Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
A 5-star all-inclusive resort, the starting point of a luxurious, relaxing, and fun vacation on the magnificent island of Crete. Every aspect of Stella Palace is designed with you, our precious guests, as the ultimate inspiration. Experience the renowned Cretan hospitality as you enjoy 5-star accommodation and a selection of premium services and personalized experiences. Every minute of your stay becomes an unforgettable memory as you indulge in this Mediterranean getaway.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Modern
Bay View
Languages Spoken
English, French, Russian, Dutch and 2 more
Location
Analipsi, Hersonissos, Crete 70014 Greece
Name/address in local language
Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
3,544 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort is lauded for its attentive service and vibrant atmosphere, complete with live music and modern decor that caters to families, though some guests mention noise at night. While opinions on value and room quality vary, with some considering it overpriced, the resort's cleanliness and extensive amenities, including the water park and dining options, earn high marks.
Despite its somewhat isolated location, the beachfront setting is a plus for those looking to relax by the sea.
Location
Beachfront
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Mixed
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Comprehensive
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Today is our last night at Stella Palace, we have stayed for 8 nights in total. The resort is huge, several pools and we thought the facilities for young kids are really great . My oldest enjoyed the kids club and the kids club staff are very good and engaging with kids. Mini disco repeats mostly every night, the resort tries its best to keep social distancing between parents and kids but adults don’t respect the seating distancing marks in the outside theatre .Food is of good quality in all the restaurants, we tried the buffet and the Italian/ Asian/ Cretan and we thought they were good, the Italian and Cretan being the best of them all. Service is efficient and fast.
Beach is small but we never struggled to find sun lounges and although full of seaweeds we always found clear water sections. The water breaker is fantastic to make it safe for kids and adults to swim.
Drinks as part of all inclusive were a let down as stated by other reviewers , the wine on offer really it isn’t great and we struggled to find well made cocktails, so we stuck to beers and pims/lemonade (no problem with that) or bought wine from their premium wine lists.
There are two mini supermarkets inside the resort which were really great to get some essentials from .
Water park: very good water park for kids with slides for kids of different ages. Good selection of food in the snack bar, staff though could be a bit more friendly but all in all really good.
Housekeeping: we had our bedroom daily cleaned, which you would expect of hotel of this rate of course but toiletries really were not replaced by the second night so we purchased our own from shop. We also noticed that dirty glasses were not cleaned or removed from room.
Room : unfortunately our room 711 was a bit of a disappointment for us, we asked for a updated nice room but were given a very dated room with on/off sewage smell coming from the bathroom which was so overpowering and broken shower head. The room is nicely located in a quiet corner by the pool away from noise but its interior doesn’t even resembles a 5 star hotel room. We didn’t want to complain and waited for a staff to check on us as most hotels do but here this doesnt happen and you wont find any personable service , an example of this is that we stated in our booking our stay being a birthday celebration to our kids, would have been nice to have had a little cake or a birthday message in the room .
Capacity: the hotel is currently running in its capacity, we were told by a staff member that hotel is actually over its capacity as they have added extra beds to some of the rooms. It does feel too busy in some parts such as the water park and the main restaurant in peak times. We were surprised to learn that with the covid19 the hotel would be operating at such busy levels.
