Nema Design Hotel & Spa

Had a pregnant guest crying multiple times, lacked the experience and hospitality skills to provide solutions. A million miles off a 5*. Bad to the point that we left the hotel after 1 night, absorbing £3K in costs. There are far better and cheaper resorts within 2 miles, don’t do it. 1. Poolside rooms are tiny 2. Poolside rooms back onto what is essentially an alleyway 3. Served raw halloumi to my pregnant partner, who is in a high risk category when it comes the baby’s health. We had specifically asked if it is cooked and was told yes. Later the manager protested that he loves raw halloumi, lol, great. Tone death 4. Dinner buffet, as other reviews have noted - cold even at the start of service. Cooked shellfish held at shocking luke warm temperatures. Beef = ditto. 5. Breakfast buffet, again, luke warm 6. Served a caffeinated drink to my pregnant partner. Again, always when we’d asked. Later the manager lied about the incident. 7. Told bare faced lies about our room type being fully booked as a reason why they couldn’t offer even a small refund to the crying pregnant lady ALL OF THIS HAPPENED IN LESS THAN 24 hours. Embarrassing. The management drowned in their own arrogance believing they could charm us to a resolution, offering a tour of the kitchen and so on. Unfortunately we just wanted safety and competence.

Marketed as a five-star, adults-only retreat, Nema Design Hotel & Spa in Crete offers a comfortable short stay—but ultimately falls short of the expectations that come with its rating. The positives The hotel’s greatest strength is its staff. Friendly, attentive, and consistently willing to help, they create a welcoming atmosphere throughout the stay. Breakfast is another highlight, with a strong selection and good overall quality. The location is central and convenient for getting around, though this comes with some compromises. Location & surroundings Despite its accessibility, the surrounding area lacks character. It doesn’t reflect the authentic charm many travellers expect from a Cretan village setting. Rooms & comfort Rooms are modern but feel more like a city hotel than a resort—functional rather than atmospheric. Unfortunately, soundproofing is a significant issue. Noise from the corridor and neighbouring rooms carries easily, which can disrupt what should be a relaxing stay. There were also several inconsistencies: air conditioning was not initially available, the advertised minibar was missing, and turndown service only began partway through the stay. While additional room keys were requested for convenience, this was not accommodated, which proved impractical given the reliance on key-powered electricity systems. Dining experience Dinner is hit and miss. While some dishes are enjoyable, the buffet often suffers from poor temperature control, with food frequently cold—even at the start of service. On one occasion, raw cod was reported but left on display, which is concerning. Breakfast started strong but declined slightly as the hotel became busier, including a noticeable downgrade in coffee quality. Spa & facilities The spa is underwhelming for a hotel that features it so prominently. Located in a basement, it lacks both ambience and facilities. Access to the sauna costs €20 per hour, with no additional amenities such as a steam room or pool included. Organisation is also lacking—pool towels require an unnecessary back-and-forth between reception and the spa, with staff unclear on the process. Spa staff were also quite persistent in promoting treatments, which detracted from the relaxed feel. Pool & shared spaces Communal areas are compact and became noticeably crowded as more guests arrived, creating a slightly claustrophobic atmosphere. The beach area also appears poorly maintained, with worn umbrellas and makeshift fixes. The overall poolside experience is further impacted by a lack of control over noise. Guests frequently play their own music, which clashes with the hotel’s background music and sound from the restaurant, resulting in a disjointed and sometimes overwhelming audio environment. Overall impression There is a sense that the hotel opened before it was fully ready for the season, with several amenities and services only introduced during the second week of the stay. Nema Design Hotel & Spa works reasonably well for a short break of three to four days, largely thanks to its staff. However, due to inconsistent service, operational shortcomings, and a lack of true five-star polish, it is difficult to recommend for a longer stay. Verdict: A decent short-stay option with excellent staff, but not a true five-star experience and unlikely to satisfy for an extended holiday.

Terrible experience hotel is under construction with out us getting informed about it. There is places where its very dangerous to even walk by there. We werent served a buffet but plates. Wouldn't recommend this hotel.

My mother and I stayed at NEMA Design Hotel & Spa for seven nights in late October 2025, and we had a truly wonderful experience. The architectural design of the hotel is stunning—minimalistic and modern, yet softened by abundant greenery so that it blends harmoniously with the surrounding environment and creates the soothing atmosphere of a wellness retreat. The grounds and buildings felt consistently serene, which helped us relax from the moment we arrived. We stayed in a Garden View Retreat room, which was comfortable and beautifully designed. The bed was large and very comfortable, the air conditioning worked well, and the bathroom featured a stylish modern layout with an excellent shower. Our spacious balcony overlooked the gardens and even offered a partial sea view. Housekeeping kept the room spotless, provided fresh towels daily, and restocked the mini-fridge with bottled water each day—a thoughtful touch. The pool area is lovely and, like all areas of the hotel, kept impeccably clean. The beach, located just across the road from the main entrance, is easily accessible, and there are plenty of comfortable sun loungers available at both locations. Staff are always on hand at the pool and beach to take food and drink orders, and the hotel’s app makes ordering especially convenient. The food at both the Euphoria restaurant and Rizes à la carte gastrobar was exceptional—the best we have ever experienced at a hotel. We would happily return to NEMA for the gastronomy alone! Both restaurants offer a relaxed, elegant atmosphere, and we thoroughly enjoyed each meal. The customer experience provided by the staff was outstanding. We were warmly greeted each day with a friendly 'Kaliméra' and the staff were consistently attentive and highly professional across the board. A special mention goes to Liana, the Guest Experience Manager, who was incredibly friendly and approachable and made us feel right at home from the first morning of our stay; Madrin, who always took the time for a pleasant chat and impressed us with his enthusiasm for and knowledge of Cretan history and culture - very helpful when planning a sightseeing day trip to Heraklion; and Phaedra/Fedra (sp.) whose warm, positive energy made every restaurant visit a pleasure. The hotel is just a short walk from the village of Analipsi, a charming blend of tradition and modernity. The village offers a range of souvenir boutiques, pharmacies, convenience stores, and several family-run tavernas. We dined at Krina and Roukounas, enjoying excellent meals at both. The seafront walk is also lovely, and we particularly enjoyed our daily visits to the small Greek Orthodox churches—one of which is situated directly opposite the hotel’s entrance. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at NEMA and in Analipsi and would love to return in the future to experience more of this wonderful five-star Greek hospitality.

We booked the hotel based on how it looked in the pictures and it did not disappoint. The staff were super friendly and couldn’t do enough for us. The food was delicious and the rooms were super clean. Looking forward to returning soon