Elounda Residence Resort & Waterpark

Beautiful setting, friendly staff, fresh food and a great family holiday: two caveats- 1) this is perfect is you have a young family and 2) much of the entertainment is geared towards French tourists; all were welcoming but French was consistently the main language and focus. That said, you cannot fault the location and true Hellenic welcome from the hotel staff.

This place was a huge disappointment. The rooms are modern but tiny for a family of four and the beds were uncomfortably hard. Pools are so salty our kids wouldn’t go in after the second day and the water slides are only really suitable for very small children. The food was poor – nothing to suit Irish or UK tastes – and the dining areas were swarming with flies. We didn’t have these issue at any of the local restaurants. In the end we ate most breakfasts and dinners in the village, which makes a joke of paying for ‘all-inclusive’ . Entertainment is entirely in French, so if you’re not French-speaking you and your kids will be left out. The play area is falling apart and in need of serious maintenance (see photos). We were not given, nor could be find, information about the hotel/resort layout, in-resort restaurants, or shuttle bus, which made finding our way around unnecessarily difficult during the first week of our stay. We also saw unsupervised kids using the gym, which has equipment badly in need of repair. To top it off, we asked about a late check-out or even just somewhere to shower/change before leaving and were told nothing was available – only to overhear a French couple being offered storage and showering facilities freely. One of the few positives were the excellent cleaners, who were always friendly and did a fantastic job, and the helpful lady in the mini-mart. We would highly recommend any of the restaurants in the village where you’ll find good food options with friendly and welcoming staff - the exact opposite to our experience of the hotel. For what it costs, this place is nowhere near good enough. Spend your money elsewhere!

Extremely Disappointed – Not Worth the Money We recently stayed at Elounda Residence Waterpark Hotel in a private villa with a pool, and I can honestly say it was one of the most disappointing holidays we’ve had — especially considering the amount of money we spent (thousands). From the beginning, the experience was poor. After checking in, we were told to wait for someone to take us to our villa. When the staff member arrived, he clearly wasn’t happy to help. He dropped us off without offering any assistance with our bags to the villa — only helped get them onto the golf buggy. Not what you expect from a supposedly high-end resort. The villa was a huge letdown. It looked nothing like the advertised photos. Outdated interior, a plug hanging off the wall, and an overall tired feel. The only modern part was the bathroom. We were given pots and pans for cooking — but no cooker or facilities to actually use them, which made no sense. Our private pool got dirty quickly due to the wind. While the pool cleaner did an excellent job, you have to request cleaning yourself, which should be automatic — especially for a premium-priced private pool. The housekeepers, however, were brilliant. They kept the villa clean and did a great job throughout our stay. One of the few positives. The views are absolutely breathtaking — the location offers stunning scenery over Elounda and the bay. It’s just a shame the service and facilities didn’t live up to the surroundings. The entertainment was not in English at all — everything catered mainly to French guests. If you speak English, you’ll feel completely left out. We spoke to several other guests who felt the same way and said they wouldn’t return. The hotel advertises a 24-hour lift service around the resort, which is built on a very steep hill. In reality, there was one man and he was extremely bad-tempered — made us feel like a burden every time we asked for help. Most other drivers were friendly, but he really let the experience down. On our last day, it got even worse. We woke up at 8am to find our electricity had been cut off. When we phoned reception, we were told “you’re leaving anyway,” so that’s what happens. Absolutely unacceptable when check-out is at 11am. We couldn’t shower (the bathroom has only a small window, so it was pitch black), and we couldn’t charge our phones before travelling. They also offer a “lift” into Elounda town, but you’re only dropped part of the way and left to walk 5–10 minutes downhill to the centre — not made clear anywhere. Everyone we were with was shocked, especially a pregnant woman who struggled to manage the steep walk. Taxis are recommended but cost €8 each way — not ideal if you were expecting full transport from the hotel. Lastly, if you’re a young couple or looking for entertainment, there’s not much to do in the area. The resort is quiet, and there’s very little nightlife or external activities nearby. Overall, this hotel did not live up to expectations. While