Phāea Blue - Small Luxury Hotels of the World Reviews

The hotel is splendid location is far from everything but it is great

My daughter and I have enjoyed a wonderful week at the Phaea Blue. The staff as others have said are all warm, friendly and very helpful; the food is outstanding, rooms serene and views beautiful. We particularly loved the idyllic Blue Door restaurant where the food and views are delicious. We really enjoyed our evening at the Farmer’s Feast communal dinner in the vegetable gardens and broke bread with Californians, Texans, the Dutch, Germans and Greek families. We also took a trip to Spinalonga having read The Island a few years ago. The only issue with the Phaea Blue is the Meltemi wind which of course the hotel can’t control. The winds were very, very strong all week. We managed to swim a couple of times but the waves were large and it was impossible to read a book or grab a drink on the beach without books and glasses flying away and breaking. We walked into Plaka a couple of evenings for cocktails and supper at local tavernas. Giovanni’s was particularly good as was Gorgona. We also took a €30 taxi into Agios Nikolaos which is a charming little seaside town full of colour and character. We ate overlooking the lake at Gioma Meze; do book a table if you can. The views were to die for as was the food! Despite the winds, we had a super week at Phaea Blue. Thank you everyone!

This is hands down one of my favorite hotels. From the moment we arrived - everything was total perfection. The welcome greeting to the amenities, to the activities to the accommodations. The food was as extraordinary as the service - we came away feeling like everyone we encountered there is now a good friend! Highly recommend the traditional “pop up” dinner - which was absolutely spectacular. We also loved going out on the boat and having lunch and swimming. Every meal was incredibly delicious… and every person we encountered was so helpful and kind- from the general manager to the food and beverage manager… the executive chef and Maria who served us each morning. The rooms are stunning and comfortable. My husband and I shared a suite with our two daughters. We hated to leave - but as they reminded us, we must leave in order to come back. And we WILL be back.

Another amazing stay in this heavenly place. The atmosphere of this hotel is truly unique and the hotel design, lush gardens in which the rooms and bungalows are hidden and the beach makes it unparalleled all around. The gardens make all the atmosphere so quiet and peaceful and the interior design is beautiful. What makes it even more is the team which is the same year on year and makes you feel like coming home. Many thanks to Kallioppi from Guest Services who was amazing in accommodating our stay to make it great, the concierge team who helped organise a surprise on arrival and of course the beach club team Voula, Ilias and Stavros who year on year are like seeing family.

Great service at Anthos restaurant from Maria, Nikos and Giannis! Professional and friendly!! ❤️ we will definitely return!

We had the most wonderful stay at Phaea Blue ,a truly beautiful hotel, impressive in every way, and absolutely spotless. What really made our trip special was the people. Every single member of the team went above and beyond to make sure we felt comfortable and welcome. We visited with our 5-month-old baby, and everyone was so kind, patient, and genuinely caring. A special mention to Konstantinos, the hotel manager, who personally checked in on us every single day. Everyone’s warmth, professionalism, and genuine care made us feel truly looked after , after 5 days they felt like family! For me, the ultimate hotel test is whether I can shower without flip-flops and here, I absolutely could! Everything was spotless, and the attention to detail in every corner of the hotel was remarkable. The beach was stunning, the atmosphere relaxing, and the whole experience was perfect from start to finish. We only wish we could have stayed longer. Highly recommend, and we will definitely be back!

It is amongst my personal top 10 hotels I have stayed at. Decor was amazing and the setting was beautiful. The rooms were spacious and comfortable and were kept clean with towels that were expected of a five star hotel. All the staff went the extra mile and management were present and available. Breakfast was truly a wonderful experience as was lunch and dinner. Only thing I would criticize is the lack of bar service at the pool area. The beach facilities and service were excellent. We enjoyed the movie theater which was comfortable and professional equipped. Well done to the team

First impression was wow ! The lobby is gorgeous and welcome drink is the best I’ve ever had. Check in was easy, I didn’t have to leave the couch, the check in lady came to me with an iPad and made the process very comfortable. My room was spacious , with a patio and heated pool, which was VERY much appreciated since the sea was on a colder side. I loved all the staff, especially all the ladies at check in who were fun to chat with and who recommended good restaurants. Speaking of food, the breakfast was A-MAZING with all those made from scratch pies and devine Greek yogurt and honey from Crete. Thank you Blue Palace for making my stay so enjoyable. Highly recommend this resort.

The way you are pampered makes you feel home. The kindness and professionalism of the staff is something absolutely worth. Always available and attentive. The restaurant on the seaside, Blue Door, is a place with an idyllic view, you forget you are in a hotel, you feel like being at lunch or dinner with friends. Here too, impeccable service and excellent cuisine. Breakfast is truly unique, quality and courtesy. The beach is located in the most beautiful part of the gulf, in front of Spinalonga island. We were very satisfied with the cleanliness of our room and in general. A totally relaxing holiday in a place with a unique view.

