TUI BLUE Insula Alba - Adults Only

First time staying in a TUi Blue resort and couldn’t fault it. Stayed in a Duplex Junior Suite - king bed upstairs and single downstairs and as I was travelling with my friend this room was perfect as we also had two bathrooms. The Reps were friendly and enthusiastic and always stopped to chat to the guests. The restaurant and reception staff were also great. Special mention to Manos and all the pool bar staff who were outstanding and genuinely look like they enjoy their job - always greeting guests with a smile and joke. Food in restaurant was nice but could get repetitive with lots of pork dishes. Also had a very good meal in Culinarium (apart from the chicken soup but the tomato soup was delicious). We enjoyed the entertainment especially the silent disco. We don’t often return to the same hotel but I would definitely return here and recommend to others! Well done to all staff x

The welcome is a mirror of the holiday. We were greeted at the calm and relaxing, rather heavenly reception. I write heavenly, as the decor is like a temple to peace; gentle yet crisp whites and golden wall displays with allusions to Greek myth. The receptionists were as angelic as my description suggests; attentive, helpful, re-assuring and there for you. Maria was our particularly angelic guide to rest and relaxation. This feeling breathes into the resort. The rooms are tranquil and the pool side an immersion is service, hot sun and a beautiful pool should you need such. The restaurant is calmly and efficiently run, again with exemplary service and tremendous menus. A particular favourite restaurant being the Culinarium where one can indulge whilst the sea blazes blue only a matter of metres away, with wide open, floor to ceiling windows on the hottest of days. Raphael, the manageress, was tremendous. She was attentive, engaging, warm, communicative and shared a lovely sense of humour. We indulged in just two of the multiple offers of experiences and excursions. First was a day of pampering in the Spa, where despite my inexperience with massage....... I became a convert, as my long standing aches and pains were remedied and repaired by Anita. I was liberated and could re-visit my youthful enthusiasm for swimming, exploiting the long and extensive pool. Our second treat was an excursion to Spinalonga. A tremendous day of genuinely seeing the culture of Crete, with it's mind blowing panorama's of olive grove plains stretching into the sea, backed by ancient volcanic mountains.We were blessed by learning about the history and indulged with beautiful stops with gorgeous food. Claire from TUI recommended the tour, and she was so right to recommend the day. I tell of the resort as one of calm and measure: that is accurate. But if you want activity, it's there. There are the things I mention here, but there is also a great gym, swim classes, yoga and a myriad of places to explore. We loved it........ need I say more.

Just got back from a 2 week stay at this special hotel. We paid extra for a swim up room which I totally recommend, we could get up and get straight on our own comfy beds. We got the sun quite early until 3pm then we could to the main pool area which had plenty of available beds. The pool bar staff were incredible and were happy to come and see if you wanted a drink whilst sunbathing. A big thank you goes to Kostas who ran the bar at night, he was amazing but I blame him for some of my morning headaches as he liked giving us shots of Sambuca/Raki and Baby Guinness!! There was a huge variety at the restaurant, we only went for breakfast once, but lunch and evening meal was lovely and the staff came to your table straight away,with a smile, for your drink order and ask if you’ve had a good day!! If you like deserts you were in for a treat coz the variety was immense!! We had our room cleaned daily by a lovely lady who would make love hearts or butterflies with our pool towels. The room was immaculate, bed was really big and comfortable, the air con was quiet and during those hot nights you also had a large ceiling fan. The large walk in shower was great and I actually said I’d love an identical one in my house!! They provided toiletries which were high grade and smelt lovely. |Just outside the complex are plenty of supermarkets and restaurants if you fancied a change and a sports bar that had about 5 different tv’s showing different sports.|My only complaint was the Culinaruim restaurant, that you have to book at reception, it has a set menu and it was terrible, i had chicken soup which tasted like an oxo cube had just been put into boiled water, a large portion of prawn spaghetti which had 3 prawns, the chicken dish was nice, and the tiramisu was tasteless. If this restaurant could resemble a proper Greek taverner, with authentic Greek food it would be so much better, as I’m sure spaghetti and Tiramisu are an Italian cuisine.|We splashed out for a massage and it was amazing, very relaxing and I had a full body scrub and my skin felt like silk afterwards.|I would totally recommend this hotel. It was quiet as its adult only. Thank to all the amazing staff who couldn’t do enough for you.

Having just spent a week at this hotel, |I would say ignore all the negative reviews. The hotel was amazing. Food was great, plenty of choices for dinner and sweets. All the staff were great, couldn’t do enough for us. The hotel was very clean, and right on the beach. |I would suggest if you can afford it go all inclusive. The drinks are brand names not local spirits. We have had a brilliant week and would definitely recommend you to try this hotel.

