Grecotel Meli Palace
Agia Varvara, Sissi, Crete 724 00 Greece
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About
#3 of 21 hotels in Sissi
Location
4.3
Cleanliness
4.6
Service
4.7
Value
4.3
Travelers' Choice
If you’re looking for a charming hotel in Sissi, look no further than Grecotel Meli Palace. Set 2 kms from Sissi village, the style is refined, the pace casual. Escape to this exotic beachfront paradise, surrounded by palm trees, wild figs, hibiscus, cacti and olive trees. Grecotel Meli Palace Hotel is a charming hotel offering air conditioning and a refrigerator in the rooms, and it is easy to stay connected during your stay as free internet access is offered to guests in all public areas. The hotel also features 24 hours multilingual reception and a concierge service. Enjoy Grecotel award winning hospitality. Sumptuous breakfast buffets laden with home-baked goods and a dizzying array of dishes, lavish lunches and dinners featuring live cooking demonstrations, midnight snacks, cocktails and refreshments are all included in the package. Parents can relax knowing the children are entertained at supervised activities program at the Kids Club. For guests with a vehicle, free parking is available. The staff at Grecotel Meli Palace looks forward to serving you during your upcoming visit.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Pool
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Free breakfast
Beach
Tennis court
Babysitting
Internet
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Poolside bar
Entertainment staff
Evening entertainment
Table tennis
Kids club
Airport transportation
Car hire
Spa
Massage
Concierge
Sun umbrellas
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Private beach
Private balcony
Safe
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Ocean view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Ocean View
Languages Spoken
English, French, German, Greek
Location
Full view
Contact
Agia Varvara, Sissi, Crete 724 00 Greece
Name/address in local language
Getting there
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472Reviews62Q+A55Room tips
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Just returned from a week’s holiday at the Meli Palace. We just could not fault it. Every member of staff just cannot do enough for you whether it be reception, cleaning, restaurant, bar, entertainment, lifeguards. They genuinely love looking after you. The gardens are immaculate, the beach is raked every morning, the pool cleaned. There are plenty of loungers, tables and umbrellas on the beach (all free). It so easy to lie on the beach and relax and then just nip back to the bar or to the toilet. There are 2 lifeguards on duty all day. 1 on the beach and 1 around the pool. The pool is spotlessly clean and 3m deep at one end. The food is wonderful, with a great choice, all fresh and well-cooked and presented. Vast choice of drinks and cocktails at the bars. We chose a sea view room which was lovely, but most have a really nice view. If you are thinking of choosing this hotel, then just do it. Everybody we met at the hotel could not speak highly enough about it. The weather was great too! Thank you for everyone making our holiday so memorable. We will be back!…
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Date of stay: September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Not usually one for writing reviews but made the exception for this. 1 week of excellent service. From the welcome drink and escorted walk to room through to check out, have experienced caring and attentive staff, Excellent food and facilities.
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: 1. short walk to Sissi harbour. Lovely little fishing village.
2. Hotel provide beach / pool towels.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
+1
This hotel was spotless. The gardens and beach were amazing and spotless, beautiful green and well looked after gardens. Food was amazing and the Ala Carte restaurant was superb. The team were amazing, made us feel super special. They couldn’t do enough for us. On our exit was waved goodbye, given water and one of the best goodbyes ever Thank you all We loved it xxxx
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip: Head into Sissi and Malia both really cool in their own ways.
Get swim shoes for the sea and the...
