Nalu Resort & Spa

We were initially greeted with great hospitality and shown to our room. Unfortunately, we should have realized once we were taken to the elevator that we were not getting the room advertised online, but we were too polite to speak up immediately. We arrived at a small room with a balcony and a 9ft plunge pool to the left, not the double premium room with a large open layout and large private swimming pool as advertised. When we asked why we had been placed in a different room and kindly requested the one we booked, we were told this was an "upgrade". We politely asked again for our original room, as advertised, and were told to check back the next day to see if it was available. When we returned the next day, staff claimed the images online were references only rather than the actual rooms provided (I know...). They explained there are three room variations but only one is advertised, with our smaller plunge-pool room being one of them unadvertised (guess they have been asked that question a lot) and admitted the advertised rooms were already occupied by other guests but not over booked... They maintained this was a complimentary upgrade, but calling it an upgrade does not make it one when it is smaller and offers less, even if the owner says it costs more. (If I was in the original premium room and they asked me to move into that small room as an "upgraded", I'd refuse, anyone would). Once again, we were told to return later when the manager arrived. Feeling dismissed, we contacted Booking.com directly for assistance. Following that exchange, Nalu offered us two options: vacate the hotel entirely, or stay in the current room and move to one with a shared pool three days later, a downgrade, but no offer of a fee reduction. Honestly, I might have accepted that compromise if we hadn't been repeatedly misled. The reservation manager did try and explain the issues and when she was asked why we could not stay the room we originally paid for, she claimed the rooms were occupied but not overbooked, raising the question of how a room can be booked twice without being overbooked.. Ultimately Booking.com cancelled our stay for a refund, be it without our consent, but this was the best action. The receptionist was so very kind and helpful throughout, even booking us a taxi to The Royal Senses Resort just 10 minutes up the road. An amazing alternative stay, their service, rooms, pool, food, and attentiveness were outstanding. They couldnt do enough. It is not about the money, it is about the lack of transparency and blatant disregard for the guest. It takes only five minutes to say, "We are sorry, we overbooked, but we have this alternative room available at a lower rate until your premium room is free" to which I gladly would have told them to keep the difference. Maybe they should advertise that room separately because we cant see it online and it is definitely not the pictured delux or premium rooms as advertised, we have checked all available room variations on booking.com, nothing.

Our stay at Nalu Resort and Spa was incredible. The location was great, with plenty of tasty local restaurants and well-stocked shops literally at your doorstep. There is also a bus stop just a couple of minutes down the road with a "supermarket" beside it to buy your tickets at. The room was slightly on the small side, which was hard to tell from photos before arriving, but not ridiculously small and still comfortable enough. Privacy could be an issue if not staying with a romantic partner, as the toilet and shower are open with glass doors. The service was absolutely superb; every single member of staff we interacted with during our stay was so friendly and happy to help with absolutely anything. The hotel grounds themselves were also very nice, with an abundance of comfy sunbeds and cabanas both by the pools and on the beach, meaning you're never stuck to find one. The grounds and rooms are also extremely clean and well kept. We personally only stayed with half board, so I can't speak for the dinner restaurant; however, the breakfast bar was absolutely amazing with a huge selection of delicious foods, both Greek and international. The chef was also quite friendly and happy to tell you what dish was what if you were unsure and clearly is passionate about his food. Overall, I would absolutely highly recommend this hotel to anyone staying in Crete, especially couples, as I honestly don't know what more you could ask for from a hotel.

We stayed at Nalu in August 2026 for 5 nights and wouldn't recommend the hotel for various reasons: 🌊 The room category "Double Room Sharing Pool with Side Sea View" is misleading. Some rooms in this category (e.g. 101/102) face a wall, and even in our room (105) there was only a distant, minimal glimpse of the ocean from one end of the terrace. 🛏️ The website advertises a king-size bed with twin beds available on request. We did not request twin beds but were given them regardless. 🦠 The room had a noticeable smell of mold. 🧳 Storage space in the room was very limited: no shelving, and a wardrobe where the hangers didn't even properly fit. 🪑 The room was really small, therefore only one side of the bed had a nightstand. 🏖️ Pool loungers were routinely reserved early in the morning despite this being against the posted pool rules, and this was not enforced by staff. 📋 The app and the printed in-room material listed different check-out times, which led to some confusion at check-out. (Including calls from the reception and housekeeping entering the room without knocking.) ☕ Breakfast coffee (from the self-service machines) was honestly the worst we've had in any hotel. 🍽️ Dinner starters, desserts, and wine selection were good, but main courses were often lukewarm to cold and tasteless. ✅ On the positive side, staff were generally friendly and attentive, the spa treatments were good, and the resort grounds and beach area were attractive. ⚠️ Complaint handling: We raised our issues with the room during the stay at reception. The handling was not really satisfying — we were told they'd get back to us, which they never did, and no solution was offered. When addressing our feedback in writing after the stay (as staff had asked us to), the response was rather disappointing: - Regarding the sea view: "The term 'side sea view' does not imply a direct or panoramic sea view." - Regarding the mold smell: "...we have no indication that Room 105 was considered unsuitable for accommodation during your stay." - Regarding other issues like the coffee: "While some of these points relate to the individual design and operational concept of the resort rather than a deficiency..." 😉 Bad coffee is apparently part of their concept.

Super cozy place! We went there for dinner 3 times. Food was average, not exceptionel as the surroundings.

Following a substandard stay, an honest review was submitted through the booking platform. Hotel management subsequently contacted us, discussed the issues, and agreed in writing to a 50% refund to be processed within 10 days. The refund was not issued within the stated timeframe. Subsequent inquiries have been met with delayed responses claiming the status is being checked, followed by a complete cessation of communication. It has now been 5 weeks since the agreement was made, and the refund remains unpaid with all communication currently being ignored. Future guests should be aware that agreed-upon resolutions may not be honored.