you would usually drink so definitely pay her a visit.

So overall I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place and I will almost certainly be back. We booked with British Airways holidays and found the costs really reasonable for this time of year.