Domes Zeen Chania, A Luxury Collection Resort, Crete

I have little to add to all the positives other reviewers mentioned: I actually like the very modern design and decor of the resort, the food is great, and the service mostly good. Like others have pointed out, this is a resort which attracts a lot of families with small...

I have little to add to all the positives other reviewers mentioned: I actually like the very modern design and decor of the resort, the food is great, and the service mostly good. Like others have pointed out, this is a resort which attracts a lot of families with small children, so you really shouldn't mind that. There're some activities, but because we visited right at the end of the season, we couldn't really test those. I can also imagine that I don't want to visit when it's fully booked, because I can't imagine it be very comfortable. (The breakfast area was buzzing as it was, and I could hear the telly and child of the neighbouring villa extremely well, wich surprised me.) The mid: some communication with the staff was a bit weird, but that's maybe a cultural, 'lost in translation' kinda thing? On our last evening, a staffer came to our dinner table and quizzed us about our stay. When we gave the stay an 8 out of 10, she looked shocked and told us that's supposed to be very bad for a Marriot? So we shrugged (wanting to get on with dinner) and gave it a 10... The bad: these are the reasons why I won't return to Domes Zeen. In the whole resort, all the greenery is tropical plants, which require a lot of water, different to native plants. On an island that regularly (heck, our taxi driver from the airport to the hotel mentioned it during the first five minutes) suffers from devestating droughts, I find that weird, to put it mildly. On top of that, pools are filled with fresh water instead of sea water. I've stayed in resorts in Greece having their own desalination plants and would've liked to see that here. A luxury collection resort should also emplay top notch technology. (Related to that: the millions of 300ml water bottles handed out to guests. Do we have to do that?!) The last point are the numerous cats on the property. I love cats, and there's no doubt some of the staff care for them. Still, here the resort as the chance to do something for the whole community and implement a proper spay and neuter programme. Cats can multiply very, very quickly (getting pregnant twice a year and having those kittens having kittens themselves 9months later - colonies can grow exponentially). Not only are they a threat for the local wildlife like birds, diseases can spread quickly. Also, spaying and neutering makes the cats much more pleasant to be around - no unwanted spraying, aggressive behaviour etc. A TNR programme could truly benefit the community and also alleviate suffering. The cats were a big hit with a lot of the children when we were there, but also used to beg a lot during mealtimes. Managing the colony would have a lot of benefits.

This is a beautiful hotel however we felt it lacked atmosphere and felt cold. The rooms felt dark. The breakfast buffet and the dinner we had were great, plenty of choice for everyone. One thing I must mention, when we stayed 20/9/24 there were a lot of young families holidaying,...

This is a beautiful hotel however we felt it lacked atmosphere and felt cold. The rooms felt dark. The breakfast buffet and the dinner we had were great, plenty of choice for everyone. One thing I must mention, when we stayed 20/9/24 there were a lot of young families holidaying, mainly under 5’s so just be aware of this if you are expecting more of chilled quiet pool vibe. It’s a 10 euro taxi ride into Chania which is absolutely beautiful.

This is a fantastic property. Everything about the place is exceptional. The landscaping, the room design, the common areas like the swimming pool and the restaurants, the beach area ….it’s all at the highest level. I can’t imagine how anyone could visit the Domes and not come away having had...

This is a fantastic property. Everything about the place is exceptional. The landscaping, the room design, the common areas like the swimming pool and the restaurants, the beach area ….it’s all at the highest level. I can’t imagine how anyone could visit the Domes and not come away having had a special experience. I am not one to comment on staff performance since people are people and sometimes we have bad days, other times good, etc., but the staff at the Domes is off the charts. Everyone is friendly and helpful and they truly go out of their way to make sure you are enjoying yourself. In sum, I’m sure there are other hotels on Crete that are also excellent but I cannot imagine that there are any that can beat these guys. Thank you for everything Domes Zeen!

The hotel itself is beautiful and the grounds are well maintained. The staff are all friendly and are very accommodating. We were frequently messaged during the stay to make sure everything was ok. Cleaning staff were superb and couldn’t do enough. The room was large and had everything you would...

