Enjoying 5-star luxury in Crete with my mum and Jet2Holidays | AD
Soooo… Let’s talk about Greece, eh? Have you ever been? Where did you go? What did you think? I was 6-years old when my family first started to make the most of the free child places that package holidays to Greece used to offer back in the early 90s. I guess this was a strategic marketing ploy to tempt British families like ours and make it more affordable to book flights from Manchester airport, and explore foreign shores.
Back then, when it came to the hotels we stayed in, it was almost always a fairly basic 2-3 star self-catering set up. The cheapest my family could afford, we weren’t rich by any stretch of the imagination. My Nan and Grandad would even bring along their mates too, so that we could save even more money with extra free child places. Savvy eh?
Royal Blue Resort, Crete
Our first-ever holiday was to Paphos in Cyprus, and I can clearly remember staying at The Seagull Hotel. I remember the exotic springiness of the grass under my bare feet, as I ran from our apartment to the pool each morning, and played games late into the evening with my new friends and soon-to-be pen pals.
Over the years, I’ve been extremely fortunate to visit a good handful of Greek Islands, with and without my family.
Which ones have I been to so far, you ask? Cyprus, Zakynthos (Zante), Crete, Skiathos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, AntiParos, Santorini, Serifos and Athens (now THAT is an incredible City Break destination – steeped in history, super affordable and really easy to navigate yourself around.)
When the lovely David from Jet2Holidays reached out to me a month or so, asking whether I would be open and interested in working with them to review a Jet2 holiday to either Santorini or Crete with Jet2 flights from Manchester, I practically bit his hand off!
Quickly scouring the Jet2 website, I found myself pouring over so many gorgeous options to choose from! I put myself a little brief together. What did my dream hotel need to have? Well, ideally, as it was just 4-nights, I wanted a bit of luxury… nothing too eye-wateringly expensive, but it had to have a Spa, beautifully decorated rooms and – to save a bit of money – a minimum of half-board as a catering option.
Having been to Crete a couple of times before, I knew the island had a lot to offer. The first time I visited was when I was 11 years old with family, and then again when I was 18. We had booked a cheap package holiday to to Malia, on a wild end-of-school trip with friends. You know the sort!
I looked at the options for Santorini too – a stunning island in itself, and very popular during the height of summer – and reasoned that Santorini would be a bit more expensive, in terms of dining out etc. My +1 for the trip? My mum. And she would be the first to tell you how much of a fussy eater she is. Knowing that Santorini offered more hotels that were Room Only or Bed & Breakfast, I decided to free myself of traipsing around the island each night, bypassing restaurants with fancy menus full of delicious ‘catch of the day’ fresh fish, as mum won’t eat any of it… and instead, focus on Crete Hotels instead.
It wasn’t until I found myself deep into my holiday search that I noticed something surprising. Did you know that Jet2 – an airline I had always thought of as synonymous with affordable, budget package holidays ALSO offer a category called Luxe Holidays and Indulgence Holidays, featuring a stunning selection of high-end 4-star and 5-star hotels? As it happens, as a destination, the island is pretty steeped in 4-star and 5-star Crete Hotels, and it was through this search that I stumbled upon a Jet2Holidays luxe option called The Royal Blue, an aptly named hotel with ocean views, a staggering 38 central, shared and private pools and its own secluded beach in the Panormo/Rythmno area. WOW! This was THE ONE!
We were able to secure a Superior Room with Garden Room with Sharing Pool, the perfect place to enjoy our very own floating breakfast complete with Greek Sparkling Wine (International Sparkling is also an option, for those who are less adventurous.)
From the moment we checked in at Manchester Airport, we were greeted with a warm welcome by the Jet2 team. Nope! They didn’t treat me differently because they knew I was there to review the trip, this is how they treat all Jet2 customers. According to my new neighbour Tony, anyway! Him and his missus always fly with Jet2 for their exemplary customer service alone.
Ahead of our flight, to get us both into holiday mode, we had booked the Escape Lounge. For about £35pp you can enjoy fast-track security privileges, a breakfast buffet, and a glass of fizz or two to begin your holiday. Note: The Escape and Aspire Lounges are also accessible to particular credit card customers, but it is not guaranteed that you will be granted entry if they are already at capacity. Therefore, during peak season and busy periods, it’s highly advisable to book your lounge access in advance.
Jet2Holidays offer a number of extras that you can add on your trip to enhance the experience. We selected a couple of hot meals for our afternoon flight out from Manchester to Heraklion Airport. A roast chicken dinner for my mum, and a beef stew for me.