We had a great time and this is a huge resort with loads of pool and entertainment for family with kids. We are happy to have came but would not return based on the room we were given.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Dimitris Tzirakis, Owner at Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
Responded Aug 21, 2020
Dear LondonDaniela, We thank you for sharing your experience after your stay with us. It's great to know that you enjoyed our facilities, the food and service. As concerns the room, kindly be informed that our Staff makes its utmost in order to fulfill the guests' wishes. Nevertheless, it is always the matter of availability. In regards, the birthday , we always arrange a small surprise on the birthday date as long as we are informed about it. Moreover, the hotel follows the special hygiene measures due to COVID -19 with a permitted occupancy. We all wish our guests to be happy and even though we do not claim that our hotel is faultless, we can guarantee that we work daily towards perfection. Kind regards, Guest Relations Manager Alexandra Raida
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It was a great family hotel to book for us with our almost 2 year old toddler. Staff throughout the entire hotel was very friendly and forthcoming. Food was great and with different themed nights. However, during peak hours the restaurant would get very loud and hectic, which was quite distracting for our little one. We really appreciated the 3 a la carte restaurants, the service was exquisite and the food amazing. At the snack bar you could always get something small to eat (great for the kids who need their snacks) however it would have been great to also have some fruits available at the snack bar instead of only waffles, crepes and sweet stuff. We really appreciated the famiy pools with small depths so the kids could play while standing in th water. Mini Disco was so much fun for the kids and the animation team was always motivated. Nonetheless, the activity program was very slim. Some shows at night but not every night, night animation was a movie every night. Sportanimation was also almost non existant. Gym was def not a 5 start standard!! And on top of that you had to pay 5 euros to use the small gym. A great extra was that you could find all the hotel info on their own app! The hotel has a private beach part which is great for small kids, the waves are very small and the kids can run into the water without stepping on large rocks. For us it was a great holiday, with amazing staff and great play areas for the kids!
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Dimitris Tzirakis, Owner at Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
Responded Sep 18, 2020
Dear ChriissiiS, Thank you for your time and sharing your experience after your stay at Stella Palace Resort & Spa. It really makes us glad to read that overall you had an amazing time. We have also noted your comments and these will be reviewed accordingly. We do hope we will have another opportunity to welcome you back in the not too distant future. Kind regards, Guest Relations Manager Alexandra Raida
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We are currently staying at the Stella Pallace. We are here with our 11 yr old daughter. The hotel is absolutely beautiful, everywhere is spotlessly clean. The on-site water park is great, the food is great, the drinks are great. The on-site 3 restaurants- creatan, Asian & Italian are all 4 or 5 courses and are fantastic. The service is brilliant. The pools are huge, beautiful and very very clean. The evening entertainment is a little disappointing, usually a singer for 2 hours at 1 pool or a film showing in the ampi theatre. We’ve been here for 7 days and only seen 1 really good show from some acrobatics. Sun beds are always available, the hotel does not let you reserve them! If you put your towel in one and do not return within 2 hours they remove your towel. The beach up the road is nicer than the one directly outside the hotel and there are lots of water sports available. If you want to walk out of an evening there are a few bars up the road and shops but you would be much better getting a taxi to hersonissis or Stalis. Overall a top notch hotel, really nothing to complain about. Very very beautiful
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Dimitris Tzirakis, Owner at Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
Responded Aug 23, 2020
Dear Kazabevan, Many thanks for choosing Stella Palace Resort & Spa and your kind review. We are very happy to read that everything was alright during your stay and you underlined our cleanliness, food & beverage and services. It's also great to know that you appreciated our sunbeds' reservation policy. Our team is happy to go above and beyond for our guests. And thank your for your comments, we're going to consider them to create an even better experience for you and all our guests. We hope to see you again in your next trip to Crete! Kind regards, Guest Relations Manager Alexandra Raida
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Great destination in family. The resort boast or many facilities for kids located at different location of the resort that help to avoid being overcrowded all together and well maintained.
The kids club isn’t huge but have wonderful staff, great thanks for Luna for her kindness toward the kids what remind you that the smile and the people loving kids make the best kids club no matter where you are.
Food service is really good with different themes evening. Staff are very available during your meals.
Beverage lacks of quality, you can always feel a weird taste on most of the drink. It’s from the all inclusive program so if you want branded drinks you can order but it will be charged. But again the staff is great at every bar.
The drinks quality and the room is what make you hesitate to confirm if the resort can really be rated as a 5 stars. Rooms equipments is dilapidated or broken and need refreshment.
The resort enjoyed a correct access to the beach.
Overall review is still perfect for family holiday. Don’t go with too high expectations and you will enjoy your stay at stella palace more than you expect. If the word “palace” means a lot for you. You should book at stella island for the adults and send the kids with the nanny at stella palace and everybody will be happy for sure.
