Giannoulis – Santa Marina Beach Hotel

The accommodation impresses with diverse breakfast options and friendly staff. It offers excellent pool and beach facilities and a prime beachfront location. Guests appreciate the clean, comfortable rooms with nice balcony views.

We sent this review to Jet2 Customer Service on Sunday 6thg October 2024 for their comments, prior to publishing it in its entirety on Tripadvisor. I finally had a phone call from them this morning (Friday 22nd November 2024). They did not seem to be very interested in the claims below: We have booked and travelled with Jet2 many times over the past few years and have always found the arrangements impeccable. This time, although the flights and Representatives were of their usual fantastic standard, we must say the Transfers and the Hotel were not. The Transfers The transfer was by coach and was very full. The coach stopped on the main road for us to get off. This was not so bad, but on the return journey, we had to wait 40 minutes on the far side of the same busy road, with no shade or seating, for the transfer to arrive. Taking our cases across the road was very difficult. There was absolutely no need for this as the Hotel has a large area outside Reception and massive in and out gates. The coach could have easily parked in front of reception on both journeys and we could have waited in the cool of the hotel, rather than baking in the noon sun for an incredibly long length of time. The Hotel We always stay in 4 or 5 star hotels when travelling with Jet2, and they have always lived up to our expectation, until now! When we arrived, we were about 40 minutes late, (nearly midnight). There were 2 more couples with us from the Transfer. We were told that there was a “plumbing issue” between our our booked room and the room next door to be used by one of the other couples. Therefore we would have to be moved across the road from our previously booked Sea View room on the coast side of the road. The room we were given for the night was on the far side of the road, up a large slope and then stairs. I need to use a stick after 3 lower body joint replacements. I booked the coast side of the resort as the brochure said it was flat, and from reading various reviews of the hotel, the land side is very steep with loads of stairs. I was not happy with this situation. The next day we were given our room, funnily enough, AFTER check out time, Room 101. The other couple were given room 300 and something. Obviously, there was no plumbing problem between the rooms. A few days later I was talking to a lady at the bar who had been moved to another hotel for 2 nights because of a “Plumbing problem” with her allocated room. This started me thinking and I looked back through the Tripadvisor 2 star and below reviews. The incidence of people not being allocated their room, especially when they were last to check in on various days, with the excuse of “plumbing problems” or “technical issues” was huge. This can only make me speculate that the Hotel regularly overbooks. We do not expect this from a Jet2 endorsed Hotel. I will now list other problems with the hotel: It is supposed to be “All Inclusive”. Their “All Inclusive” is lacking as no

Room - beachfront - absolutely worth paying extra for this, beach is lovely and kept clean. Water clean, warm and can walk in approx 100ft into the sea and still touch sea floor. Perfect environment for families with young children. All staff were impeccably polite , attentive and aimed to please, from hotel reception, bar staff, housekeeping, restaurant staff Food in restaurant was excellent- superb range of foods on buffet, delicious desserts, always topping up fresh watermelon, honey due melon, pineapple, oranges, apples, peaches, bananas in abundance Food was very tasty , great selection of breads, cheeses. Entertainment was available on some of the nights , violin player, singer, saxophone player all were great Lovely range of shops within walking distance , and bus and taxi straight into Chania old town. Had a very relaxing time and will go back again!