Iberostar Creta Panorama & Mare

Travel Date: September 30, 2023

We stayed here for 9 days and overall it was amazing! The hotel is very big with lots of pools dotted around so you never have to worry about sunbeds and shade - there will always be somewhere for you. We quite enjoyed the grassy area in front of the...

We stayed here for 9 days and overall it was amazing! The hotel is very big with lots of pools dotted around so you never have to worry about sunbeds and shade - there will always be somewhere for you. We quite enjoyed the grassy area in front of the main restaurant's outdoor/patio area as it was peaceful and quiet (if you want to be away from the main pool's music/activities) but still close to all the pools, bars and snack cafe. Rooms were spacious and clean, a little dated but that didn't bother us.

Travel Date: October 31, 2024

I can’t write about this hotel enough. It was the best experience of my life. We got a great deal and upgrade on our room. The entertainment, restaurant and bar staff were incredible, friendly and really made our trip. The food was incredible, there was always somewhere to eat. As...

I can’t write about this hotel enough. It was the best experience of my life. We got a great deal and upgrade on our room. The entertainment, restaurant and bar staff were incredible, friendly and really made our trip. The food was incredible, there was always somewhere to eat. As well as the drinks, I love the pool bars. The grounds were amazing as well as the coves. We got to see so many fish whilst snorkelling. The reception staff were helpful when we visited the local market although sometimes hard to communicate with depending who it was.

Travel Date: October 31, 2024

We went from the 5th until the 15th of October 2024, which turned out to be ideal because on the 14th October, the Hotel was inundated with children, mainly from Germany. (I presume it must be their half-term week!) Most of the people staying at the Hotel were from Germany....

We went from the 5th until the 15th of October 2024, which turned out to be ideal because on the 14th October, the Hotel was inundated with children, mainly from Germany. (I presume it must be their half-term week!) Most of the people staying at the Hotel were from Germany. The weather was superb, never below 28 degrees. We landed at Chania airport and the transfer took around two and half hours, a lot of drop-offs. We were the last ones on the coach to be dropped off, arriving at the Hotel around 8.30 pm. The Hotel Staff were very helpful, and a meal was available. We had a sea -front chalet and it was very nice indeed with everything you would wish for. The Hotel is a large complex and has several swimming pools, we only used the main one and the screaming aqua-aerobics instructor apart, was very well laid out with a large pool bar at one end. The Staff were extremely helpful, from the maid who cleaned our room to the Restaurant Staff, they all should be recommended. The food in the main dining room was very tasteful and a huge choice was available. If you are not full board the main Restaurant, as well as the smaller one, must be pre- booked via an ap. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, but we did have some small gripes! The main bar had a very limited supply of choice when it came to beer/lager, which I suppose is to be expected but I would have thought bottle beers could have been available. The prices of drinks were very reasonable. The TV in the room had a small selection of English-speaking stations, others were German, French and Greek (Surprisingly!). Our main moan concerned the trips organised through the Hotel. There is a small train (Bus actually) that does trips to various places. We were not told a ticket must be reserved from the Hotel reception the day before the trip, hence when we tried to book on the day we could not go. We did go another coach trip to Chania, this must be booked again through the Hotel reception. Close to the Hotel is a bus stop that takes you into Rethymno, worth a visit if you can. It takes about 20 minutes and drops you in the centre. Although its nothing to do with the Hotel, apart from you have to buy the ticket to use the bus from the small shop on the Hotel complex. You cannot pay directly to the bus driver. What they do not tell you when you purchase the ticket is the return bus stop for the Hotel is a 20-minute walk away. The driver just stops the bus and tells you get off. So, imagine the scene we and a young German couple along with their 2-year-old child found ourselves. Its pitch black, you have no idea where you are. You must go under the bypass via a tunnel to get to the other side of the road, then walk down a poorly lit track with cars flying past you to the Hotel! I might suggest this might be mentioned when the ticket is purchased. All in all, the Hotel was very pleasant, and I would recommend it. Just don’t use the bus!!

Travel Date: October 31, 2024

Absolutely amazing hotel! Animation team AMAZING! Alex and Tony doing great job, just like the rest of the team. Marina from housekeeping keeps our room nice and tidy. Food was delicious. And the view 😍 we had lovely time, swimming in the sea or in pool. Best place to stay...

Absolutely amazing hotel! Animation team AMAZING! Alex and Tony doing great job, just like the rest of the team. Marina from housekeeping keeps our room nice and tidy. Food was delicious. And the view 😍 we had lovely time, swimming in the sea or in pool. Best place to stay and relax 😌 11 out of 10! Only one member of staff was a bit rude (barman with mustache in lobby bar, we tried to avoid him as much as we can).

Travel Date: September 30, 2024

This hotel has an absolutely wonderful staff team from the humblest new member of staff up to and including the hotel manager and in fact they simply are one team with the ethos of being helpful, friendly, welcoming and determined to ensure every customer has an excellent holiday experience. We...

