Sep 21, 2014, 10:38 am
[LEFT Marriott; to become Rosewood] Blue Palace, Crete, Greece [Master Thread]
Mar 31, 2014, 7:47 am
#211
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: PHL
Programs: Marriott Lifetime PLT
Posts: 1,229
Personally, we found the food at the hotel (other then breakfast) to be subpar, even if you ignored the prices.
If you have bikes you could bike to Elounda (its closeby), but it may not be the most pleasant ride. We walked it one day.
Mar 31, 2014, 12:42 pm
#212
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Food and beverage...in this case referring to outside restaurants, though often the terms is used in reference to hotel services and charges.
Thanks, doc, for this info. A couple of questions (in preparation for our visit in September):
1. Any particular types of food/restaurants you recommend in Elounda?
2. I assume that the walk is unpleasant if the bike ride is that way. But what's it more specifically like and how long does it take?
The village of Plaka is a short walk and has EXCELLENT fresh seafood. If you want something else though, it is well worth a cab ride to Elounda, which is 10 minutes away. Unfortunately we didn't discover until the end of our stay that the food there was much better, and the lower prices more then made up for the cab price.
Personally, we found the food at the hotel (other then breakfast) to be subpar, even if you ignored the prices.
If you have bikes you could bike to Elounda (its closeby), but it may not be the most pleasant ride. We walked it one day.
Personally, we found the food at the hotel (other then breakfast) to be subpar, even if you ignored the prices.
If you have bikes you could bike to Elounda (its closeby), but it may not be the most pleasant ride. We walked it one day.
1. Any particular types of food/restaurants you recommend in Elounda?
2. I assume that the walk is unpleasant if the bike ride is that way. But what's it more specifically like and how long does it take?
Mar 31, 2014, 4:38 pm
#213
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,965
2. It is about a 45 minute walk from the hotel to Elounda. It is very flat and along the sea....but there are no sidewalks and could be an occasional car or bus lumbering by. I think it would be fine by bicycle if you could find them.
Apr 21, 2014, 6:37 pm
#214
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: ECP
Programs: DL Diamond
Posts: 1,658
Would it be suitable for a jog, you think?
Apr 21, 2014, 6:40 pm
#215
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
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Posts: 10,820
1. I am not a fan of Elounda....so I will let others answer. The 3 or 4 waterfront restaurants in Plaka are lovely.
2. It is about a 45 minute walk from the hotel to Elounda. It is very flat and along the sea....but there are no sidewalks and could be an occasional car or bus lumbering by. I think it would be fine by bicycle if you could find them.
2. It is about a 45 minute walk from the hotel to Elounda. It is very flat and along the sea....but there are no sidewalks and could be an occasional car or bus lumbering by. I think it would be fine by bicycle if you could find them.
May 5, 2014, 4:59 pm
#217
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Amex Platinum, SPG Platinum, HHonors Gold, Global Entry
Posts: 151
Rental Car
Hi,
My future wife and I will be staying at the Blue Palace for our honeymoon this July for 5 days.
I have read mixed reviews about the need to have a car during your stay there. Could anyone who has recently stayed there provide their thoughts on renting a car at HER for those 5 days.
Thanks!
My future wife and I will be staying at the Blue Palace for our honeymoon this July for 5 days.
I have read mixed reviews about the need to have a car during your stay there. Could anyone who has recently stayed there provide their thoughts on renting a car at HER for those 5 days.
Thanks!
May 5, 2014, 5:41 pm
#218
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Benicia, California, USA
Programs: AA PLT,AS,UA PP,J6,FB,EY,LH,SQ,HH Dmd,Hyatt Glbl,Marriott Plat,IHG Plat,Accor Gold
Posts: 10,820
Hi,
My future wife and I will be staying at the Blue Palace for our honeymoon this July for 5 days.
I have read mixed reviews about the need to have a car during your stay there. Could anyone who has recently stayed there provide their thoughts on renting a car at HER for those 5 days.
Thanks!
My future wife and I will be staying at the Blue Palace for our honeymoon this July for 5 days.
I have read mixed reviews about the need to have a car during your stay there. Could anyone who has recently stayed there provide their thoughts on renting a car at HER for those 5 days.
Thanks!