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
We recently returned from Meli Palace following a week's stay for a family of four. First impressions were great - we arrived after midnight and was presented with a cool drink during check-in and being taken to our rooms. We were a little disappointed, however. When we booked the hotel, via TUI, we were told that the family room wasn't useable by a 15 year old so had to book two rooms. The frustration came when the hotel placed the 15 year old in the family room that he was apparently too old for resulting in a wasted additional £1,500 Vs the rest of our party. The hotel itself has fantastic unspoilt views and the communal areas are well presented and looked after. The rooms are a little dated and damp smelling for a 4 star hotel, with the bathroom being very tired and a broken shower (was fixed but then the same problem occured) but otherwise have everything you need - our cleaner was attentive and friendly. The restaurant was very clean with mostly great food a little repetitive but enough selection to prevent boredom. Snacks were always on offer when the restaurant was closed. The private beach was exceptional and we'll maintained. Plenty of room for all guests, a present life guard and snorkelling a must! Just bring some swim shoes due to the unavoidable rocks/stones. Overall the staff are great. Friendly, attentive and strive to make your stay a memorable one. They were, however, let down by the evening bar staff and gardeners drinking on the job. On multiple days you'd often see the gardener hoping off his ride on mower and heading to the bar to consume multiple Vodka and sodas before heading back to his mower - not something you'd expect to see in any resort. The young man who staffed the evening bar near reception was incredibly rude. Not only did he make jokes about guests, he would have unbelievable mood swings - most impacted by his girlfriend/wife - one moment he would be kissing and cuddling his partner, ignoring guests, then the next he would be banging bottles and swearing because he poured the wrong spirit or telling you how unhealthy you were for consuming certain drinks. The bars were adequately stocked, however the pours were unbearable. Large quantities of spirits were always poured with little mixers being used - cocktails, unless in a small glass, were undrinkable due to the high amounts of alcohol - it would have been better to focus on quality as opposed to quantity. There are other places to stop if you want that kind of drinking. My last point on bars is.the distinct lack of them - there are two but only ever one open at a time. The pool/beach one operates perfectly, however the evening one is too small for the amount of guests. We did find entertainment a bit lacking but we were a large group so often not an issue for us as evenings were often taken up talking. Overall, even with the small niggles, this was a great visit. It is secluded enough to have unspoilt views and a peaceful, relaxing time and for the most part the staff work tirelessly to make your time special.…
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
+1
I cannot fault our stay at The Meli Palace, a family stay for 3 including one 15 year old son. The entire staff typify Greek and especially Cretan Hospitality, friendship and care. From being met on our arrival with a cool drink and the electronic registration, followed by a tour of the resort by a senior member of the reception/hospitality team to our departure two weeks later, waved off by another team member, the experience was superb. The resort is compact with no other resorts to spoil the skyline, due to the Meli Palace location being about 2km from the Malia Palace archaeological site. This means from the sea you look back at the two storey resort with just mountains behind it, nothing else to spoil the view. The room typifies going on holiday in Greece, everything we needed, ( we also had a full size single bed for the teen in our room), but nothing too over the top. From our room on the second floor facing the sea, it took less than 5 minutes to get anywhere really- to the beach, the pool, the bar, reception or the restaurant. Always spotlessly clean by Amalia our housekeeper. There are always sunbeds to be had on the beach, and the beach itself is sandy but with stones/pebbles into the water, which isn’t something that the resort can change, but we had seen the previous guest comments and came with some water shoes. The gardens are beautiful and so well taken care off- being up early every day, we saw the effort that usually goes unsee: the gardeners continually raking, strimming, mowing; the team on the beach tidying, raking sand. The Housekeeping team, always making sure everything was clean. On this latter point, cleaning seemed almost continuous, for example the toilets under the bar were cleaned repeatedly as were the pool side ones, and everywhere felt very covid safe. Staff wore face masks and there were hand