Avra Imperial Hotel

“Truly Paradise”

From the moment we arrived, we knew we were somewhere special. We were greeted so warmly by Nadia, whose friendliness and kindness set the tone for our entire stay. She went out of her way to surprise my mother with a lovely birthday treat - a gesture we will never forget! Our room was spacious, m… more

From the moment we arrived, we knew we were somewhere special. We were greeted so warmly by Nadia, whose friendliness and kindness set the tone for our entire stay. She went out of her way to surprise my mother with a lovely birthday treat - a gesture we will never forget! Our room was spacious, modern, and incredibly comfortable. The pools are expansive and beautifully maintained, the buffet food delicious and authentically prepared, and every single staff member we met was so kind and welcoming. We also enjoyed the hotel’s wonderful spa - my mother and I had our hair done by the supremely talented Irini, while my father had an excellent massage with Marina. Both were exceptionally professional, and the whole spa team made us feel completely pampered. Next to reception, there’s even a lovely jewellery boutique where we picked out some beautiful gifts, helped by the knowledgeable and kind Diana. But the true heart and soul of the hotel is Manolis. From our first day, he made our stay extraordinary - giving us a personal tour of our room, sharing great tips about the island, and always greeting us with genuine warmth and a smile. The management is truly lucky to have such a diamond of a person on their team. We’re so grateful to have met him - thank you, Manolis, for making our experience unforgettable! We already miss this hotel - it’s exceptional in every way and has everything you could dream of for a perfect vacation. Finally, a special thank you to Eftychios (apologies if we’ve misspelled the name) who drove us to and from the airport. We booked the hotel’s private transfer service and highly recommend it - he was a pleasure to chat with and made the journey so comfortable. Avra truly is paradise, we can’t wait to return!

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“Return to amazing Avra (with a couple of *very* minor issues)”

My 2nd time at Avra was booked directly with the hotel. I also booked my airport transfer through the hotel. I had a couple of questions and tried both e-mailing and WhatsApping but didn't get a response to either at first, but tried again later and my questions were answered. When I mentioned it… more

My 2nd time at Avra was booked directly with the hotel. I also booked my airport transfer through the hotel. I had a couple of questions and tried both e-mailing and WhatsApping but didn't get a response to either at first, but tried again later and my questions were answered. When I mentioned it was my 2nd stay at Avra they told me they'd bring me a cake and sparkling wine in appreciation! - but more on that later. My flight was a bit delayed, but as I arrived at Chania Airport my taxi was waiting, and the driver brought me very! speedily to the hotel. I was checked in and informed of meals etc. As I got to my room there was a plate with a few varieties of bread rolls - a nice gesture as I was too late for room service which now ends at midnight in stead of being 24/7. For more details, please see my review from last year. My room was exactly (?) like the one last year, but this time was in the other building with shared pools (building no 12, room 111) . My room was spotless at arrival and was kept this way throughout my stay. I had given my preference of a king bed (as opposed to 2 twins together), and my bed was two twins made up as a king, this worked very well. You can opt out of having your bedlinen changed with a card on the bed, which is a nice touch and good for the environment. My first day I went to breakfast and then back to my balcony for sun and some pool time - my balcony had direct sun from ca 08 to 13.30. As I came out of the pool the staff had been to clean my room - - and locked the balcony door so I couldn't get inside. Of course I realise they didn't see me in the pool and it was an unfortunate accident :D I didn't see any way to get out of the pool and go around the building (fences/hedges) but luckily I had my phone and after some WhatsApping and a couple of misunderstandings I rang reception and they came by to open my door and let me inside. The rest of my stay I had a note on my balcony door to tell housekeeping I was on the balcony/in the pool :D I spent all my time on my balcony and in the shared pool. It was very quiet and comfortable, so private, and the pool nice and clean, I did not feel the need to use the main pool even if it's a beautiful area. I was very happy to find the AC up to par in my room, which was a bit of an issue for me last year (that was easily solved with buying a fan in an electric/electronics shop close by). I see some reviews not happy with the food, and I can simply not understand this. A buffet isn't the same as a la carte and you can't expect everything to be piping hot at all times. The breakfast has everything you could want (except for maybe the bacon to be cooked a bit more/a bit more crispy). I had lunch either at Al Fresco, Seaside or Aura Pool Bar, so I didn't try the lunch buffet. The dinner buffet had some variations from day to day, and *everything* I tried tasted good. I took advantage of my all inclusive to eat at all 3 a la carte restaurants 2 times, and both the service and the food was good - I have to point out the Moon Rolls at Blue Dong - some of the best sushi I've had. The in room-dining menu was reduced from last year and there was a new service charge of 3 euro for each order, but there was still enough options. The service was quick and the food good. I did really get a (huge) cake and a bottle of sparkling wine, with a charming hand-written card. A very appreciated and lovely touch from the hotel, and a lesson in showing your guests you value their custom. As last year, the hotel grounds and pools seemed clean and very well kept. The all inclusive states daily in-room mineral water replenishment. I had to ask reception a couple of times in the beginning of my 14 day stay. They sent someone over with one bottle one day and two the next, but then it stopped again. I ended up getting a bottle of still water with lunch or with a cocktail in the pool bar and brought that back, which worked out fine. My departure day there was sadly no possibility of a late checkout. My flight wasn't leaving before 22.15. I had access to the pools and showers, but didn't use them that day. The all inclusive lasted until I left the hotel, which isn't the case everywhere. So I spent my day in the beautiful and airy reception area. When that got a bit bright and noisy after a few hours, I spent some time in the downstairs darker and very quiet conference area. 20 mins after the booked time for transport it hadn't arrived. I had a conversation with the nice girl in reception, she made a call, and the driver arrived about 10 mins later. I plan with plenty of time to spare so this wasn't an issue for me. Also, be aware that the "tourist tax" isn't paid with the rest at the beginning of your stay, but rather paid at checking out along with any tips you may have left or any other charges to your room. In total, I have to say that just like last year, my stay at Avra was amazing, and I'm hoping for a return in the future.

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“Bad attitude and arrogance”

The hotel it self is fabulous. Pools are fantastic and super clean - but as we were there in October the water temp was very cold 17-18C which too cold for kids. I would recommend the Restaurant Manager to teach or hire waitress who are educated as such. Being a 5 * and a guest there, we never expe… more

The hotel it self is fabulous. Pools are fantastic and super clean - but as we were there in October the water temp was very cold 17-18C which too cold for kids. I would recommend the Restaurant Manager to teach or hire waitress who are educated as such. Being a 5 * and a guest there, we never experienced a more rude and arrogant service. A service level so low that we had to stand up and go straight to the waitresses to ask for coffee ( which wasn’t available as Self-service). We been traveling all over and stayed in many hotels world wide, but never experienced this arrogance ever before. Reception was very nice and helpful. Everyone else, no greetings, no welcoming feeling from anyone there. That’s sad when you as 7 family members spends 11.000€ and meets this disrespect. One advice, do not use the Traffic car rental - he charges double up as the ones just 300meter up next to the big Supermarket. Up to you

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