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Date of stay: August 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Dimitris Tzirakis, Owner at Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
Responded Aug 12, 2020
Dear Scantlee, Many thanks for choosing Stella Palace Resort & Spa and your kind review! We are very happy to read that our staff fulfilled your expectations and made your holidays unforgettable. Our team is happy to go above and beyond for our guests. And thank your for your comments, we're going to consider them to create an even better experience for you and all our guests. We hope to see you again in your next trip to Crete! Sincerely yours, Guest Relations Manager Alexandra Raida
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We found the staff here incredibly hard working and friendly. The restaurant managers are super supportive of their staff in what is a stressful environment, and visible at all times in the Poseidon restaurant. The pool areas were beautiful and clean, the swimming pools were safe and warm, and not over chlorinated. The a la carte restaurants were good but Enzo Asiatic was clearly the best. The water park was excellent and loved by my 7 and 12 yo. We asked for a newly renovated room on arrival and was moved the following morning, with the porters taking care of our luggage on their golf buggies. We had a bottle of wine, fruit and baklava sent to the room also, which was a lovely touch. The area around the hotel was not so good, although the turtles to the left of the hotel at the bottom were interesting, and if you continued along on the right hand side the beaches were much better, although the water choppy! We didn't do any excursions, but did take the land train to Hersonissos for lunch. It took an hour each way so if I did it again would favour a taxi. When we arrived at 10pm there were little chicken wraps, a Greek salad and baklava in our room, which was much welcomed.y only little gripe, was that I had to visit reception on several occasions to ask for milk and sugar to be replenished in our room, however, they were very busy. The amphitheatre entertainment wasn't to our taste, so we stayed around the tropical pool most evenings, where there was a good quality vocal singer. You can also purchase a Hookah pips here for 15 euros.. We switched to the Cretan restaurant at lunch and pleased we did, as the gyros meat was lovely. Favourite drinks at the bar were White Lady, and Peach Bellini! Pool volleyball and aqua aerobics are held every day, as well as men's football- which my husband loved! We loved it here. Thankyou to you and all your staff!
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from George Syrmos, Other at Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
Responded Oct 5, 2021
Dear Foxy r, We would like first of all to thank you for your kind review of your recent holiday with us. It is a great pleasure to read that overall you had a wonderful stay and our daily actions are worthwhile and that we are on the right path with our numerous efforts. We have also noted your comments and these will be reviewed accordingly. We hope to have the opportunity to be of service to you on your next trip to Crete! Best regards, Guest Relations Manager Alexandra Raida
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We have arrived to Stella Village but as not all their facilities were open we were taken to Stella Palace to check in and were advised that we will be able to use their facilities for 1 day (we've used their facilities for 3 days and noone said anything). We’ve checked in online due to COVID but it was easy enough to do. After that we were taken into our room. The room wasn’t very big and there were only 2 beds for 3 of us (1 adult and 2 kids). Shower in the bathroom was very good. There were pool towels left in the room. I’ve never been to hotel where drinks were served in normal glasses but in Stella Palace all their drinks cocktails were served in nice glasses. All cocktails are very nice, very big choice of alcoholic and non alcoholic cocktails. There are few pools really big with comfortable sun beds and there was always plenty free ones so they didn’t have to be reserved (it’s not allowed but people still do). Food is served in few restaurants but we used the main one for dinner and went couple of times for lunch to restaurant beside the pool. Food is good, good choice, everyone has to wear masks and gloves - it made me feel safe in current climate. The Water park is great, it has 5 big slides and few small ones for smaller children. Every night different entertainment - live music by the pool and shows in amphitheater. Disco after the show. The beach is just across the road, it’s small but sandy with plenty of sun loungers.
