Phaea Blue, Elounda, Crete

The original hotel on the larger plot has been separated into two parts - Phea Blue, designated a boutique hotel and a much larger hotel currently in development which I’m led to believe will be a Rosewood when completed. First impressions were not good. When we arrived in our taxi it felt like we were being delivered to the tradesman’s entrance. The entrance was an unassuming door which opened onto an unassuming corridor, which you then had to navigate past a bar area to get to a reception desk tucked away in the corner of the room. The room was very nice with a fantastic view of Spinalonga island over the bay. Each morning we were woken to the delightful sound of building work next door, which started at 7.30am most days. It was disappointing to not be told by the hotel that this was going on beforehand as a general courtesy to its guests. Breakfast was one of the worst I’ve ever seen at a 5 star hotel. Extremely limited options on cereals, fruit and pastries (no croissants), hot food limited to eggs and avocados (which my wife likes but I don’t). I tried an omelette first day which was dry and spoilt by the use of feta which gave it a very bitter aftertaste. They don’t provide milk and juice options - orange juice was delivered to the table and each day I had to request milk for the muesli, and then wait 5 minutes for it to be delivered. My wife ordered scrambled eggs, sliced avocado and grilled tomatoes this morning, with all 3 parts delivered separately with 5-10 minutes in between. We tried dinner at the Blue Door restaurant which was okay but unexceptional. We didn’t try the other restaurant as it had limited food options for my wife and just about every main course was a “sharing plate” which we dislike. The hotel is set into a steep hillside and walking down to the beach area is challenging, and walking back up to our room doubly so. The beach set up is fine - beds, bar and attentive staff. It was notable that in its previous incarnation as a single hotel there was a large pool area and loungers next to the beach, but this was all closed off for redevelopment of the new hotel. On a positive note the staff were all friendly and helpful - particularly the buggy drivers, who were excellent. I think this hotel is clearly compromised by being part of something much bigger when it was hived off to create Phea Blue. The entrance/reception area is just underwhelming. The breakfast set up is compromised by clearly not being designed as such. The beach and pool areas are good, but it is clear that some facilities have been lost in the split. In summary we won’t be back.

Although we had a lovely holiday, Phaea blue was not what we expected when we booked a ‘boutique hotel’. It has the feel of a 200 room hotel and upon further research this was the case up until about 12 months ago when it went through a rebrand. The style of the website and awards for small hotel etc in our opinion are very misleading. In general there are many things on site that feel a bit dated and tired, a prime example would be the pool and surrounding area, some of the gates could do with a coat of paint, speakers on beach not usually found in boutique hotel along with campsite style bins. Some areas definitely need a refresh. The room is spacious with all the amenities however again some aspects feel 20 years old and need a refurb. We felt like the hotel wasn’t what we wanted or would have booked if we had seen more truthful marketing about the size and condition I would put this at max 4 stars definitely not 5 star. On a positive note the best thing about this Hotel are the staff from start to finish they could not do enough for us top marks to them all round. Other positive things would be the restaurant all looks the part, breakfast options and dessert very good. Nice atmosphere. With again top class service. The welcome and the lobby is lovely too. Thankfully we got a deal and a reasonable price if we had paid £500 a night we would have felt severely disappointed compared to other options available in Europe.

We stayed at this beautiful resort for a week in late September. The hotel's guest rooms are spread over a large area, some of which is uphill, which requires some physical fitness or assistance with golf carts (they call it "club carts") driven by staff members and provided at short notice. The resort has its own swimming pool and a lovely private beach. The rooms are beautiful and comfortable. They are cleaned daily, and the towels are constantly changed (too often to my liking). It turns out that they actually do have an environmental friendly plan, but for some reason it wasn't brought to our attention clearly, so we didn't know how to avoid changing towels after every shower. The resort has 3 good restaurants and a delicious breakfast. One of the restaurants is not really a proper restaurant but rather a “Pop Up" farm-to-table kind of dining experience, in an orchard on their grounds. It operates 3 times weekly, and it is not only delicious but also a good opportunity to meet and mingle with one's fellow guests, as the seating is at a long wooden table, and with the chefs. We enjoyed this experience. The most remarkable characteristic of Phāea Blue is the attitude of the staff. Every staff member we met was extremely good willed, accommodating and generous. One service that was a bit disappointing was the spa. This place is known for its spa that offers services beyond massages (we tried a deep tissue massage, and it was very good) the spa offers services such as jacuzzi etc. but apparently, the actual spa is being renovated and is temporarily closed, so we had no access to these amenities.. However, on the whole we very much enjoyed our stay at Phāea Blue.

We had the most magical stay at Phaea Blue – it truly felt like a dream! From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel so warmly welcomed, and every detail of the resort was just perfect. The atmosphere is calm and elegant, with breathtaking views that instantly put you into vacation mode. One of the absolute highlights was the Phāea Farmers Feast – such a unique and beautiful experience. Sharing an authentic Cretan dinner under the stars, with local produce and heartwarming stories, was unforgettable. We also loved the caique experience, exploring the coastline and swimming in the clearest blue waters – it felt like a private slice of paradise. Our room was stylish and comfortable, with thoughtful touches that made it hard to leave. The food, cocktails, and service were consistently amazing, and we could feel the love and care that goes into everything here. A stay at Phaea Blue isn’t just a holiday – it’s a soulful experience that stays with you. Can’t wait to return! 💙

One of the best experiences (if not the best) of 2025 for me. We stayed at Phaea Blue in July 2025 with my husband and our dog, and it was amazing. Our room with a private pool was beautiful, and the hotel’s location in a quiet bay with sea views is just perfect. The restaurants were a real highlight. The seafood taverna by the water was unforgettable, and the steak at the meat restaurant was honestly one of the best we’ve ever had. The staff were so kind and attentive, making us feel completely at home. The private beach is lovely, only a few minutes’ walk from the room. It’s clean, quiet, with crystal-clear water and easy access to swim either from the pier or the steps. We also booked a yacht trip through the hotel, which turned out to be an incredible experience with stunning views of Crete’s east coast and swimming in a hidden turquoise bay. This place really exceeded our expectations. We would love to come back, and I’ve already recommended it to friends.