The hotel itself is beautiful and the grounds are well maintained. The staff are all friendly and are very accommodating. We were frequently messaged during the stay to make sure everything was ok. Cleaning staff were superb and couldn’t do enough. The room was large and had everything you would need for your stay, some nice little touches and towels aplenty. Terrace was large with a sofa and pool. Haute living club was worth visiting with some tremendous food and a great place to relax outside with sea views and a glass of wine. The pool is large with comfortable sun loungers and towels available. There was never a problem in finding a sun lounger. Food at breakfast and dinner was good with lots of choice and plenty of variety. Only thing I would say as a downside was that the lunch service was chaotic. Twice given the wrong bill in the first two days, drinks sent back and service painfully slow at lunch. In fairness to the hotel they did compensate this with a free meal and drinks. Guest service was generally very good.

A truly wonderful stay at the beautiful Domes Zenne in chania. Don’t be deceived by the narrow street that takes you to the property. Once you arrive, you are enthralled by the views & the thoughtful layout of the bungalows. Rooms are beautiful- simplicity & art combined. We had a...

A truly wonderful stay at the beautiful Domes Zenne in chania. Don’t be deceived by the narrow street that takes you to the property. Once you arrive, you are enthralled by the views & the thoughtful layout of the bungalows. Rooms are beautiful- simplicity & art combined. We had a small patio and plunge pool. Beds are very comfortable & selection of pillows. Large, modern bathroom & wonderful storage space. The property has a large pool & deck area or you can chose the beach. Best of all is the staff. Every staff member goes out of their way for guests. This is among the best staff service we have experienced in a hotel. It made our stay at this lovely property even better. We will be back soon

From the moment we arrived, we felt the relaxing vibe of Domes Zeen. The service is outstanding- attentive, respectful and kind. This is our third year visiting (last year we came with another couple that loved it as well) and every year I feel it gets better and better! The...

From the moment we arrived, we felt the relaxing vibe of Domes Zeen. The service is outstanding- attentive, respectful and kind. This is our third year visiting (last year we came with another couple that loved it as well) and every year I feel it gets better and better! The lush plants have grown in so the dining and pool area have a more private feel. The a la carte breakfast at the Enino was delicious and the Galina pop up a fun surprise! First time I used the spa and was extremely pleased with the relaxing mani-pedi. Book before you arrive to secure a spot that works for your vacation schedule. Come for the natural beauty of Chania and enjoy the bliss that Domes Zeen offers - swim in the large hotel pool (get a room with a plunge pool and enjoy your own private pool time with morning / afternoon coffee/drinks) and delightful hotel dinner dining complimented by excellent bar drinks and snacks. I am looking forward to my next stay!

If you’re looking for the best hotel, look no further because this hotel is spectacular. We spent part of our Cretan holiday here and it was just fabulous. The staff is always there, looking after you. They are very attentive, at breakfast and overall in the entire complex, always eager...

If you’re looking for the best hotel, look no further because this hotel is spectacular. We spent part of our Cretan holiday here and it was just fabulous. The staff is always there, looking after you. They are very attentive, at breakfast and overall in the entire complex, always eager to assist. Nothing is ever too much bother. We had an unfortunate failure of technology in the first night and the next day the manager immediately upgraded us to a Sapphire suite with a pool and that was above any expectations we had. The breakfast is delicious with plenty of choice. There is another option which is a la carte , but we never tried that because the buffet just had everything you want and more. We love Greece and travelling in style, but we have to admit that this is probably one of if not the best hotels we’ve ever stayed at.

- checked in to a tropical room with shared pool - could hear every sound in the room next door including footsteps and the wake up alarm going off next door. Had to move rooms which was accommodated but I wouldn’t expect to hear noises from adjacent rooms even in...