This hotel has an absolutely wonderful staff team from the humblest new member of staff up to and including the hotel manager and in fact they simply are one team with the ethos of being helpful, friendly, welcoming and determined to ensure every customer has an excellent holiday experience. We have just completed our 14th visit and as a traveller with a disability and mobility issues I can only say that the staff showed great consideration and empathy in ensuring these issues were secondary to having a great holiday, for which I thank them. Our accommodation was lovely, clean and comfortable, well-maintained and with great views, which most rooms have. Food was very good with plenty of choice at breakfast and dinner and lunches were more than adequate whether in the main dining room, the main pool cafe/bar or even the snacks at the seafront Star Cafe, and all served with a smile, even if they are self service. All inclusive customers could also book Zorbas restaurant once per week and/or the barbeque at Lavri's on the same basis both of which are well worth a visit. During the day there are a number of mainly salt water pools to choose from, with a variety of activities around the main pool provided by a tireless Animation Team. There are plenty of sunbeds, now with 'reservation restrictions' around the pools plus many more around the site so you will always find one , if not quite where you want it. Each pool has a nearby cafe for soft drinks and limited alcohol during the day plus there are two artificial bays where there is safe swimming and sunbeds and beach space. One such bay is below the Star Cafe with its snacks, beverages and limited alcoholic drinks. The main bar is by the Lobby, with its external balcony seating, internalseating and experienced bar staff and waiter service. It serves a wide range of local alcoholic drinks as well as somepremium ones and beverages if required. There is entertainment most evenings either on the balcony area or indoors if necessary and is usually very good. The nearby Calypso Bar stays open for a further hour until 01.00 and provides beers and cocktails as well as music and a dance floor and like the main bar is staffed by fabulous and experienced staff who add to your enjoyment. The grounds are colourful, floral and well maintained throughout the year adding to the beauty of the place. On most evenings there is entertainment in the main outdoor theatre from either a professional act or more commonly from an Animation Team of great energy who may not be professional dancers or entertainers,butyou wouldnot notice at times as they put in so much effort to get it right. Overall you can expect a lot here and you will not be disappointed providing you make use of every opportunity and see everything in an open and holistic way.

Travel Date: September 30, 2024

Just returned from a wonderful 10-day break at Iberostar Creta Panorama our stay was mainly very good and we would definitely return. This is a top quality sprawling complex set in well established grounds (as its 27 years old), we stayed in the main building room 1340 which had wonderful...

Just returned from a wonderful 10-day break at Iberostar Creta Panorama our stay was mainly very good and we would definitely return. This is a top quality sprawling complex set in well established grounds (as its 27 years old), we stayed in the main building room 1340 which had wonderful pool and sea views and huge walk-in shower. The complex had loads of pools and bars, and 3 private beach/harbour bays, so whilst the complex itself is somewhat isolated, you are never short of somewhere to go for a walk, and some new surroundings. We gravitated to the main pool because it had good music and many of the Animation activities (which we were keen observers of) “Super Alex” and the team were always happy and chatty, even with us who didn’t participate we had a real laugh with these guys and felt included. The main pool is also home to Zorba’s Taverna which was the biggest of the pool bars, Maria and the team were great often dancing with the wife 1st thing in a morning while making us great coffee. Zorba’s opens at 10am for drinks then 10:30am for late breakfast if you miss the main restaurant and then also serves lunch from 1pm with authentic Gyros available. The main restaurant was excellent, and I would challenge anyone (typical human omnivore) to not find something wonderful to eat. We did try the two alternative restaurant offers which were Zorba’s Taverna and the BBQ Restaurant which were nice but clearly lacked the range of choice that the main restaurant could offer. The main restaurant also offered a late-night snack bar until midnight. There was a lot of entertainment available with big shows in the openair Delphi amphitheatre and smaller acts and DJ’s in the lobby bar, we preferred the Lobby Bar because Yanis, Jessica and the team were the top. Branded spirits when you asked for them, some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had, I now love a “Strawberry Mojito”, and the odd Aperol Spritz, and we have never had as many shots and “Baby Guinness” in our lives. We even did a few late nights in the Calypso Music Bar which was a real old-school med holiday disco. This is a very good complex, and the staff made it even better, some of them like Yanis have been there 27 years which shows staff loyalty counts. I have very few recommendations for the hotel team which could improve things: • Open the Lobby Bar earlier, about 12 noon would be good. • Hoover/suction clean the pools – whilst they were clean there was lots of sand and debris on the pool bottoms. A trip on the “Little Train” is a must, we went to the nearest local harbour town of Panormos, a 5Euro each return ticket for this hourly service to the hotel door is well worth it, as I have said the complex is very isolated. The only negative parts of this holiday were well and truly TUI issues, like the 2hour and 50minute, 10 stop Airport Transfer from Chania which left me feeling very unwell after 15 hours of travelling from home to Manchester and on to Crete. This was topped off by being told to “turn right out of the door at Chania Airport and walk to the coach park at the end of the building” which was ½ a mile with 2 cases and 2 hand luggage bags. A swift complaint at resort to TUI got us a £50 TUI voucher, however we did then decide to book a taxi for the return to the Airport which the hotel arranged for 115Euros (25Euro cheaper than TUI could offer). However TUI did fail again by letting us book a 140Euro trip to the Palace of Knossos and Heraklion which entailed another 8 stop 2 hour each way coach trip and a long walk around a massive packed historical sight with very uneven ground and many, many steps; followed by a couple of hours free time in Heraklion which was very nice but we were too tired to do anything but hit a Taverna for some R’n’R. My advice is definitely visit this hotel but try to get a Heraklion flight and taxi transfer, don’t skimp on what will be a top notch experience.