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Date of stay: June 2021Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from George Syrmos, General Manager at Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
Responded Jul 7, 2021
Dear Vera P, Thank you for taking the time to share your wonderful impressions of your stay at our hotel. We are thrilled to read that you highly appreciated our glasses, cocktails and sunbeds. It always rewarding to receive such praise regarding our products and services. Your comments will certainly be an encouragement and a boost of strength to our team. We hope to give us the opportunity to welcome you again. Sincerely, Guest Relations Manager Alexandra Raida
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Just returned from Stella Palace after a lovely break away. Was met by reception staff who were very friendly and explained the contactless check in by using the hotel app. Little bit of confusion over my surname, as Jet2holidays had sent incorrect details however I had my booking reference to hand and all clarified as an admin error. We were swiftly buggied round to our room and left to enjoy the start of our break. The room was not 5 star as advertised however sufficient for our stay. I am aware some of the rooms have been modernised but with Covid restrictions the last 18 months and lack of tourists this may have set the hotel back in completing, so I was not prepared to complain and demand to be moved. Previous posts have suggested this. It was cleaned daily, beds were comfortable and sun-bed towels provided; for the amount of time spent in there it just wasn’t needed.
The buffet restaurant was very good, with Covid measures in place and we tried all three Al la Cartes with the Veranda being our favourite. What makes Stella special is the service from the people. Always a smile and greeting from the restaurant staff and room maids; positive high energy from the animation team and the pool bar staff, in particular Aris and Mano - Both go out of their way to ensure you enjoy your stay and make the best cocktails. Aris’s during the day, Mano’s in the evenings 🍹. This place is all about the people who work tirelessly. Two recommendations for the hotel would be to clean the pool and the shower rooms in between use. We booked the shower room at 6pm for 30 mins as we had 7pm coach transfer to the airport, unfortunately after what had been a lovely stay ended in not a very nice experience on departure. The room was filthy from previous uses and I showered with my shoes and bikini on. I even left the shoes! It did enter my head, if I was going to catch Covid it was likely to be result of using the showers after that experience.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from George Syrmos, Other at Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
Responded Oct 19, 2021
Dear SarahhJ9849ZR, We would like to thank you for your review and for your kind comments about the staff. It really makes us glad to read that overall you had an amazing time. Your comments will certainly be an encouragement and a boost of strength to our team. We have also noted your comments and these will be reviewed accordingly. We do hope we will have another opportunity to welcome you back in the not too distant future. Sunny regards, Guest Relations Manager Alexandra Raida
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Stella Palace Resort & Spa is more than a hotel or holiday destination, it is a place that we can easily call a second home!
Hotel and amenities are amazing, food is beyond expectations and the staff make you feel that you are part of this big amazing family who takes care of you and provides you with a safe and welcoming space to just relax and let go.
For our family with two small kids in these uncertain times, Stella Palace was the dream place to spend our holidays! And if you would have any worry about how it is all handled in Covid times, the staff of Stella Palace are doing an amazing job of ensuring the respect of the hygienic rules so that everyone is safe and enjoys their holiday.
We stayed in a beautiful refurbished family room that felt so airy and spacious and had everything that you may need. During the day, you can choose to spend time on the beach where the water was wonderfully clean or in one of the many pools. And the waterpark is a great addition to keep the kids entertained.
There is really nothing we would change about the resort, only if we could come there more often than just once a year:).
To top it all up, there is no mask in the world which can keep the big heartfelt smiles of the staff starting with the reception to the cleaning crew from shining through! A big thank you to all for making our holidays truly special and see you next year! Olimpia
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Date of stay: July 2021
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Vicky Maltabe, General Manager at Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
Responded Jul 29, 2021
Dear Olimpia, First and foremost, we would like to thank you for spending your precious time to wright your recent experience in our beautiful hotel. It is always a pleasure to have our guests’ feedback. We would also like to thank you for your amazing comments and all your wonderful words. It is a great confirmation that all the love, the passion and the hard work we put on it gets amazing results like your comment and the memories you created in Stella palace Resort & Spa. Once again, we thank you for your comment and we would be more than happy to welcome you back in the not so distant future. Warm regards, Guest Relations Manager Alexandra Raida
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We visited Stella Palace to get a much needed break and celebrate my birthday. Although we were a bit hesitant to travel because of the Corona virus this visit exceeded our expectations and is without a doubt one of the best resorts I have stayed in!
