Isla Brown Chania Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton

Relaxing Environment: Guests enjoyed being away from the crowds, making the hotel an ideal spot for relaxation while still being within driving distance of Chania.

Beautiful First Impression – Unfortunately, Very Disappointing Stay At first, the hotel made a wonderful impression. Unfortunately, over time we became increasingly disappointed and frustrated with our stay. For me and my family, this is definitely not a five-star experience. We were told we received a complimentary upgrade, yet our original booking already included two rooms with sea view. In our room, the balcony glass was broken, the balcony door could not be closed properly, and we were even told we would be charged €200 for a damaged sink. Only after complaining and showing a photo we had taken at check-in was this amount removed from our bill after speaking with the manager. I’ve never experienced anything like that before – and I travel frequently, often staying at Hilton properties – but this will certainly be my last time here. As a Hilton Gold Member, I usually receive consistent F&B discounts at every Hilton hotel. Here, however, they seemed to be applied randomly – one staff member gave me 50%, another only 10%, and at the bar I was told no discount would be given because “Hilton Gold isn’t anything special.” On the first day, we also had to complain about expired coffee creamer in our room. The receptionist tried to convince us that it was the production date, which was clearly not true. We never received a replacement for it during our entire stay. In most areas, guests don’t really feel welcome. Many employees seem more focused on their phones than on the guests, which is not what you expect from a property of this category. Additionally, there’s a very pushy sales approach. Access to the spa (even the sauna) apparently costs extra, which no one mentioned beforehand. Massages are overpriced and were constantly being pushed on us with so-called “special offers.” Overall, we were extremely disappointed. In other hotels, I would have at least expected an apology for such a series of issues.

The resort - previously branded as part of the Mr & Mrs Smith boutique chain prior to that brand’s acquisition by Hyatt - is set on a spectacular and dramatic, north-west facing rocky outcrop, a mile or so’s drive from the famed Stavros beach (immortalised in the film ‘Zorba the Greek’) a lovely soft -sand lagoon, framed with a few Cretan tavernas. The resort is more extensive than one might first think, occupying a significant footprint. Our quiet, Seaview King room had magnificent views, a very comfortable bed with fine linens, a large private terrace. Plenty of large, salt water swimming pools, more than ample poolside recliners and loungers. The pools were never crowded. No need to get up at five in the morning to unroll your proprietary towels. A huge first floor bar terrace alongside and above the pools as well as a pool bar. A gym, well- equipped, and little used. ‘Mr & Mrs Smith’, or possibly the owner prior to that, was clearly enamoured with gold. There is a LOT of gold (cutlery, taps, room fittings, colour accents….). The foyer was suffused with a ‘signature fragrance’. The breakfast buffet was extensive, with a large variety of fruit, breads, freshly-cooked eggs to order. Decent coffee from one of the machines ( bean to cup). The other machines being those branded coffee machines that whip up instant coffee into all manner of ‘milky’ frothings. Plenty of cheerful serving staff, plenty of tables. There was an outside dining terrace, but that revealed itself rapidly as wasp hell, and we retreated indoors! Dinner was less good. No menu choices, only the set buffet, which had predictable, mass catering-quality offerings, and would not reward more than one visit. (Half or full board, we thought, would disappoint.) The catering team had gone to great lengths in presentation, but the restaurant had no atmosphere, few staff circulating. It felt like a fuelling stop, a canteen experience. No one provided any drinks/ wine list, no sense of experience, which given the well-proportioned space was a wasted opportunity. A great welcome from the reception staff when we checked - in, and the oft- praised Mary, who provided lots of useful dining options easily accessible by car. It was striking that the resort ( at least at this time of year) attracted mostly a tight demographic of mid-market Gen Ys and older Gen Zs. Fit bearded men, and women with carefully- managed BMIs. Mostly couples, a few with infants. Diverse nationalities: from Europe (German , French, Brits, Irish), Australia & North America. Luckily, the bars appeared well-stocked with Aperol Spritzers and Prosecco.