Phāea Blue Palace

The hotel is splendid location is far from everything but it is great

This was our third time at the Blue Palace Hotel and we were full of expectation. At first we were a little confused, as the concept had been fundamentally changed and half of the previous area had been separated off. At first it looked like a building site and disappointment. But that changed quickly. The hotel has become quieter, clearer and more exclusive. The new concept has become more sustainable and, in a positive sense, more authentic. The staff are highly professional, friendly and hospitable. The rooms are well-kept and tastefully furnished. The cuisine in the Anthos and Blue Door restaurants is excellent and the grounds are lovingly maintained. In short: the hotel has won with the new concept and is highly recommended in every respect. If you are looking for a luxurious, relaxing holiday with peace and quiet in a paradisiacal setting, this is the place for you. We will definitely be back.

Great place to relax an be spoiled by wonderful staff and adorable service! We came here for the third time and were thrilled to stay at one of the ocean view suites. We will come back for sure and will try to stay at the same room 😇🤗 Weather was fantastic and the ocean fresh and nice to swim in. Great food at Athos and Blue Door taverna … enjoy!

The location of Blue Palace is unbeatable in my opinion, overlooking Spinalonga island, a 5 minute walk into Plaka, and yet it also has a feeling of isolation which allowed me to immediately relax into my luxurious surrounds. I visited Blue Palace before when it was a much larger hotel. The new boutique hotel has kept all of the best features (dining outlets, private beach, great selection of accommodation types), and now these is an even more personal feeling. You quickly get to know the service staff, and they get to know you, and your preferences. 10/10 hospitality, as only the Cretans can!

It was in such a beautiful area, and they had wonderful and super kind staff. The food, both breakfast and dinner, was super delicious! One of the best hotel experiences i’ve ever had! My family and I had so much fun here. The view was the best, they had a beautiful lobby and pool area, and if we needed to call a taxi or book an experience the staff did everything.

The Phaea Blue Palace provides a wonderful overall experience in a superb location. Its facilities: the rooms; the restaurants; the bars; the spa; the grounds; and the beach are all outstanding. Each, immaculately well-kept and looked after. The décor is understated and entirely appropriate to the ambience the hotel succeeds in creating. The food is of the highest standard and each restaurant confers its own character on the menus. The cocktail menu includes numerous unique mixes and the wine list is extensive. It includes a wide variety of local vintages with the staff always happy to advise on selection. The pop up Farmers' restaurant in the organic garden serving traditional cuisine is a feast to behold and certainly should not be missed. The facilities are excellent, but it is the staff that make staying at this hotel an experience significantly above similar luxury establishments. Every department goes out of their way to look after you. We interacted with Housekeeping, Restaurants, Bars, Beach, Spa, Reception, Maintenance as well as the Management. In every case we received that same caring attitude from employees who are clearly proud of their hotel. This made all the difference to our stay with them and we fully intend to return.

I had previously been a guest of Blue Palace (2022 & 2023) and just came back from my first stay at Phāea Blue Palace. As I had heard about all the changes I was eager to find out how that would translate and how it would be a completely new experience. There is no question, Phāea Blue Palace is a different hotel which occupies one side only of the original Blue Palace. I was lucky enough to have a long chat with the front office manager who explained the transformation further. The owners essentially split the original resort into two hotels last October: Phāea Blue Palace (where we stayed) and the other part which is currently closed and will re-open under Rosewood from 2025 as a much bigger resort. He told us how the same Cretan family still owns both sides of the original resort and the daughters (who are now in charge) wanted to create a new and more intimate experience, like stepping into a private Cretan estate and I believe they succeeded very well. The entrance lobby (which is nowhere near where the older entrance was) is a wonderfully warm and welcoming space very tastefully designed with soft colours, big drapes mixed together with great modern lightings and furnitures which makes the place very current and up to date. Something I thought that was much needed at the old Blue Palace on my last visit last summer. This entrance is a real ‘living and mixing space’ leading on one side to the main signature restaurant Aethos where breakfast, lunch and dinners are served and opening to a very lifestyle (albeit expensive!) boutique on the other side and a great bar at the back. We liked the way they cleverly created different lounging areas within that space. It is serene and very welcoming. The upper level even led to a private small screen room and more lounging areas. Interestingly, I had never been to that side of the original resort on my previous visits. I understood from the Manager that the area where the heart of the resort and pool & outside bar now are, were little used before. On that side, the rooms and suites are set together in a very nice way with paths, steps and small road access with lush mature gardens all around which separates very naturally from what will become the Rosewood part. It does look very nice and feels small and private. Although we could see parts of the other part of the resort from our room, it is not too close as there are gardens in between. You don’t see it or very little from the rest of the grounds /hotel. Our room was at a lower level of the hill and offered views on the former Blue Palace part and the village of Plaka and a second balconnet with a view of the magical islet of Spinalonga. The room was very spacious, great bathroom & amazing tub with a view! Colours were subtle in a similar style as the former Blue Palace. We alternated between going to the reception/bar/restaurant/pool through the gardens or using the buggies on demand. No more funicular to the beach! They are creating

Crete is undoubtedly the greatest gateway to explore the Aegean and Blue Palace provides the perfect ambiance of serenity and relaxation ahead of our Greek holiday. With beautifully appointed suites, manicured grounds and idyllic views all around this gem of a hotel not only provided comfort but also some of the best authentic Mediterranean food we ever tasted. It is perfect for romantic getaways and also small groups seeking to "turn off" the World outside. A very special natural and historic element is the direct view of Spinalonga - the kind and friendly staff at Blue Palace are all ready to tell you all about it.

Phea Blue Palace was Truly a revelation for me. I knew they were rebranding the hotel, but I was pleased to see that the smaller boutique feel made my stay more personalized, with the suites and common areas feeling more elevated and luxurious. the views were amazing and the staff super friendly. Food was amazing, spa treatments were sublime, and the relaxation at the beach was EXACTLY what I needed. Spinalonga Island was also a fantastic day trip, and my only regret was that I couldn't stay longer.