- Greece Holidays
- Kolymbari
- Giannoulis Grand Bay Beach Resort

This outstanding property is located on the beach of Kolymbari, just a 2-minute driving distance from the village of Kolymbari and 23 kilometres west of Chania centre. The sandy and pebble beach is just steps from the main swimming pools – perfect for spending the time basking in Crete's summer sun and enjoying quality time. This adults-only seaside resort offers luxurious, relaxing, and tailor-made facilities for solos and couples in a totally serene environment designed to pamper body, soul and spirit in upgraded surroundings with impeccable service. The complex is made up of a choice of accommodation units which have been luxuriously furnished and decorated in relaxing colours. Guests will appreciate the wonderful onsite facilities that include two swimming pools and three privately shared swimming pools designated to specific units. Moreover, the main bar, pool bar and main buffet restaurant will satisfy guests’ appetite.
Relax at the full-service spa, where you can enjoy massages, body treatments and facials. You're sure to appreciate the recreational amenities, which include 2 outdoor swimming pools, a sauna and a fitness centre. This hotel also features complimentary wireless Internet access, concierge services and an arcade/games room.
Due to the surrounding area and the number of steps around the hotel, it may not be suitable for those with mobility difficulties.
Booked again! But longer this time.....
We had a fantastic stay overall and would definitely recommend this hotel if you’re looking for a relaxing getaway.
When we first arrived, we weren’t given the room we’d originally booked. Instead, we were put into Room 404, which was newly built and finished to a really high standard. It was a lovely room, but we’d specifically booked a seafront junior suite with direct pool access, so naturally we wanted the room we’d chosen. We were told it wouldn’t be ready until 12:30 pm the following day, which isn’t ideal after a four-hour flight. That said, the customer service was excellent from the start. The staff kept us informed and even booked us onto the Olive Oil Night, which was a lovely touch.
The next morning, we actually got a call at around 10:30 am to say our booked room (Room 108) was ready, two hours earlier than expected. From that point onwards, everything was spot on.
The direct pool access junior suite was worth it. Having our own reserved sunbeds meant there was no getting up early to put towels out, which made the whole holiday feel much more relaxing. The pool itself was great.
One tip for anyone booking a Junior Suite with Direct Pool Access and the included sunbeds: if possible, request Rooms 108–112. We stayed in Room 108 and thought the layout was excellent. From what we observed during our stay, Room 107 felt a little more cramped, Room 106 had its sunbeds positioned one behind the other directly behind the pool bar with less privacy and access, and Room 105 didn’t appear to have dedicated sunbeds. Of course, room layouts may change over time, but if having the best outdoor space is important to you, it’s worth requesting one of the higher-numbered rooms.
The food was another highlight. There was plenty of variety every day, the breakfast was excellent, and the salad bar was always fresh. One thing some people might mention is that the hot food wasn’t piping hot, but honestly it didn’t bother us because it was always really tasty.
The drinks and cocktails were excellent too—well made and definitely not lacking in alcohol!
The staff really made the holiday. Andreas at the pool bar quickly learned our names and our favourite drinks and was outstanding throughout our stay. Zoe, who I believe is the hotel manager, always seemed to be checking in with guests and was genuinely warm and friendly. Everyone worked incredibly hard and always wanted to make sure guests were happy.
My partner also had a facial in the wellness spa with George, who did a fantastic job. She came back completely relaxed and said he was brilliant and really attentive throughout the treatment.
If you’re staying here, I’d definitely recommend booking the rooftop restaurant. We went twice and the food and service were both exceptional, but you do need to book a day in advance. There’s also an à la carte beachfront restaurant that you can reserve at lunchtime, which looked lovely, although we didn’t get chance to try it.
Outside the hotel, Kolymvari is a small, peaceful village. If you’re looking for lively nightlife and lots of bars, this probably isn’t the resort for you. But if your idea of a holiday is switching off and relaxing, it’s perfect. The local tavernas are well worth the short walk, and I’d also recommend visiting the monastery. Go on a cooler day as it’s uphill, entry is only €4, and ladies need to cover their knees and shoulders. Make sure you walk through to the viewpoint on the far side of the monastery—the views across the bay are stunning.
Overall, this was a fantastic break. Despite the slight hiccup with the room on arrival, the way the staff dealt with it, together with the outstanding service throughout the rest of our stay, more than made up for it. We’d happily return.
