Crete is one of my most favourite places in the world, and I'm sure it's obvious by our previous review that we are big Sensatori fans. So we jumped at the chance of a last minute getaway.
Image via thomson.co.uk
The Room
I decided to write a journal while we are here to give an almost 'real time account of things, I sometimes find that when you come home from a holiday, reviews written retrospectively tend to be rose tinted so hopefully this will be a real honest to goodness, warts and all of everything we experience.
Booking
Spartacus got booked up quickly and easily with Thomson online and we managed to choose some seats on the plane and check in all from the comfort of our lap top
The Flight
Sadly this is a bug bear for me, we have to travel around 3 hours to get a Crete flight at this time of year as schedules don't start yet at our local airport. Never the less we were boarded quickly, and ready to leave on time, alas queuing on the runway meant a late take off but we made up time and arrived only slightly late.
Arrival
Herklion was as efficient as always. They are only small but really the most efficient I've ever been through and the only airport I've never experienced a delay in and we've been here 10 times now.
Now the idea is Sensatori guests get preferential meet and greet but at this time of year with few other hotels open everyone on the plane is for Sensatori so the queue is huge. I genuinely think Thomson would be better served getting everyone on the bus super quick and straight to the hotel instead of tagging cases, explaining things and handing out forms, all of which could be done in reception instead of making passengers queue in the street at night.
Last year (our third visit) we had a marvellous welcome with lots of acknowledgement and a free upgrade, as well as fruit and wine in our room, this year not so much, we has fruit and wine (but I think everyone does) and a postcard from Thomson but nothing else, now don't get me wrong I don't believe we are 'entitled' to anything but I think we were spoiled last yet and so our expectations this year were even greater!
There was as always glasses of bubbly or juice on arrival and check in is quick and there are lots of Thomson staff on hand to help with finding rooms etc
The hotel had kindly left the restaurant open for a cold buffet but with all the delay at the airport staff were eager to get closed by the time we got there, another reason I think to not to keep people at the airport so long.
Image via thomson.co.uk The Room
Because we booked so late there were sadly no swim up rooms available. And the hotel have not been able to let us purchase an upgrade with them directly as they have no availability, but we managed to book a suite instead, the suite officially sleeps up to four so we had to book a double room as well but in honesty the five of us are sleeping in the suite with loads of room to spare! The room is decorated in lovely opulent Greek style with big gilt mirrors and shiny marble flooring, we have a large double bedroom with a big sofa, and a small tv, a seperate living area with two sofa beds and a small tv, and a lovely bathroom. We seem to be missing a chest of drawers like we normally have and the wardrobe is smaller than usual but it has everything we need. My only concern is that we are on the top floor and there are no safety gates of child proof locks on the balcony doors so mummy is having a rather sleepless night with worry ! I would much prefer being on the lower floors.
Well that's all for tonight, we shall report again in a few days
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