- checked in to a tropical room with shared pool - could hear every sound in the room next door including footsteps and the wake up alarm going off next door. Had to move rooms which was accommodated but I wouldn’t expect to hear noises from adjacent rooms even in a 3 star therefore clearly a building quality issue in these specific rooms. New room with private pool was fine - staff are overall very friendly and aim to please - but they are overall short staffed and need more buggies. Often waiting over 15 mins for a buggy which would otherwise be an unbearable walk uphill to reception - not walking distance to Chania - needs a taxi which is ok at 10eur but the hotel should be not be charging the same for a shared shuttle with these room rates - family orientated rather than couples resort - website suggests at least some of the resort is couples focussed. The adults only restaurant also allows kids ! -There are hotel cats roaming around the communal areas which is ok but they should warn guests who may not be comfortable or be allergic. The cats were drinking water out of the pool in the night! There was also a stray dog on the beach on the hotel sunbeds which the hotel staff didn’t seem bothered about but was not comfortable to be around -very disappointing spa for a hotel of this size and standard. Only three treatment rooms. No indoor pool or similar facilities -outdoor gym is a nice novelty but makes it practically difficult to use in the heat. Would be nice to also have an indoor gym option

Good location close to Chania. Nice hotel with staff who are trying very hard to please. Main things to note:- Lovely private plunge pools. This really is a discreet small boutique hotel in many ways and I am sure a lot of people will like this hotel design. We spent...

Good location close to Chania. Nice hotel with staff who are trying very hard to please. Main things to note:- Lovely private plunge pools. This really is a discreet small boutique hotel in many ways and I am sure a lot of people will like this hotel design. We spent all our time at our own pool as both of us were unfortunately not well for a good amount of our holiday, so it suited us anyway. I do wonder if others would miss the lack of 'buzz' in the hotel as it is very sedate. That said Chania is fabulous for restaurants and bars and all that is on your doorstep. The staff were super enthusiastic. We had a bit of a hiccup on the first day and they dealt with it very well / if anything almost going too much above and beyond. The staff are clearly on a mission to please and again a lot of people will love this - perhaps dial it down sometimes as being asked at breakfast to survey the hotel and being disappointed at an 8/10 by the staff member who really didn't have the emotional IQ to pick up on the fact that we really did not want to take part in incessant questions on the hotel performance at breakfast whilst unwell was an example of how sometimes discreetness of service is as much a skill. Areas that can be improved:- Walking distance into the town circa 30mins. First part of the walk is a beach path. Not sure why the hotel has not worked with local authorities to have it lit up as you can't do this walk at night as it is pitch black. Entrance to the hotel is bizarre - it really is like you are having to go down an abandoned lane to get to the hotel with no investment at all in parking - you are literally parking your car on wasteland. It feels bizarre that Mariott haven't spent money doing this up as first impression of the hotel on arrival is not a good one. As others have mentioned - more signage needed to get around the hotel - it is not clear when trying to get from the top to the bottom of the hotel. In summary a nice hotel with the team at the hotel trying really hard. I would probably describe it as an amazing 4 star hotel and an ok 5 star hotel when I compare it with other places we have stayed across the world. Perhaps that is to do with the price point which is comparable to what we paid for a stay in Raffles in Singapore last year which is on another level altogether.

What a wonderful Experience . We came here for 3 days , after a wedding and added 4 more ! Ebullient young Staff , anticipating our every need , added to the exceptional resources at our Command . The pool and Beach were wonderful ,with well maintained chairs , umbrellas...

What a wonderful Experience . We came here for 3 days , after a wedding and added 4 more ! Ebullient young Staff , anticipating our every need , added to the exceptional resources at our Command . The pool and Beach were wonderful ,with well maintained chairs , umbrellas and plentiful Towels . Although the Hotel was full, it was never crowded wherever we were , as there was a mix of Beach and Pool goers so finding an umbrella and chairs was never a problem! We were on a half board status and the dining was superb . A daily changing gourmet dinner menu , and attentive staff made the 5 Meals we had there great ! The breakfast full of all types of fresh fruit , locally sourced was nutrient laden and surprising as to the variety of items . Now the Haute Lounge by reception was a nice break to grab a bite of cheese , Glass of wine and the wonderful tiny black Olives with a view of the Sea was an added treat . Sofia the Guest Relations Manager thrilled my wife with a change of Rooms the second day , because our first Room had no sea view . She moved us to a Suite where the Sea was visible from our Bedroom . I would not venture to name all the other superb Staff here by name because there is not enough space to do so ! Actually we felt so ZEN while we were there , that I never felt the need to even look at the Gym. Now that is relaxed. Can’t wait to go back