sanitisers throughout. We were on an all inclusive trip and I can genuinely say after 14 days I was never bored. Of course some things are seen more than once- given the brief of serving all tastes and ages that is only natural but the daily short order and fresh cooked menus never disappointed. Food was also always available- once the restaurant shut, the pool/beach bar or reception bar took over , until the early hours when there was room service after 1am. A hotel shop meant you could buy snacks /suncreams/ basic medicines/gifts etc if you didn’t want to walk the easy 2.5km into Sissi. The drinks including what seemed to be limitless types of cocktails were all included throughout with premium brands. Pool side and surf side the life guards were always attentive and Iannis on the beach is also a gifted artist. The entertainment team were spot on, and I particularly enjoyed the daily yoga/pilates sessions. There is always something to join in with if you want, and the kids clubs were excellent especially for the younger children. We genuinely adored this trip, this resort and the staff . Too many staff to mention in this review but I am emailing the hotel and TUI separately to feed back, but in particular Michalis Fourakis and Maria Vidali in the restaurant- you can travel through life without meeting such wonderful people. So thank you Meli Palace, Ta Leme. …
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
4 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team, Guest Services / Front Office at Grecotel Meli Palace
Responded Aug 18, 2022
Dear Alison B, Warm greetings from Grecotel Meli Palace! Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience on TripAdvisor. It is always a great pleasure to read feedback as yours and we are very happy that you enjoyed your stay with us. Your wonderful comments regarding the cleanliness, our beautiful gardens, the quality and variety of our food and drinks and especially our friendly and caring staff, are greatly appreciated and will be passed on to all of them and especially to Michalis & Maria. We look forward to welcoming you again soon! Your Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I can hand on heart say this was one of the best AI holidays we have ever been on. We went as a party of 7 - ranging from age 5 to 80. To start - The service was absolutely brilliant. Polite, friendly, helpful. The waiters, waitresses, Reception staff, Management - all an absolute credit to the Grecotel Group. The food was really good, great choice and variety - and quality ingredients. The chefs were skilled. We didn’t bother with the A’la Carte restaurant as we didn’t know what we’d miss in the main restaurant that night. The drinks were great - nice cocktails, Aperol Spritz and Tia Espresso Martinis etc. all included in the AI. The bar staff were lovely too - at both the beach/pool bar and the evening bar. The animation team are superb - there is something going on all day and you can choose to join in or not - we did an exercise class with Vicky which was great, and there was volleyball, waterpolo, aquarobics, kids dancing in the pool and diving for treasure. The whole team really made it fun for everyone. Agnes and the football for the teens. The main thing for me is that you don’t have to leave, and my children absolutely loved every second. The beach was lovely (go to the right to get in) , the pool area and the kids pool just about had enough sun beds (just) but the lifeguard at the pool upstairs (can’t remember her name) was absolutely brilliant, and kept a good eye on who had “reserved” a bed with towels and disappeared for hours, so credit to her for compliance with being respectful and responsible. The only thing which is completely out of the hotels hands is taxi availability, but as we were leaving I saw a sign going up about a regular bus into Sissi - so on that basis, I think they have it cracked. Absolutely brilliant holiday, and one of only 2 hotels we have ever been to where we say we’ll definitely be back. Thank you Grecotel Meli Palace for a holiday we will always remember fondly.…
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team, Guest Services / Front Office at Grecotel Meli Palace
Responded Aug 14, 2022
Dear Kirsty P, We are flattered receiving your excellent comments about our hotel and we feel honored that we have contributed to one of your best holidays! Your compliments and satisfaction are the most valuable reward for us. Rest assured that all your kind words regarding our personnel will be passed on to all of them. We would be delighted to welcome you back to Grecotel Meli Palace in the near future! Warm regards, Your Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Good sized bright room with a garden, mountain and partial sea view, spotlessly clean and towel replaced regularly. The room felt a bit dated and could do with some modernization. The staff are amazingly helpful and professional, food was on the whole good with lots of choice.
