Hotel Panorama

It as our last day at the Panoramic as a family of 10, ages ranging from 70 to 2. We have been here for 2 weeks and had a lovely time. Let’s start with the positives: 1. Amazing views from all parts of the hotel. 2. Very clean, all parts of the hotel and the rooms. 3. Very good food, smaller selection than other AI hotels we’ve stayed at but all very fresh and something for everyone. 4. Great outdoor eating area again with amazing views. 5. Drinks good. 6. Most staff very friendly. 7. Lovely beach 10 mins in a taxi, 7 euros. 8. Lovely pools for adults and kids 9. Nice play area. 10. Very peaceful. And the negatives: 1. Entertainment - there isn’t any! There is some advertised and we had the occasional piano player but nothing to speak of. 2. Kids club - what a joke. There is a dingy area in the basement with a few machines. We went to the mini disco one night and they played one song, the 2 very young animators are the worst we have ever come across. They did absolutely nothing with the kids, one night they advertised kids dancing but were just sitting around so I asked if they were starting, they then disappeared from half an hour and when they came back the kids had lost interest and were tired. 3. Location - getting in and out of the hotel is a feat in itself, the approach is a very steep drive. You can get out via a road bridge but this is very difficult to find. The road outside is very difficult to cross. The hotel advertise a beach across the road but it is tiny and not suitable for children. We like to have a walk out of an evening but this is not practical as there are very few bars, shops nearby. On the whole this is a lovely hotel, and as a large party we made our own entertainment but we met a young couple with a 5 and a 1 year old who actually went home early due to the location and lack of entertainment. If you are happy just having a really lazy week and not venturing out too much, this may be the hotel for you.

We spent five nights at the Panorama and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The view from our room was breathtaking (Room 346), our room was a large corner room with views of the ocean and mountains behind the resort. The room was dated and smelt musty at the start of our stay, but it’s size and view outweighed any negatives. Note also that there is a 3 euro per night charge for a room safe, which we hadn’t encountered at other hotels in Greece. The food and wine were plentiful with lots of choice, and the staff in the restaurant and pool and lobby bars were all charming and helpful. Our only comment was that the dining area should have a seperate smoking area - several guests smoked during meal times. The highlight for us was the Greek night (included but you need to pre-book) - the room was beautifully set, the food was memorable and the staff were lovely. A night to remember. We took the bus to Chania town, (buy discounted tickets from reception), the bus stops at the gate. We also did two day trips on the Fun Train - reception were very helpful and took our booking, the train picks you up at the gate. For 19 Euro per tour it was the highlight of our time in Chania, 3 hours exploring villages and the countryside - perfect day out! Overall we had little to fault and loved our stay.

I really enjoyed my week at the Panorama hotel. A fairly small hotel for an all inclusive style, nevertheless has everything you need for a sunshine break. All staff were friendly and efficient. The pool was immaculate and there were many sunbeds (comfortable sunbeds) available. In fact everywhere was clean and tidy though I did not see any cleaning staff until the last day when we went for breakfast early and caught the staff cleaning and polishing. They disappear during the day. There was also plenty of comfortable seating in the bar. We ate outside all week as we had great weather but I'm not sure there is sufficient dining space if the weather turns nasty. Buffet serving area is small with lots of choice. Food is put out in small batches which means food is fresh but may involve a short delay waiting replenishment, not a problem. Our room on the first floor was comfortable and spacious with a patio and excellent wifi (throughout the hotel). As we had a late deal we did not have the option of "Panorama blue" upgrade. They have their own pool and lounge. Not sure it would be worth the extra expense. There are a few "swim up" rooms with their own private pool and patios. I would certainly be interested in those if I returned to this hotel. The beach across the road looked very stony and few braved it so I would not think in terms of a beach holiday for kids without a car to reach better facilities. There are a couple of shops within walking distance but otherwise the hotel is away from other services, there is a regular bus route to local towns.