This year our summer vacation had to be special, as we had not been on vacation for 2 years and it was also going to be our honeymoon. After months of intense searching, we realized that no other place would be better for us at this given moment that an island in Greece.
Having limited the location to a specific country, we had to choose an island. But it was so difficult since Greece is known for its gorgeous islands. So we thought that it is not a coincidence that everyone suggested Crete. But then we had to find the perfect resort that would be perfect for us in terms of location, food, amenities, and overall appearance. At some miraculous point, I found the Royal Blue Resort and boy was I right since we plan to go back next year.
So, let´s break down the reasons why I would highly recommend this resort.
Overall Appearance & Location
The resort looked beautiful in all the pictures I found online, and it was the main reason why we booked it. Of course, when we arrived, we were honestly speechless, since it was beautifully designed with gorgeous decoration details all around. The pictures, in fact, somewhat lacked in showing all of its beauty.
It is located in Panormo, 23 minutes away from Rethimno and 1 hour from Heraklio. The location is perfect since it is far away from tourist sites or crowded areas, so you get to fully relax in quiet.
Gold Package
The other main reason that we decided to book this resort is that we booked a Gold Package of various amenities in it, such as private pool, breakfast in the room, all-inclusive (breakfast, lunch, dinner), thalassotherapy and a back massage for each person for free, private romantic dinner while watching the sunset, welcome & goodbye gift, free transportation from and to the airport, and many other delightful things.
Turns out the package was so worth it for everything it offered. Some may not seem so important, but when you want to simply relax and recharge, you will use all of them. Besides the massages that were much needed, the free transportation to the airport was a great perk, since we had a very early flight, and with one hour of sleep, we were definitely not able to drive for one hour.
Facilities & Hotel App
The resort has a private beach, 38 pools (shared & individual), 4 restaurants, 3 bars, 2 tennis courts, a playground, spa, gym, hair salon, parking, and a mini-market among others. You can also rent a car or bike through the hotel, or enjoy a tour of the island by yacht or mountain bike. All rooms are equipped with air-conditioning, satellite TV, spacious bathrooms with two washbasins and music, bathrobes, and other elegant amenities.
It is worth mentioning that upon check-in, you are given a special code to enter their app on site. The app has a map of the hotel and actually guides you on how to go to places (the resort is enormous). You can also check for any type of events on the bars or restaurants, find out about any spa offers and basically order anything you want to either come to your room or to the public pools.
Food
Oh, the food! It was exquisite. Breakfast and dinner were served in the form of a buffet in the Symposium restaurant, with endless options. The food, as well as the desserts, were simply incredible. One evening they had Asian cuisine, which I am not really a fan of, but it did not disappoint.
Lunch was served in the EORA restaurant, and you could choose anything you wanted from the menu. Since we were there, we basically picked something different each day, so we tried the whole menu. The octopus and the fried squid turn out to be some of the best seafood we ever had. And of course, we always ended our lunch with their delicious chocolate soufflé.
The Main Pool
For the main pool, I only have one word! Stunning… Keep in mind that we had our own private pool, but many times we were going there for a few hours. It was that good!! A huge pool with a panoramic view of the sea, umbrellas, recliners and a pool bar.
You could enjoy your amazing Rakito (Mojito with Raki), which was quite refreshing while sunbathing at some of the most comfortable recliners and swimming without ever getting bored. Going from one side of the pool to the other would take some time unless you are a professional swimmer.
Our Room
I have to say that there was a mistake with our booking. I thought I had booked a room with a private pool with a view of the sea and I had confirmed it with the reception. Somewhere in between one of us did not understand and we ended up with a room without sea view, but with a big bush hiding all view. It turned out to be better since we had more privacy and not people passing by every second. The room was being cleaned to perfection about two times per day. The bed was like sleeping in clouds. Insanely comfy and really big.
The room was quite spacious with satellite TV, a big bathroom with anything we might need in it, bathrobes, towels for the pool, coffee and little honeymoon treats, and of course Raki. Because when in Crete, you are bound to have raki everywhere you go. In the garden, we had a small lounge area and then 2 recliners and a pool that looked quite small at the beginning, but it really wasn’t.
Sunset Madness & Nightfall Colors
When the sun sets, the whole resort transforms into something majestic. People have left the pools and beach and are getting ready for dinner and a night out. Everything is empty, yet so calm and quiet, with only the sound of the sea and the crickets.
Combine this noise with the stunning sunset that lights up everything in a very romantic and mysterious way and you have a perfect evening. During that time you just wanted to photograph all corners of the resort, but it is impossible to capture the view and the feeling. At nightfall, the hotel lit up with beautiful colors all around, allowing you to walk through at any time.
Would I Recommend?
Hell yes! I am going back next year!! I have never relaxed so much in a vacation. We usually explore every new place, but this time we barely left the resort. Our day was full of relaxing things, swimming, drinking cocktails, eating delicious food and at night there was always something going around the hotel.
Resorts usually offer you everything you might need, so you do not have to leave if you do not want to. The Royal Blue exceeded our expectations and we were thrilled with the impeccable service and pampering from everyone!