Relaxing and beautiful location
We had a large double room with a shared pool. Our room had a huge comfortable bed, large walk-in wardrobe, separate shower and sitting area. Our mini bar and coffee capsules were replenished daily by Arman, who delivered them with a smile.
We had our own patio area, with chairs, a table and sun beds facing the shared pool, which was very refreshing.
A special thank you to our wonderful housekeeper (apologies I didn’t take note of her name) who made sure our room was spotlessly clean (inside and also outside on our patio) and who replaced our beach towels each day.
Thank you also to Adriano who delivered drinks to our patio at least twice a day. We enjoyed having a chat with him each day.
We were very happy with the choice of food in the main buffet restaurant for breakfast and lunch. At lunch there were a good selection of salads, a different soup each day, varied choice of pastas/mains, fresh fruit and desserts. The chefs and all the kitchen staff deserve to be praised as they worked tirelessly, replishing food, cleaning up any food spills on the surfaces thus maintaining excellent hygiene standards.
We enjoyed long, leisurely lunches and the waiting staff got used to us sitting after our meal with a cool drink looking out to the sea. No better way to spend a few hours!
We personally don’t like to use the main buffet for every meal so we ate most evenings in the rooftop A la carte Azzuro Restaurant. The food is delicious and is freshly cooked in a kitchen on the rooftop. The menu allowed us to have a different choice every night but our favourite dishes were the squid carbonara, the fried octopus, the trout, the spaghetti with shrimp and the grilled salmon. Compliments to Stephanie (the Chef) and her assistant Alfradeo, who prepared all our meals and chatted with us about the menu.
Each evening, we were welcomed to the Azzuro Restaurant with a smile by either Sarantos (who has worked for the hotel group for 23 years) or by Mateo (who has worked for the hotel for 5 years). Together, Sarantos and Mateo are a fantastic team. They are welcoming, extremely knowledgeable about the menu, friendly and efficient. Along with Stephanie and Alfradeo, they all made our evenings in the Azzuro Restaurant special. Thank you.
We also enjoyed the Olive Oil themed night on Monday’s. You get a table overlooking the beach and are served a selection of plates at your table.
As we had the Premium All Inclusive package we could also dine in the other Giannoulis Hotels and Resorts. During out stay, we had a few evening meals in the A la carte Azzuro Restaurant in Cavo Spada Luxury Resort & Spa (which is 2.5KM away from the Grand Bay Hotel – you book your own taxi - 10 minute taxi journey / 8 Euro each way). It has an open terrace with lovely views and serves mediterranean food. The food is of a very high standard. Big thank you to our waiter, Manthos, who served us with a smile.
We met Andreas (who mainly works at the pool bar) at lunch on our first day. From that first afternoon he always remembered our names and what we normally like to drink. He was friendly, polite and super attentive.
Thank you also to Kostas (who mainly works in the Lobby Bar) who was very efficient and attentive during the evenings.
We also met Zoe (Guest Relations) on our first day. She booked us onto the wine tasting (which I recommend doing) and explained how the Premium Plus package worked.
Zoe welcomes all guests to lunch each day and answers questions as they arise. She is perfect for the role. She has authority, is efficient as well as being friendly and bubbly. She is definitely a massive asset to the hotel.
If eating, drinking or swimming is not relaxing enough for you; I highly recommend having a massage. I had two wonderful relaxing massages with George. Thank you George.
Finally, I would like to thank the hotel Manager, Mr Alexandros. He was often visible around the hotel grounds and in the main restaurant. He was courteous and regularly checked to ensure we were having a good holiday.
Overall, we would definitely recommend this hotel. We enjoyed our stay so much that we have already booked it for next year.
We had a wonderful stay at this hotel and would happily recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing holiday.
The food was excellent throughout our stay, with a great variety of delicious dishes every day. The bar was another highlight – all the bartenders were friendly, welcoming, and always happy to recommend drinks. The overall selection of beverages was also very good. Although the hotel itself is a bit older, it is clear that it is well maintained, clean, and cared for.
We would also like to give special thanks to the reception team for their outstanding service. After the air conditioning in our original room stopped working properly, they quickly looked into the issue. Since it couldn’t be fixed immediately, they kindly upgraded us to a larger room at no extra cost, where the air conditioning worked perfectly. Thanks to their help, we were able to fully enjoy our vacation. Overall, the hotel offers excellent value for money, and we left with only positive impressions.