I visited the Insula Alba from the 5th to the 15th of September with an all-inclusive package and a swim-up suite. To set expectations, it is not a 5-star hotel, as most hotels in Greece are not. However, the Insula Alba meets most of the criteria for a 4-star rating and exceeds it in various areas.|Upon arrival, one enters a very pleasant reception area with an amazing aroma of lemongrass and tea tree. The check-in process is fast and efficient, although it lacks a welcome drink such as champagne or Prosecco.|The hotel staff then take your luggage to your room and show you in. A welcome pack is provided in the room, detailing mealtimes and the hotel's facilities, along with a map of the hotel and its grounds.|My room was clean and very good, featuring a lovely, tiled bathroom with dual sinks and a spacious walk-in shower. The shower gel, conditioner, and hand wash are made by Mugler Cologne and have a very pleasant and refreshing scent. Fresh towels for the pool and bathroom are provided and replaced regularly.|Bottled water is replenished daily, along with tea, coffee, and limited bar fridge contents. There is a safe, iron, ironing board, and a kettle with tea and coffee. A coffee pod machine would be a great addition for coffee lovers.|The room is serviced daily to a high standard by polite and friendly cleaning staff. My swim-up room was excellent, receiving sunlight from early morning until around 0900-3:00 PM. There is also a central island with sunbeds across the pool for continued sunbathing.|The hotel entertainment did not meet my preferences, as I prefer tranquillity and background music. The Piano Bar was a nice touch in the evening, offering background music or a pianist on occasion. However, bingo or card nights, in my opinion, could have been hosted elsewhere.|The Piano Bar is a rooftop bar with creative lighting, creating a chilled and romantic setting. Drinks are served by friendly and accommodating bar staff to a high standard.|The main restaurant was reasonable, with respectable drinks, including wine, for the all-inclusive package. The food was diverse and well-presented, though it became repetitive after a few days, even with themed evening meals. Breakfasts offered a good variety of choices.|The main restaurant caters to all, including tasty vegetarian dishes. I boycotted the Culinarium due to additional charges for items like hamburgers and fries, which were not included in the all-inclusive package. Lunchtime offerings were limited compared to other hotels.|I did not dine there in the evening, but friends I met said it was very good. In my opinion, the Insula Alba and other TUI Blue hotels lack restaurant variety, with only two options available. Other hotel brands offer more choices with multiple visits to each.|This was a significant factor in my decision not to go all-inclusive next year and to explore local tavernas instead.|The pool bar was the highlight of the holiday, with fantastic hospitality and banter from Koska and Mano's bar teams. The bar is well-designed, with multiple seating areas and an open plan feel. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea, with palm trees swaying in the breeze, creating a scenic and tranquil setting.|I enjoyed my mid-morning coffee at the bar, looking out at the sea and soaking up the tranquillity with chilled background music. The bar staff are excellent, remembering your drink preferences and making the best cocktails.|The hotel is well laid out but lacks security, with other holidaymakers using the hotel's facilities despite it being an adults-only venue.|The location is great, with beach-front bars and restaurants nearby. I recommend using TripAdvisor to find some fantastic places to eat.|In summary, the hotel is very good, although not 5-star – more like 4-star. The staff, however, are 5-star and make the place special. I had a great, relaxing holiday, thanks to everyone who contributed.

TUI Insula Alba in Crete is a wonderful hotel. Never felt busy yet was full, adults only so no noise from children (our first child free holiday in 20yrs!). The food was incredible; breakfast included barista coffee, fresh fruit, juices, fish/meats/cheese, cooked breakfast, Omlette station, cakes/biscuits, as well as Greek yoghurt with various Greek honeys, cereals and lots more. Dinner was equally varied, the quality was exceptional and the theme nights didn’t disappoint. I especially enjoyed the whole sea bass, and of course Greek salad every night. The room was clean, modern and comfortable; two single beds together to make a king size, adjustable air con, tv, fridge and bottled water every day. The exercise classes were fun and well taught and kept us mobile for the holiday (Charlie is an excellent coach). The pool is a little deep for aqua fit, it’s 1.5m all over. Im 5’5” so I could only touch the floor on tip toes but the use of a noodle ensured i was able to take part. The TUI reps were knowledgeable and friendly, Jasmine was on hand to ensure our holiday was everything we wanted. We took the TUI fruit farm and wine tasting trip, it was a lovely day out, the family run businesses were a joy to visit and the home cooked food was amazing! I didn’t know that olive oil is a natural laxative, just bear this in mind when eating lots of it! We’re not used to it so much as the Greeks. The beach area out front is a little rocky but there is a lovely protected ‘harbour’ where lots of people swim, looked very shallow so I imagine it’s very safe. We hired a car to go further afield and visited Knosos, Chania and a few beaches en route.

First of all Greetings to my little friend who reads and responds to the reviews. You’re a star. See you on the 07June. With my rented scooter. McGreevy ||This was our second time at the Insula and every bit as good as the first. The hotel staff are so obliging to the point the food and beverage manager came out and used her magic spray on my bite that was a bit angry. ||A swim up room is worth the extra my mini bar was well stocked the rooms are spotless. Food can be a bit hit and miss always something to eat. Lovely restaurants in the village 10 min walk

Really nice hotel, the staff were excellent and would do as much as possible to help. We had an issue with our room in the first couple of days and the staff at reception offered and solution promptly and followed up the next day and made sure the issue was resolved.|Manos at the pool bar was also excellent, the staff in the restaurant were also great. ||The hotel is lovely and quiet even around the main pool in the morning there was always beds available. There doesn’t seem to be an issue with reserving beds and even gone midday there were plenty of beds available which was nice.||We had a private pool room which had sun from midday ish until the sun went down which was lovely to spend the afternoons here. Would recommend requesting a room starting with 21 as this whole row had the same sun.||The only reason I wouldn’t rate this hotel was the food was a slight let down compared to other lower star all inclusive we have stayed at. The breakfast was great and plenty of sweet/Savory options as well as cakes and donuts. |The lunch was slightly repetitive but again was enough choice for lunch. |We found the dinner was a let down, the same food pretty much every night only really chips or potatoes on offer would have been nice to have slight variation in this, we also found that the themed nights weren’t very themed it was just the same food on offer as every other night.||Overall, the hotel is lovely and the staff are faultless all very polite and helpful. The room was great and I would visit again but I don’t think I would go all inclusive as the food isn’t worth the price you pay.