TUI BLUE Insula Alba

We wanted to love this hotel .. but sadly we didn’t. We expected 5 star as promised .. I would say 3-4 star would be fair. We had read the reviews and were hoping for more … It fell short of our expectations in a few ways. When we arrived we were shown straight to the dining room as dinner was just finishing so we were able to eat and get a drink which was great. The buffet is nice and the staff are really friendly. We were last of the group to be shown to our room which was ok .. someone had to be. We had booked a swim up room and when we saw it we were sadly underwhelmed. We had a tiny patio with a fence panel either side, two peeling wooden chairs and two beds which overhung the coldest swim up pool we have ever had. We got the sun from around 2pm to sundown. Our room was very plain with not much storage for clothes. It desperately needs a make over. The air con is ok and the bed is comfy. However the bedding and towels are very tired, thread bare, marked and desperately in need of an upgrade. The pool area is lovely and the staff are great but the water in the pool is freezing cold; so cold hardly anyone used it. The pool bar staff are great and will come to your sun bed to get you drinks or you can go to the bar. The disposable drinks cups are not very eco friendly and have a very weird smell which puts you off your drink. The restaurant is nice and we dined at the two other restaurants on site (bookable, but included) which were also very good. The wine is generously poured and the drinks list is good. The hotel desperately needs another bar area. The pool bar at night allows smoking indoors and is really loud - we could hear it clearly in our room - and the piano bar is outside, and the evenings were chilly. The spa staff are lovely and my husband had a back neck and shoulder massage which was great. However the sauna area is €50 euros for half an hour which is extortionate. It was a really small area and didn’t look amazing so we didn’t bother. Overall a bit of a mixed bag. We expected much more of a TUI Blu.

A stylish, relaxing hotel with some real highlights We spent a week at Insula Alba and overall had a lovely stay. The hotel has a modern, stylish feel and a very relaxed atmosphere. If you're looking for lively entertainment and all-night partying, this probably isn't the place for you, but if your idea of heaven is a sun lounger, a cocktail and a good book, you'll fit right in. Check-in was seamless and, despite arriving on a late flight, we were delighted to find the restaurant had reopened for snacks. After travelling all day, that was very much appreciated and set a great first impression. The standout feature of the holiday was the BlueFit programme. I took part in aqua dance, yoga, fascia fit and several other classes with Ana, who was absolutely fantastic. Every session was well planned, engaging and suitable for different abilities. Yoga in the Cretan sunshine may have ruined normal yoga for me forever. It's now one of my favourite holiday memories. The food was generally very good. The Italian restaurant served delicious meals, although vegetarian choices were a little limited. The Culinarium was another excellent experience, with six appetisers served as a tasting menu before the main course. As a vegetarian, I was pleased that five of the six were suitable for me. The buffet restaurant offered plenty of choice and vegetarians are certainly well catered for, but after a week the menu did begin to feel a little repetitive. I would have liked to see more protein-based vegetarian options such as beans, lentils and pulses included more regularly. The pool bar had an impressive selection of included drinks, although worth noting that it closes at midnight. Personally, I was usually ready for bed by then anyway, but night owls may find themselves cut off before they're finished solving the world's problems over cocktails. The pool area itself was spacious, well maintained and had plenty of comfortable sunbeds. However, if you're visiting in October, be prepared for a refreshing experience. I'm fairly certain the pool water had only recently completed its journey from an Arctic glacier. One thing to be aware of is that the hotel doesn't have a beach directly attached. We had to walk along the road to find a beach bar with loungers available to hire. Not a major issue, but worth knowing if beachfront access is important to you. The rooms are beautiful, spacious and very comfortable. The king-size bed was excellent, the shower was good and the minibar was restocked daily as part of the all-inclusive package. The only real disappointment was the swim-up room upgrade. I'd booked it as a holiday treat after seeing the promotional photos, but our room was in a block of ten rooms connected by a narrow swim channel rather than one of the larger pool areas pictured online. Beyond the channel was a white fence that managed to block most of the sea and mountain views, which felt like a missed opportunity. At this time of year, the sun only reached our loungers from around 3pm, and given the temperature of the water, we didn't make much use of it anyway! In hindsight, I would happily book a standard room next time and save the extra money. Overall, Insula Alba is a beautiful, peaceful hotel with excellent fitness activities, friendly staff, great facilities and a genuinely relaxing atmosphere. While there are a few areas that could be improved, we had a wonderful holiday and would happily return, just probably without the swim-up room next time.

Have just returned from 2nd visit to this beautiful hotel and enjoyed our stay just as much as the first time. We were checked in smoothly and quickly and after a drink and snack we were transported via golf buggy to our room. Which was clean and spacious i didnt have an issue with clothes storage and we managed quite well yes we left some things in case such as swimwear and shoes. Our soap shower and lotion was full for entire 10 day holiday our fridge was replenished daily. The restaurants were lovely and we always found something nice. The staff were amazing always a smile manos and kostas were as always attentive and funny as were all the bar staff and resteraunt staff . My only complaint is the access into the pool for older guests and those with mobility issues it was a struggle and also very very cold . The entertainment was minimal but vi have to say silent disco night was the best and everyone was enjoying it for it to be cut dead in 10pm we are on holiday to enjoy ourselves 10 seems very early to finish. We had a lovely couples massage to finish our holiday would I return absolutely

Had a lovely chilled holiday. Spacious Double room with balcony. Room 1804 sun - when we had it - majority of day. Powerful shower and very clean. Mini bar restocked and towels changed daily. Quiet hotel entertainment wise but suited us. Food was plentiful and lots of variety at all meals. Loved the two à la cartes. Nicos the restaurant Manager was at all restaurants/bars, such a hardworking Manager as were all the wonderful staff. Due to weather we used the indoor pool several times. Warm welcome as soon as we arrived. Taken to and picked up from room with our suitcases. Quiet resort but nice to have walk around. It’s a very good 4 star. Highly recommend. Thank you. 🤩

From the moment we walked through the doors, we were greeted with big smiles and such a warm welcome. The staff really are a credit to this hotel. From reception and the bar staff to the restaurant team, everyone was so friendly, welcoming and accommodating. Nothing ever seemed too much trouble, and they were always checking that we were happy and had everything we needed. It really made a difference to our stay! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ On arrival, our luggage was taken to our room for us, which was a lovely touch after travelling. There were also plenty of sunbeds available, so we never struggled to find somewhere to relax. The food was nice, with plenty of choice between the main restaurant and the snack bar, so there was something for everyone. We also discovered the Tropical Vibes cocktail, which quickly became our favourite! The hotel is starting to show some signs of wear and tear in places and could benefit from a little TLC and some maintenance. However, this didn’t affect our stay or the enjoyment of our holiday, and we wouldn’t want this to take away from the positives. There are a couple of little shops just a two-minute walk away along the beachfront, which are handy for picking up snacks and bits and pieces. We also had a full-body massage at the hotel, which was absolutely amazing! We would 100% recommend treating yourself to one during your stay. For anyone looking to explore Crete, there are plenty of day trips and excursions available on GetYourGuide. We found these worth looking at, as some options were considerably cheaper than booking through the TUI reps, so it’s definitely worth comparing prices before booking. If you like watching tv like Netflix etc then bring your fire stick with you as we did and worked a treat Overall, we had a fantastic holiday and would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff at Insula Alba for making us feel so welcome. The friendliness and hospitality really stood out to us, and it’s what we’ll remember most about our stay. Thank you for a lovely holiday! We are genuinely sad to be leaving! ☀️