Giannoulis – Santa Marina Beach

“A good hotel and enjoyable stay, but frustrating overbooking of rooms”

Given the number of reviews on Trip Advisor from people who have arrived at the Santa Marina Plaza and been temporarily put into another hotel, we weren’t surprised to find that they didn’t have a room available for us. We were taken by hotel car to the Santa Marina Beach Hotel for a two-night sta… more

Given the number of reviews on Trip Advisor from people who have arrived at the Santa Marina Plaza and been temporarily put into another hotel, we weren’t surprised to find that they didn’t have a room available for us. We were taken by hotel car to the Santa Marina Beach Hotel for a two-night stay on an all inclusive basis in the Pearl wing. The Beach hotel is about 300m away from the Plaza, is split across the main road, is all inclusive and family friendly. Was this a big deal for us. Honestly no. We were taken by car to the Beach hotel and back to the Plaza two days later, the food in the Beach was very good, the staff were pleasant, helpful and efficient, our room was large, clean and had a sea view and the pool was clean and large with plenty of sun beds. Our view of the Santa Marina Plaza. The hotel was very clean, as was our room. The staff are great and the food was plentiful, well presented and very good. The position on the beach is great and sun beds around the pool and on the lawn/beach were always available. Agia Marina has plenty of tavernas, bars and supermarkets and some small clothes and craft shops. We did think the resort was a bit run down: derelict buildings, poorly maintained footpaths, litter on the beach, cats everywhere. The local bus service from outside the hotel, east to Chania or west along the coast, was very good. We used the red tourist bus, which we picked up at Chania bus station. We felt this was worth the 17€. Whilst we felt that the Plaza was a good hotel in many respects (cleanliness, adult only, room, food, staff, beach location) our issue is being treated as stupid and spun a tale about why the room we had booked and paid for months before wasn’t available when we arrived. We don’t want upgrades or ‘freebies’, we just want what we booked and paid for and feel it is remiss of the hotel chain and the travel companies to operate in this way.

less

“Great Hotel”

Just a true review from our stay at the Giannoulis Santa Marina hotel in Chania. It’s going to be a small review as I have not much to say about the hotel. Everything is superb from A nice well come from the reception girls and through our stay they were very helpful with any info we have ask. Staf… more

Just a true review from our stay at the Giannoulis Santa Marina hotel in Chania. It’s going to be a small review as I have not much to say about the hotel. Everything is superb from A nice well come from the reception girls and through our stay they were very helpful with any info we have ask. Staff were always happy to help you with everything you need. Rooms were nice size with refrigerator kettle and replenish tea or coffee every day, cleaned every day, comfy beds and pillows for a good night sleep. Hotel split in 2 buildings one by the beach I have to say it is right on the beach you don’t get many hotels like that, the other part is over the road with underway passage, hotel grounds are very clean very beautiful and sunbeds are free. Beach bar perfect serving drinks from 10 till 6.00 big thanks to Manousos and Stella for the good service they provide every day, also big thanks to Michalis and Sveltava at the evening bar for the hard work they do them self’s. Restaurant and food, hotel provide good and tasty food lots of people will say is repetitive but you get this in most hotels also they provide some different dishes every day as far the food is taste and nice no matter. I have spoke to the managers and told them what areas they need to improve and one of them is the snacks by the beach bar and cakes in the restaurant and maybe more privacy to the ala carte restaurant and drop the charges for normal drinks as you are all inclusive ok if you want branded alcohol fair enough. In total we have enjoy our stay at your brilliant hotel and we hope we come back in the future thank you for your hospitality i forgot to say the beach is beautiful clean and very safe (ps) for the gests get some mosquito repellents for your stay in the summer you will need it

less

“Nice hotel, but apparently overbooking is the done thing there”

Hotel had overbooked, but instead of telling us the truth fed us lies about electrical faults and flooding. It only appears to be the Seaview rooms affected. We were moved to a completely unsuitable hotel Tuesday to Friday. Eventually got the room we had booked.

“Not the best of start to our holiday !”

We arrived late into the evening with another couple an were greeted by the manager an asked if we’d like a welcome drink to which we all said yes please - I went to use tne bathroom an when I returned 5mins later my drink was there but so was a taxi to ship us out to another hotel for the night as… more

We arrived late into the evening with another couple an were greeted by the manager an asked if we’d like a welcome drink to which we all said yes please - I went to use tne bathroom an when I returned 5mins later my drink was there but so was a taxi to ship us out to another hotel for the night as while I was away they had been told that 2 families were sick and unable to move from the rooms - we were quickly bundled into a taxi been told this hotel is an AI hotel an we can use this service while there - on arrival we were shown where our room was via a a squiggle on an hotel map of the grounds an sent on our way - we found our room an on entering there were 2 VERY un-appetising looking baguettes an 2 very over ripe oranges taking one look at each other cases dropped an myself an hubby headed back out to find the bar as a drink was very much needed to cool down the anger I had burning inside me - we found the bar ordered 2 beers an were asked for payment we explained we were Al he said no AI finish at 10pm I just started laughing or I would have cried I was that angry - we eventually went back to the room and tried to get some sleep after a very long day - 4AM this cockerel decided to let us know it was here by cock-a-doodle doing ! Only it had lost its DOO - we decided to get up an sorted as we told we would be collected by 11am an taken back to our original hotel so we headed out to find breakfast - oh my days it was like stepping into a cattle market / school canteen u could not hear yourself think I found the coffee machine an thought where the hell have they brought us this was NOT the ADULTS ONLY - we had initially booked please get me out of here !!! We were taken back to our “ booked” hotel about 11-30 to be told our room would soon be ready left sat waiting with our cases an of no offer of a drink or anything it was gone 2pm before we got in our room so already a day of our holiday was wasted an when we only booked for a week that is an issue for me - we were told due to the inconvenience we would be upgraded to full board- our holiday could begin! Our room ground floor pool view was lovely perhaps a little dated but it was spotlessly clean - the pool & area was lovely an clean also - the hotel is right on the beach which is also lovely with plenty of sun beds an parasol’s- there is a little beach bar with dining area where u order your lunch from as the main dining room area is closed at lunchtimes we decided on our first day an having had no breakfast to get a pizza each big mistake they are huge so we could have shared :) prices for alcohol I didn’t think were too badly priced for a hotel - breakfast was lovely an the waiting staff very polite an welcoming - we only ate at the hotel on an evening once as there are so many lovey little tavernas that we prefer to eat at - as the week went on we discovered that many other guests had been unable to check into their rooms due to illnesses ect even hearing of a couple of gentleman having heart attacks :/ they weren’t put into other hotels but put in the basement lol it was just getting better was this place an becoming quite clear that this ( people been ill ) is Infact an ongoing excuse to them overbooking which is bang out of order - we did notice towards the end of our stay that the management team were starting to ignore us which we assume is due to us not eating & drinking at the hotel an when we were there we preferred to sit on our veranda in our own company having a drink an chilling out - it’s our holiday an we can make it how we like it we shouldn’t have been made to feel uncomfortable - all in all we had a lovely holiday despite the awful start to it an we did enjoy our stay at “ Santa Marian plaza “ but due to the start an while waiting for our return transfer bus watching the management team chatting away an looking over at ourselves an others waiting to leave an sniggering we would definitely not return here - AND if you do decide to book an chance your luck of not getting moved or thrown in the chokey take some mosquito repellent your gonna a need it :D

less