Blue Marine Resort & Spa — Hotel in Municipality of Agios Nikolaos

We have just returned from a week at the Blue Marine Resort & Spa. While there were aspects we enjoyed, overall the experience fell short of expectations.

Reception

The majority of the reception staff were attentive, approachable, and helpful, which we truly appreciated. Unfortunately, our arrival was not a great start. The gentleman who checked us in was not very welcoming. After collecting the travel tax, he informed us that all restaurants and bars were closed and that we had been left a wrap and some water in the fridge. The wrap itself was poor in quality, and when I asked if there was a vegetarian option, the response was dismissive and even slightly mocking. We were told that each pack contained both half a vegetarian wrap and half a meat wrap. This might work for some, but for strict vegetarians or vegans it would be completely unacceptable.

We were also told the hotel was fully booked and that we had fixed meal times—14:15 for lunch and 20:30 for dinner. These times were far from convenient, and although we managed to change them later in the week, it was disappointing to have so little flexibility at the outset.

Room

The room itself was excellent. It was spacious, spotless, and featured a lovely balcony with breathtaking sea views. The cleaners did an outstanding job every day and were always polite and cheerful. The shower was also very good, with strong water pressure—something that makes a real difference in comparison to many hotels.

Customer Service

Service around the hotel was inconsistent. Some bar staff seemed abrupt and disinterested, which is not what you’d expect from a 5-star resort. However, one staff member in particular, Jane, stood out for all the right reasons. She was consistently warm, attentive, and friendly, making us feel welcome every evening. She even recommended drinks for us to try, which was a lovely touch—thank you, Jane!

On the other hand, the lady working at the creperie most nights was very unwelcoming. Her negative attitude and tone made us feel awkward about ordering, and it was clear she did not want to be there. In general, staff often seemed more focused on chatting with each other than on serving guests, which left a poor impression.

Food

The food was, unfortunately, one of the weakest parts of the stay. • Breakfast: Below average, with very little variety. The scrambled eggs and pastries were nice, but the options were repetitive and limited. • Lunch: Again, limited selection and food that often lacked flavour. Vegetarian options were scarce, and the “vegetarian corner” advertised on the app was nowhere to be found. • Dinner: Themed nights helped add variety, and we particularly enjoyed the Chinese night—the sushi was excellent. Unfortunately, many of the other dishes lacked taste, and the desserts were disappointing: often soggy cakes with overly sweet icing, with little variety night after night. • Creperie & Snacks: The crepes were enjoyable, but the waffles were often burnt. We did, however, enjoy the beach snack bar, which offered good-quality food. • À la carte Italian: This was a highlight, with tasty meals and attentive service. • Drinks: A strong point of the hotel—the variety was excellent, and we especially enjoyed the exotic mango cocktail.

Pool & Facilities

The pool area was very well maintained and always clean. Sunbeds were plentiful, and we never had to worry about reserving one—no matter the time of day.

Conclusion

We appreciated the cleanliness of the hotel, the comfortable rooms, and the relaxed atmosphere. However, the food quality and inconsistent customer service let the experience down. For the price we paid, we would not return in the hotel’s current state. That said, we thank the staff who were friendly and attentive, and we hope improvements are made to bring the service and dining up to the standard expected of a...

Our recent stay at the Blue Marine Resort & Spa was a mixed bag. While the hotel's infrastructure is impressive and well-maintained, the experience was significantly let down by poor management, disappointing food and drink, and a lackluster, and at times inappropriate, approach to guest services, particularly for families. First, the positives. The resort itself is clean and clearly well-cared-for. We particularly enjoyed the small, private beach, which was a lovely spot to relax. A huge plus was the direct lift access to the beach, a thoughtful feature that means you don't have to cross the road. The standout culinary experience was the breakfast at the Ya Mas restaurant, which was consistently excellent. Unfortunately, the positive aspects were overshadowed by several significant issues.