The flight was smooth, and stress-free. On arrival in Crete, it was no time at all before we picked up our bags from the small luggage carousel at Heraklion Airport and were outside in the warm night air, being greeted warmly by a lovely Jet2 rep. As part of the package, we had transfers from the airport to the hotel included. I was expecting a huge coach, as you’d usually get, instead it was a fancy little Mercedes mini bus with blacked out windows, fancy strip lights illuminating the interior and a rather dashing young Greek driver called Giorgio - who promptly handed us a bottle of ice-cold water each – in exchange for a boiled sweet my mum had bought a duty free on the way out.
By the time we arrived at The Royal Blue it was past 10pm, we checked in at the hotel reception and then were taken by a driver and buggy to our room. The hotel grounds looked pretty all lit up at night, and we looked forward to seeing them in the sunshine the following morning. As the restaurant was no longer serving food by the time we were all settled in, the hotel had left us a chicken Caesar wrap in our room and a plate of macaroons and fresh fruit. Delicious!
Over the course of the next 4-days, we familiarised ourselves with the hotel surrounds, spent long afternoons on the private beach, sunbathing, chatting and enjoying some quality mother-daughter time. My fave thing at The Royal Blue was the little button that you can press on your sun umbrella to call for a waiter and order your food and drinks! Now THAT is pretty luxurious eh?
The Royal Blue is a family-run hotel and is impeccably maintained. It attracts a combination of loved-up couples, heart-eyed honeymooners, and families. The resort itself is pretty vast and has a plethora of hotels to choose from – at an extra cost, if you would like to try something outside of their expansive and high-quality buffet offering. Like I said, even my mum who is pretty discerning about what she eats managed to pile her plate high with food at both breakfast and dinner, and get her fill. She was super impressed!
If you’re looking to explore the Island of Crete more, there are lots of great historic excursions and opportunities for adventure to choose from. I can highly recommend the 4x4 Jeep Tour, a trip to a local Vineyard, for a sun-soaked intro to Greek wines. You can also take a day trip to Santorini and even try diving, if that takes your fancy!
The furthest we ventured – having taken quite a liking to the hotel beach – was a day trip into Rethymnon Old Town. The memories of wandering around its Venetian Harbour and tiny pink-Bougainville lined streets came flooding back from family holidays in years gone by. We had a lovely time, mum and I, peering into the many quaint restaurants, scouring antique shops for hidden gems and having drinks in Antika – a cool AF Irish Bar that plays rock music. I also bought some Hamman style towels from a local stall selling handmade lace and crochet, which the owner proudly informed me had been made my her and her sister.
The taxi ride into Rethymnon Old Town from The Royal Blue cost us around EUR 25 each way. But you can also hire a car for your stay or take the local bus service too. It’s definitely worth a visit!
All in all, we had a rather blissful time on the Island of Crete and I am sure it won’t be the last time we come and stay here. Maybe next time I’ll try somewhere on the west or south of the island. During my initial pre-holiday excitement, I’d searched the #Crete hashtag on Instagram and fallen in love with the sight of some spectacular beaches. If you’re going to hire a car, plan a drive to Seitan Limania Beach, Elafonisi Beach (the famous Cretan pink sand beach), Kedrodasos Beach,the Palm Tree-lined Preveli Beach, and Falasarna Beach. Utter paradise awaits!
P.s. If you’re staying at Royal Blue Resort, be sure to book your beauty and spa treatment in early. It gets booked up quickly as it is so popular! I enjoyed a traditional Greek Thalasso hot shell full body massage and my mum had a luxurious glacier facial 180 EUR for the two treatments.
Venetian Harbour, Rethymnon Old Town
If hunting for rare Vintage gems or browsing in Antique shops are your thing, you’ll love Rethymnon Old Town
Antika Bar, Rethymnon Old Town - a MUST-VIST Irish bar with an eclectic decor, and walls lined with more interesting antiques and irish proverbs than you can shake a stick at - set off nicely with a brilliant rock & roll back drop. Buy a yourself a Guinness and enjoy the aircon!
So many cool #Super_OrdinaryLife-able shots to capture in Crete!
Sunset at Royal Blue Resort never fails to impress! Get there early at Symposia restaurant for a table in the far corner with a sunset ocean view.
Disclaimer: Thank you to Jet2Holidays for the opportunity to partner with you and take my mum on her first-ever 5-star holiday! She’s already been searching for where she can go next!