Well, I haven't stayed there yet, though I'll be doing so with my wife for five days in September. Especially given that it's your honeymoon, I don't think a car is necessary unless the rental is considerably cheaper than arranging a ride back and forth from HER to the hotel. The hotel sounds like an extremely pleasant place to hang out. For eating off-site, the small town of Plaka and its good tavernas is an easy stroll away and the larger tourist town of Elounda an easy taxi ride. If you want to so some tourist stuff, you can hop a boat across to the island that you gaze at from the hotel.
May 5, 2014, 6:09 pm
#219
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: LEJ BRU
Posts: 1,157
Hi,
My future wife and I will be staying at the Blue Palace for our honeymoon this July for 5 days.
I have read mixed reviews about the need to have a car during your stay there. Could anyone who has recently stayed there provide their thoughts on renting a car at HER for those 5 days.
Thanks!
My future wife and I will be staying at the Blue Palace for our honeymoon this July for 5 days.
I have read mixed reviews about the need to have a car during your stay there. Could anyone who has recently stayed there provide their thoughts on renting a car at HER for those 5 days.
Thanks!
May 5, 2014, 7:41 pm
#220
Join Date: May 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, WN A+, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Amb, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,129
Echo this comment. Great resort with a small town along the beach. If you're a bit more adventurous, Crete is beautiful to explore to and from HER. Enjoy!
May 5, 2014, 10:31 pm
#221
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,965
We just got back a few days ago from the AghiosNikolaos/Elounda/Plaka area.
We have visited many times and still find Plaka to be small and charming. (Aghios Nikolaos has been ruined by one day cruise line stops....I never liked Elounda.)
Honeymoon or not...rent a car! Eastern Crete is beautiful and warrants driving its coastline and exploring its hills. We fell madly in love with Crete the farther east we went.....Sitia ( like Agios Nikolaos 25 years ago...and much better food!) , Paleokastro ( extraordinary beaches) and Kata Zakros...unparalleled beauty with an end of the earth sacred experience.
To just hang out at the Blue Palace for 5 days....honeymoon or not...... seems a shame.
Just my two Euros.....
We have visited many times and still find Plaka to be small and charming. (Aghios Nikolaos has been ruined by one day cruise line stops....I never liked Elounda.)
Honeymoon or not...rent a car! Eastern Crete is beautiful and warrants driving its coastline and exploring its hills. We fell madly in love with Crete the farther east we went.....Sitia ( like Agios Nikolaos 25 years ago...and much better food!) , Paleokastro ( extraordinary beaches) and Kata Zakros...unparalleled beauty with an end of the earth sacred experience.
To just hang out at the Blue Palace for 5 days....honeymoon or not...... seems a shame.
Just my two Euros.....
May 6, 2014, 1:22 am
#222
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Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Ideally you will have a corporate discount with Avis or Hertz, etc. And use an Amex or some credit card that provides rental insurance so you don't have to pay extra. Given that, it's cheaper than using a taxi.
May 6, 2014, 6:41 am
#223
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
Posts: 8,965
We used Cretarent. The price was better than Avis and Hertz, includes ALL insurance, the car was clean and fairly new, and most importantly their rep meets you right outside baggage claim and whisked us to our car.....I noticed quite a line at the Avis and Hertz desks. They do like to be paid in cash though...which is standard for most of the smaller family run companies in Greece.
Jun 10, 2014, 9:58 am
#224
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: ECP
Programs: DL Diamond
Posts: 1,658
Hotel quoted 90 Euro e/w for Mercedes car transfer from HER which seems unusually reasonable for:
-Europe
-1 hour+ ride
-Booking through hotel
In general, I prefer to book through the hotel whenever possible as I think it may help upgrade chances if they know you're on the way and "pre" process your checkin vs other guests in third party transport.
Is 90 Euro a reasonable deal or am I much better off just walking out of the hotel and getting in a taxi line?
-Europe
-1 hour+ ride
-Booking through hotel
In general, I prefer to book through the hotel whenever possible as I think it may help upgrade chances if they know you're on the way and "pre" process your checkin vs other guests in third party transport.
Is 90 Euro a reasonable deal or am I much better off just walking out of the hotel and getting in a taxi line?
Jun 10, 2014, 10:22 am
#225
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: LEJ BRU
Posts: 1,157
90€ is a reasonable deal. Last year I took a pre-booked taxi after some shopping around from HER to Blue Palace for 80€. I paid the 90€ back for the convenience to just hop on a car without the pre-booking hassle. The car type is the same Benz for taxi or hotel transfer.