Oros Luxury Beach Resort

Our two-year-old LOVED the kids’ club and Anna, who made her feel at ease on her first day. After that, she couldn’t wait to see her new friend. Leaving was emotional because we made good friends. The hotel caters well to children, with free pizza every day at 12, plus free juice, water, and ice cream. It’s a shame the adults-only rule was introduced at the better pool halfway through our stay after people complained, since this isn’t an adults-only hotel. It’d be nice to have lounge beds by the kids’ pool too. We arrived in late August, and everything was lovely, though we’d had doubts after booking because the hotel hadn’t been built yet, followed by a delayed opening. We booked a sea-view room, but that description was confusing because most rooms mostly face the mountains, with just an inch of sea visible. I asked reception to switch us, and they were excellent about moving us the next day to 3111, the view pictured below. The reception area was clean, and our room was cleaned daily. The whole hotel looks great, with lovely sea views from reception, the breakfast area, and the pool. We’ll definitely visit OROS again x

The staff made it a great family holiday. Everyone was so friendly and helpful, from the restaurant teams to the lovely kids’ club staff, who kept the little ones entertained and gave us grown-ups a few hours to fully relax. We’d happily come back, thank you! The resort facilities are awesome, with great rooms, nice pools, and wonderful views from all areas. We also enjoyed the all-inclusive option, which was new for us. Since it’s just an option, there are a la carte restaurants as well, serving truly wonderful food. With about 180 rooms, the hotel didn’t feel overcrowded, and we could always find nice tables and benches.

It was really quiet, and only a 15-minute drive from Rethymnon, so the location suited us perfectly. We stayed at Oros Hotel in October and really enjoyed it. It had opened only a few months earlier and was very stylish. The food was excellent, and service was attentive and kind, especially from the breakfast and dinner waiters. The front desk staff could probably use a bit more training on what to do in the area and in Heraklion, but we managed fine. The pool area was quite large, though the kids’ pool and indoor pool were too cold for our children.

What made our stay especially memorable was the staff. Everyone went out of their way to help, with a real can-do spirit that seemed to come from General Manager Manolesakis Nikolaos, whom we met several times. So many people deserve a mention, especially at reception. We spoke daily with the restaurant team, including Georgia, Dennis and Katerina, who all made the stay special. We’d just got home after 11 nights in a Deluxe Double Room with sea view, half board. The hotel had opened this year, so a few minor things still needed sorting, but they barely affected the high-quality experience. Facilities were superb and all new. The rooms are arranged in rows along the hillside. We stayed in the third, currently the highest row in use. Levels four and five are built but not yet in use, and a sixth seems to be under construction. We didn’t notice any building work, and it would have been well away from occupied rooms. Each row so far has two floors: rooms with private splash pools below, and rooms with balconies above. Ours was spacious and modern, with a comfortable bed, two washbasins, a large shower, and a good-sized balcony with chairs, a table, and lovely sea and mountain views. Food at the buffet restaurant was excellent, with a huge range to suit different tastes, and the kitchen was spotless. The weather stayed dry, so we always ate on the outdoor patio, which has far-reaching sea views. We also tried the Greek and Sushi specialty restaurants. Booking was easy, and we particularly enjoyed the delicious Greek food. The main adults-only pool was a good size, with plenty of sunbeds. Some people found the water a bit chilly, though it’s all right once you’re in. A second pool lower down, beside the main road, allows children and is a little shallower, but still deep enough for adults to swim. There’s also a separate children’s paddling pool. Traffic noise was noticeable at the second pool, probably the only area where we heard it, but we soon got used to it. That pool is in a greener, more natural setting. Although the hotel is on a hillside, lifts take you down from our room level almost to the beach. You do need to walk between lifts, but usually on only gentle slopes. A tunnel leads to the beach sun loungers, so there’s no need to cross a main road. The buildings and facilities are top class, and we have no hesitation recommending this great hotel.