Travel Date: September 30, 2024

First impressions of the hotel were very good. The main building is impressive and the grounds are very well kept. Standing on a cliff overlooking the sea to the west, you are treated to some great sunsets and we were very fortunate to be given a sea-view bungalow with a...

First impressions of the hotel were very good. The main building is impressive and the grounds are very well kept. Standing on a cliff overlooking the sea to the west, you are treated to some great sunsets and we were very fortunate to be given a sea-view bungalow with a superb view and lovely terrace from which to enjoy it. Good Points: 1. Evening buffet in the main restaurant, superb food every night. 2. Main bar, really good standard of drinks and cocktails. 3. Lavri’s (barbecue) restaurant. Great views and atmosphere. Loads of great Meat and fresh fish to choose from. 4. Six pools, all with different vibes as well as two beach areas with safe swimming areas. So whether you want chill-out or noise and games, you’ll be satisfied. And this hotel covers a large area, all with lovely gardens, so you can always find peace and quiet if that’s what you want. 5. The views are to die for. Much better than the 5-star sister hotel (Iberostar Creta Marine) next door. 6. The staff here are all (with very few exceptions) very friendly, courteous and helpful. 7. Despite some of the rooms being a bit dated, the standard of cleanliness is superb in all areas. Not-So-Good Points: 1. I’ve been told the rooms are all going to be refurbished and believe some already have, but our one, although it was lovely and in a great position, was a bit tired, especially the bathroom which was on its last legs, I’d say. 2. The standard of drinks (especially cocktails) in some of the bars is very low-budget. The main bar is great, but the others really do lack quality and choice. 3. The main restaurant buffet breakfast is not up to standard. Compared to the evening buffet it’s in a different world, which is a shame. The coffee machines use instant coffee, not fresh beans. So if you want fresh coffee, you have to wait until after 10.30am to get it from the third restaurant (Zorbas) which offers a late breakfast service. When I spoke to a staff member about this she was unaware you could get whole bean self-service coffee machines! If Wetherspoons can do it, I’m sure the Iberostar hotel group can! 4. As this hotel is so large, and is in a fairly isolated area, the car park really isn’t big enough. 5. Gardeners carrying out tree pruning and landscaping while we were there were quite noisy at times, using chain saws and whatnot, which I think could have been avoided. All in all, though, we really enjoyed our trip which was to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We will definitely be back. Hopefully by then, the refurb will have been completed.

Travel Date: September 30, 2024

What a beautiful hotel. We stayed in a double room overlooking the sea and it was lovely. The cleanliness is absolutely spot on. However, I think the rooms do need little refurbishment . All areas of the hotel are beautiful, especially the gardens, and very well maintained. A special shout...

What a beautiful hotel. We stayed in a double room overlooking the sea and it was lovely. The cleanliness is absolutely spot on. However, I think the rooms do need little refurbishment . All areas of the hotel are beautiful, especially the gardens, and very well maintained. A special shout out to Maria at the pool bar. She is a real asset and so happy and friendly towards everyone. She's a beautiful lady! The entertainment team is the best I've ever seen. Full of energy and always a happy smile on their faces. Especially enjoyed "The legend's night " Great fun. The food was good, but we felt like the main restaurant was very dated and was like a canteen also very loud and not enough outdoor dining space. The bbq evening was amazing and felt special . The food was cooked to perfection. The beach cafe is amazing and perfect for" lunch with a veiw" the two ladies who work there deserve a massive mention. The food was cooked perfect and so fresh. A great asset to the hotel. A special thank you to every member of staff who could not do enough for you!! Everyone had a smile and made the holiday perfect. Our only little moan was the red wine🤮 for a 4* hotel it was absolutely undrinkable!! We ended up having to buy 2 bottles costing over 40 euros, which is not what you expect when all-inclusive !! 100% we're going to return to your beautiful hotel. Thank you for a great holiday!!

Travel Date: September 30, 2024

This is our second visit to this hotel and we had a lovely time. Only 1 criticism from our visit this time, the bathroom in our room was in serious need of a bit of tlc. We had an old fashion shower curtain around a shower base and every time...

This is our second visit to this hotel and we had a lovely time. Only 1 criticism from our visit this time, the bathroom in our room was in serious need of a bit of tlc. We had an old fashion shower curtain around a shower base and every time we took a shower the curtain attached itself to you and the only way to stop it doing that was to let it hang outside the tray = water all over the floor! Not a pleasant 4/5 star expectation! We were in a priority sea view room the bathroom wasn't!!