Entertainment, Activities & Kids' Club: This entire aspect of the resort was shambolic. Activities were barely advertised, so it was difficult to know what was happening and when. The evening entertainment was a consistent letdown. On our first night, the advertised magic show was cancelled just five minutes before it was due to start, with no explanation or alternative offered. The schedule posted on the board was often incorrect, with different, unannounced shows being presented instead. One dancing show we saw was shockingly amateur, feeling more like a school's end-of-year recital than professional entertainment for a 5-star hotel. For families, the kids' club was a major failure. We were told it was understaffed, and it showed. The two staff members on duty seemed completely disengaged, constantly on their phones and ignoring children. The playground is shaded by a low, rough cover that traps an incredible amount of heat, making it unusable for much of the day. The evening "mini disco" was lifeless, but one incident stood out as particularly shocking. They played a very obscene song in Spanish; as a native speaker, I was horrified by the lyrics and the accompanying suggestive dance gestures. It was deeply disturbing to see young children dancing along, completely unaware of the song's inappropriate content. The face painting was another low point—the "butterfly" my daughter received was so poorly done it was clear no effort had been made. Management and Customer Service: The hotel's approach to service felt consistently transactional and overpriced. For instance, when we asked about an airport transfer, the price quoted was significantly higher than other services on the island. I booked the exact same quality of transfer myself via Google and saved €15. This attitude culminated in the most shocking failure at the end of our trip. Our flight was cancelled due to a storm, and we were stranded in Crete for three extra days. We immediately approached the front desk to extend our stay, and they confirmed our room was available. However, they quoted us an outrageous price of €580 for one night. After we explained our situation as a stranded family and asked for a more reasonable rate, they offered a minimal €100 discount. I called the central reservations team, hoping for a more understanding response, but they were inflexible and told us to find another hotel, preferring to keep a room empty rather than help a family in a difficult situation. Having worked in the hotel industry for a decade, I was stunned by this lack of compassion and basic business sense. They offered no help in finding alternative accommodation, leaving us to fend for ourselves with a small child. Final Verdict While the Blue Marine Resort & Spa has the bones of a great hotel, its soul is missing. The poor management, disappointing food and drink, and an abysmal and sometimes inappropriate kids' club make it impossible to recommend, especially for families. We were lucky to find another hotel that welcomed us, but the experience left a...

We spent a week at Blue Marine Resort & Spa in Crete and had a truly wonderful experience as a family with a 4-year-old child. The hotel fully lived up to our expectations – and more! The ocean view from the hotel was breathtaking, and the hotel’s aesthetics and clean design made it a pleasure to stay there.||Our room was beautifully decorated and very clean – with comfortable beds and a spacious terrace with a jacuzzi, which was a real highlight. Upon our late arrival, we were welcomed with a fruit platter, wraps, wine, and soft drinks in the minibar – a lovely touch! The fridge was restocked with bottled water daily, and housekeeping was of a very high standard.||The food was excellent – tasty and varied at the buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We especially enjoyed the à la carte breakfast at the YA MAS restaurant, where we ate most mornings. The service there was fantastic, and the staff were incredibly sweet, especially with our daughter. We also dined at the hotel’s Greek and Italian à la carte restaurants – both were truly fantastic gourmet experiences and highly recommended! Even though the hotel was fully booked, everything ran smoothly – we never had to queue at the buffet or bars. The only place with a bit of a line was the creperie. Unfortunately, the beach snack bar (hotdogs, pizza, burgers) did not meet the otherwise high food standards of the hotel.||The overall service was very good – friendly and helpful staff in the reception, restaurants, and bars. The only negative was a rather unfriendly woman in the kiosk. The pool and beach areas were lovely, and the daily water aerobics at midday was a fun activity. We didn’t use the fitness center, and while we considered visiting the spa, the price was too high: €90 for less than an hour’s access to the spa facilities (sauna and pool), which we found unreasonable. At a hotel of this standard, spa access should really be included or at least a better offer.||The hotel is very family-friendly with a peaceful atmosphere – no loud music or drunk guests at night. It was quiet after 11 PM, which we really appreciated. Our daughter was always met with smiles and playful attention from the staff, which made us feel very welcome. That said, we missed having more children’s entertainment in the evenings. There was a magic show one evening, which got canceled (leaving many kids disappointed), and the advertised daily mini-disco never happened during our stay – which was a letdown.||The location is a bit remote, around 10 minutes by car from the nearest town. Transfer bus via Sunweb took 2.5 hours from Heraklion Airport. Next time, we would probably book a taxi or rent a car instead (other guests told us a taxi cost around €90 and only took 50 minutes).||All in all, a fantastic holiday with high comfort, great food, and warm service. We highly recommend Blue Marine Resort & Spa – especially for families looking for a relaxing break in calm surroundings. We would definitely...