Upon our arrival we were warmly welcomed by the staff who were prepared with our check in documents. Their contactless check in system is the most high tech system I have experienced. Check in, spa appointment and restaurants reservations are all made through an app. The whole staff has taken extra precautions to address COVID-19 and ensure the safety and hygiene protocols necessary to keep the resort clean and guests safe and comfortable.
The food quality in the bars and restaurants were top notch and the staff was always kind, friendly, and efficient. The staff went above and beyond to ensure we had a good stay. The staff went out of their way to help us when our son suffered from extreme allergic reaction to sunburn and the restaurant staff packaged meals and juices and sent them to the room to keep him comfortable and out of the sun.
Thank you to the whole team at this wonderful resort for the hard work you put in everyday and a special thanks to Georgios Michis, Pantelis, Elsa & Nikos at the lobby bar, and Irini and Arigiris and the rest of team at La Veranda who helped make my birthday extra special with champagne and cake.
We had one amazing and unforgettable week here and will definitely make another trip to Stella Palace Resort.
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Dimitris Tzirakis, Owner at Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
Responded Jul 22, 2020
Dear Srahi, Many thanks for taking time to share your 5- star experience on TripAdvisor! We are very happy to read that our staff fulfilled your expectations and made your special holidays unforgettable. We believe in hosting of our guests with an excellent service and the highest quality standards. Your kind feedback has been shared with the rest of the team; they were equally delighted to know that their efforts are highly appreciated by our guests. We are looking forward to welcome you back in the not too distant future. Guest Relations Manager Alexandra Raida
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Arrived 17/7/20 for 8 nights, with 2 kids (B12 & g9). You have to download an app to check in and then complete all the details, this was ok then we were given the key to our room and sent on our way with the lovely chap on the golf buggy. No other details provided to us. We were taken to our room and dumped the bags before going for dinner (9pm). First impressions were not great, food was cold and not that nice. Day 1 and all the sunbeds around the pool were gone by the time we were up at 8.30, even though there are signs “Do not reserve”, this is not enforced at all. Breakfast was much better and all further meals were good, maybe its just the time we arrived on the first night? Lovely beach, sunbeds/parasols free for hotel guests and a nice safe bay for kids to swim in. Room – booked a 2 bed pool view room. Well, the room had 2 bedrooms and a bathroom, no other seating area, (plenty of storage) so quite small and not private, you could hear the people in the next room!! We also did not have a pool view, I questioned this with reception and was told that the area we were in was called “pool view”, even though ours was of the snack bar. Very dated and scuffed, not 5* at all. Safe was 15 € for the week. Al a Carte restaurants were great, lovely food and service. Only thing to comment on is in Elia we were charged for red wine when in the other 2 it was included. Book these on the app. Water park was great for the kids with the snack bar, drinks bar and wc. No consistency in the cocktails, the AI ones were rubbish so we spent quite a bit over the week on paying for good ones and the best ones were from the main bar in the reception area, same cocktail from the pool bar was totally different? Not much for the kids in way of activities, they advertised games and then didn’t do them. There was usually a singer/act on at the top pool bar at night, this did go on until just after 11. Not sure if there was anything else at another bar. Again, check the app for what’s on. Overall, a nice hotel and friendly staff, not 5*. Won’t go back as we don’t usually visit the same hotel twice.
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Date of stay: July 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Dimitris Tzirakis, Owner at Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort
Responded Jul 28, 2020
Dear valuable Guest, Thank you for choosing Stella Palace Resort & Spa for your holidays! We are glad to know that your appreciated our staff, a la cart restaurants and the Water Park. Please accept our sincere apologies for the problems you encountered with a room and sunbeds. We have also noted your comments and these will be reviewed accordingly. We all wish our guests to be happy and even though we do not claim that our hotel is faultless, we can guarantee that we work daily towards perfection. It is only by listening to you - our guests - that we can achieve that. We hope to have the opportunity to be of service to you next time you are in Crete! Best regards, Guest Relations Manager Alexandra Raida
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