The friendliness, professionalism and efficiency of the staff is what really makes this hotel. Firstly I'd like to thank Maria and her team each morning at breakfast and also Tasos who we got to know through many of our buggy trips. There is no mention of the building work next door on the hotel website which I think is an error and a little unfair. I'd seen mention of it on previous reviews so my travel agent contacted the hotel prior to my arrival and our bungalow was the furthest away and we were not hindered by it. Down on the beach, yes you could hear it but in my opinion it wasn't bad at all. I think you have to accept this happens everywhere but if you're made aware of it before booking then you have the option to change your plans. We stayed in a deluxe seaview bungalow with heated pool. The hotel provides pictures and details of the accommodation so you are not mislead but please don't get caught up on the word "bungalow" as it's not. Our accommodation was kept immaculate throughout, the coffee and tea replenished. I think for the price you pay and the 5 star status, fresh milk should have been provided in the fridge, we bought some in the village. Breakfast was excellent. Freshly squeezed orange juice served in decent sized beautiful glasses was top notch. Excellent buffet and an menu to then order hot dishes. We made an observation about there not being any cooked meat on the menu, eg sausage or bacon, the next day, we were asked if we wanted sausages or bacon and this was the same every day throughout our stay. First class service, attention to detail, couldn't fault that, thank you. There is a problem in my opinion with the sunshades and beds (which are very comfortable I have to say). The straw shades are not big enough to cover two beds and are fixed into the ground, I presume to stop them flying away in the winds. The beds are sited on wooden platforms on the pebbly beach which are very small, basically it is impossible to move your beds around unless you lift them onto the pebbles which places you in full sun. The same goes for around the pool, the shades are fixed and small. I was disappointed that you weren't able to swim in the pool before 10am. I would have liked a swim prior to breakfast. I would also have expected courtesy water provided at the beach and pool as I've experienced in other hotels abroad. I am concerned about the new hotel being built and what effect it is going to have on on Phea Blue, especially the beach. The gym was excellent, used by us both. We ate in Plaka every evening, plenty of places to eat. The hotel is situated on a hill and depending where your accommodation is situated, there can be a lot of steps to negotiate but you can always message for a buggy to take you around the property. Thanks again to all the staff that helped to make this a great holiday.

We recently stayed at this hotel and have been a number of times before ,all of them very enjoyable, but this visit was really excellent in every way. It is in a beautiful setting with superb facilities but the new, smaller scale, style means an even more marvellous level of personal service by all of the staff. In particular we greatly enjoyed the dining experiences - very good local ingredients were beautifully prepared and served. The beach, pool, spa and gym are all first class and the rooms are excellent in every way with super views. There is some construction going on nearby but it did not impact on our enjoyment of the experience. I highly recommend the Phaea Blue under the excellent management of Mr Rocos, and we will be returning soon.

We have just returned from a stay at the Phaea Blue. Whilst it was a lovely stay in some respects, it is lacking in others and some areas need addressing to call themselves a luxury 5 star boutique hotel. Some of the staff really made our stay feel like a 5 star experience, in particular Maria, Vaso and Tassos were outstanding and we will truly miss them. Unfortunately, the construction work is intrusive, loud and constant. We were not warned about this when booking, nothing is on the hotel website, or in any email exchanges. Furthermore, nothing was said to us at check in. Had we known we would not have booked. Our room was lovely and impeccably clean, however, there was some things missing that would make it more comfortable and what we would expect for a 5 star luxury hotel. There wasn’t anywhere to do your hair. The options were either to stand in the bathroom, balancing the hair dryer/straighteners between the sinks! Or sit on the small table and prop a mirror on some books. A little more thought needs to be put into the rooms. A small table, chair and mirror with a plug close by would be easy to do. The ‘partial sea view’ was blocked by cactus. The hotcast technology was temperamental and needs updating. We could not fault the cleaning team who worked tirelessly making up the rooms twice a day. Fantastic! The private beach is lovely and well hosted by a team who work tirelessly to look after you. The facilities are extremely clean and well maintained. The only negative was that the umbrellas don’t offer enough shade. There is a well shaded area that is only available to the grand villa. More of these need to made available for other guests. We saw a couple of families struggling with toddlers and babies to find shade. The bottled water is charged for at the beach but you can bring water from the hotel for free….why isn’t this free like the rest of the hotel? The hotel pool is small, tired and dirty. Some basic maintenance/ repairs need to done: Cracked tiles need replacing. Tiles need to be cleaned (a previous reviewer has included a photo). Soft closure on one of the pool vents needs fixing. Pool water needs to have dead bugs and leaves removed. Some mornings there were dirty glasses with ants all over them. There should have been staff to clear things away and clean. There is no service around the pool,meaning you have to go into the hotel to get any drinks or food. Often we ordered drinks and when they were brought out to us other people would request drinks from the member of staff. Why not have staff host at the pool? The umbrellas don’t offer enough shade and the seating areas around the pool don’t have any shade at all. Several couples came to the pool saw there wasn’t any shade, made a comment and left! The 2 hotel restaurants serve similar menus and are adequate but very expensive. The restaurants in the local town offer better food and hospitality at a fraction of the price. The concierge team were excellent. They

We had a wonderful at Phaea blue. The staff was friendly and helpful, the room was clean with stunning sea views, and the atmosphere was peaceful and relaxing. Brekfast at anthos restaurant was amazing with great selection. We loved this place we will come back next year 100%.

Excellent Stay ! I had a wonderful experience at this hotel. The food and the staff were incredibly welcoming and attentive. The room was very comfortable and the location was perfect for family vacations. We had one of the best experiences in anthos restaurant the food and the staff were amazing. I would definitely stay here again and recommend it to anyone visiting the area.