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Date of stay: July 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team, Guest Services / Front Office at Grecotel Meli Palace
Responded Aug 10, 2022
Dear Lin C, We would like to thank you for choosing again our resort for your vacation. We are very pleased to read that you enjoyed many aspects of your stay, such as our gardens, view, cleanliness, food and especially the helpfulness and professionalism of our staff. Your compliments and satisfaction are the best reward for us! In addition, your constructive comments will be relayed further on to our Management. We are looking forward to welcoming you back to Meli Palace! Kind regards, Your Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
It is our first review on the Tripadvisor, but we couldn’t resist to share our experience. From the first step onto this resort we were amazed with the customer service skills provided by Svetlana, she was very helpful and caring . She guided us right to our room door ( never ever had this experience usually even 5* hotels just letting you wonder by giving verbal guidance). Everything is well organised and very safe for families and their kids . In hotel friendly atmosphere and not overcrowded, just right. All premises are very neat and looked after, rooms cleaned every day, always feels fresh. All stuff in hotel extremely positive , helpful and professional . Food is amazing. Selection and variety is excellent. Well done guys . We will strongly recommend you to our friends and customers .…
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team, Guest Services / Front Office at Grecotel Meli Palace
Responded Aug 10, 2022
Dear leva K Matviyenko, We would like to thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us at Trip Advisor. We are delighted to read that you and your family enjoyed your holidays at our resort. In addition, we are more than happy to read your comments about the helpful, positive and professional attitude of our staff. Rest assured that all your kind remarks about our colleagues will be passed on to them Once again, we thank you very much and look forward to having the opportunity to welcome you again soon in our resort. Warm regards from Crete, Your Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed at Meli palace for one week, with our two children (11 & 7). Everything about the hotel was lovely, it was clean, well laid out and plenty of things to do for adults and children. We had a ground floor, sea view family room, which had a king size bed and bunk beds for the children. The bathroom had a bath with a shower over (perfect for families with smaller children needing a bath at the end of the day) The food was varied and there was lots to choose from every meal, when the restaurant was closed, the snack bar by the pool was open. Drinks were good, and a nice range of cocktails too. The mini disco was a massive hit for our youngest, every evening at 830 followed by adult entertainment. The kids club staff were great, full of enthusiasm! We would like to say a special big Thank you to Maria from the restaurant, who would meet us with a huge smile everyday and my son, Rocco, took an extra special shine too. I would highly recommend this hotel...and take sea shoes!…
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Date of stay: July 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Sea view rooms on the ground floor if you have children!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team, Guest Services / Front Office at Grecotel Meli Palace
Responded Aug 6, 2022
Dear Nicola M, Thank you very much for reviewing our resort and sharing your personal experience with other Tripadvisor members. We are very pleased to read that you and your family enjoyed the cleanliness, the variety of the food and drinks, the hotel facilities for children and our staff. Your compliments and satisfaction are the best reward for us. Once again, we would like to thank you for your feedback and we do hope to have the chance of welcoming you back to Meli Palace in the near future! Kind regards, Your Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Greco meli palace crete, !! Amazing from start to finish , from the cleaning staff to the management, nothing was too much trouble, in the restaurant waiters & waitresses remembering what drinks we like, great selection of food, cleanliness thru the hotel 2nd to none , and as we left our cases we’re taken to the bus and we were waved off , it’s the little things , as we found out in our weeks stay, please don’t change your staff are a credit to you, highly recommended , we shall return 😄 the dawes family , yorkshire England x
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team, Guest Services / Front Office at Grecotel Meli Palace
Responded Aug 6, 2022
Dear Jacqueline D, We would like to thank you for choosing Grecotel Meli Palace for your vacation and for taking the time to share your experience on TripAdvisor. Your positive feedback about the variety of the food, the cleanliness and our personnel is highly appreciated and all your kind remarks will be passed on to our colleagues. We look forward to welcome you back again in the near future! Sincerely, Your Grecotel Meli Palace Guest Services Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PRICE RANGE
$150 - $228 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
grecotel meli palace hotel lassithi prefecture, hellenic palace crete
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Hellenic Palace
LOCATION
GreeceCreteLasithi PrefectureSissi
NUMBER OF ROOMS
156
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Grecotel Meli Palace
Which popular attractions are close to Grecotel Meli Palace?
Nearby attractions include Help Bar (2.3 miles), Squeeze Bar (2.3 miles), and The Jolly Roger (1.5 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Grecotel Meli Palace?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Grecotel Meli Palace?
Top room amenities include air conditioning, a flat screen TV, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Grecotel Meli Palace?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Grecotel Meli Palace?
Conveniently located restaurants include The Red Lion Bar and Restaurant, Geitonia Malia - Cretan Creative Cuisine, and Sofra Family Restaurant.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Grecotel Meli Palace?
Yes, guests have access to a pool and a fitness center during their stay.
Does Grecotel Meli Palace have airport transportation?
Yes, Grecotel Meli Palace offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Are any cleaning services offered at Grecotel Meli Palace?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Grecotel Meli Palace?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, French, German, and Greek.
Are there any historical sites close to Grecotel Meli Palace?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Megali Vrisi (Great Fountain) (4.8 miles).