- Greece Holidays
- Lavris
- Iberostar Waves Creta Panorama and Mare
Overlooking the azure Aegean Sea, this family-friendly hotel is perfect for a holiday of sea and sun. The hotel is located in the small town of Lavris, just an hour outside of Heraklion with its excellent museums, historic old town and incredible ruins of Knossos. Guests might also explore Rethymno's narrow streets, fortress and lighthouse just 20 minutes' drive away. Alternatively, guests can stay at the hotel to enjoy swimming and soaking up the sun in its seven saltwater and freshwater pools and two private swimming coves. The comfortable guest rooms are bright and airy with sea or garden views, and guests can choose between the main, buffet-style restaurant with both local and international options and two specialty restaurants serving Italian and traditional Greek cuisine. The spa offers massage services as well as a sauna and hot tub, and the hotel has a children's and teen's club, all for a wonderful holiday in Crete.
Due to the surrounding area and the number of steps around the hotel, it may not be suitable for those with mobility difficulties.
Another great fortnight at the hotel. Arrival and registration was friendy and welcoming but also very efficient and with fine portering to our bungalow. The accommodation was very clean and well supplied including extra bedding, sufficient body and hair Ash in the shower, hand wash and body lotion by the washbasin plus suitable bath and face towels we hd replaced daily. The bed was large and comfortable. There was a working safe, a basically stocked fridge that was restocked regularly, a hair dryer, extra c9at hangers on request and a non slip shower mat we also asked for. Air conditioning was good and controllable and the terrace large enough with a table and 2 chairs pl7s nice view. Excellent and discreet daily housekeeping kept the whole space well. Fresh bottled water was supplied daily in glass bottles. Food in the main restaurant was very good, varied and with plenty of choice. Did not lunch there but dd so at the excellent L'Olivettos, limited to one booking per week, the food trucks at the water park with very good snack food, the Star Cafe with i5s basic snacks, pies, burgers, gyros and donuts and cakes plus beverages and the main pool cafe Zorbas with a small range of hot and cold food, desserts, fruit, ice cream and beverages. There are 4 good pools and plenty of sunbeds in addition to a very good little waterpark sui5able for children of all ages as well as adul5s. The hotel also has an electronic games room, indoor play area, a variety of sp9rts rea for things like panel, mini golf, table tennis, petan1ue and more plus a gym room that is well equipped. The excellent Aniation Team also organise daily esports and activities for those who want to partake as well as provide brill8ant evening entertainment in the theatre which is open to both hotels. Evening entertainment includes regular local acts that vary a lot in the main Lobby Bar area plus speciality acts such as a fire show and acrobats at the main theatre that augment the Anija5ion Team shows which are 9f a fine standard and follow the children's group disco held there. The main Lobby Bar has been totally refurbished, along with the whole reception area, and is open daily from 17.30 un5il midnigh5. There is plenty of choice on the drinks menu including some 0remiuj drinks at extra cost. Thee Bar s staffed by very good bar staff and there is a friendly, helpful and efficien5 team wating at table to 5ake and supply orders. The other night bar is the Caly0so Bar from 22.30 to 01.00 w8th a range of drinks, music for dancing and more excellent and friendly staff. Other limited bars can be found by the pools, at the Water Park, in Zorbas, at the Star Cafe and in Lolivettos. There are 3 speciality dining areas for evening meals that can be booked. F9r all inclusive it is one free booking per restaurant per week and can be booked via the hotel app or at reception. Oav4is is a barbecue res5aurant, Zorbas by the main pool has a more fixed rotating varied menu, whilst L'Olivettos is more Italian in style with a good a la carte menu. Food and serv8ce at all 3 are excellent and mention if you have a birthday and wait for the surprise. When we first came here the main selling point was the fantastic staff team from basic woker through supervisors, middle management to senior managers. This year was our 16th visit and despite the massive refurbishment of the last 2 years and changes in personnel, the standards of teamwork, energy, helpfulness friendliness and welcome have not diminished. This is what brings us back each time. 2026 was another great hol8day. Roll on 2027
Me and my boyfriend went on holiday here for a week at the end of July. The thing that stood out the most was the level of service we received in Zorbas greek tavern, especially from Sabina, the lady with the red hair. She always went out of her way to get us a table and offer us extras, and everybody there was super lovely and the food was great! 🤗
My wife and I were here for our 44th wedding anniversary. The treatment we received, the quality of the venue and the food combined with complimentary drinks and a lovely cake really made our time special. Highly recommended.
We had a lovely stay at the Iberostar Waves Creta Panorama & Mare. The resort itself is absolutely beautiful, immaculately maintained and spotlessly clean. It is very large and spread out, which we felt was a real advantage. Although we heard some guests complain about difficulty finding sunbeds, we found that there were plenty available if you explored beyond the busiest areas.
The resort caters extremely well for families, with lots for children to enjoy. However, the children’s facilities and activities are so well organised and thoughtfully located that couples and adults can still enjoy a peaceful, relaxing holiday without feeling surrounded by noise.
The staff were amazing throughout our stay, friendly, helpful and hardworking. Unfortunately, one mature bartender was noticeably grumpy and rude, but this was very much the exception and did not reflect the excellent service we received everywhere else.
My daughter and I also enjoyed two wonderful spa treatments, which were a real highlight of our holiday.
There was a good selection of food overall, although the quality was a little inconsistent. In particular, some of the food in the bookable restaurants felt quite mediocre and did not match the otherwise high standard of the resort. This was the only aspect that let the experience down slightly.
Overall, it is a beautiful, exceptionally clean and well-run resort with excellent facilities and wonderful staff. We had a very enjoyable stay and would happily recommend it.
We had the most amazing holiday at this hotel and truly enjoyed every moment of our stay. The hotel is absolutely beautiful, with gorgeous beaches, several different pools, and a fantastic water park with lots of fun slides. There really is something for both children and adults.
The food was also delicious, with a huge variety to choose from every day, so there was always something for everyone.
There were plenty of activities throughout the day for both adults and children, but what made our holiday extra special was definitely the amazing animation team ❤️ They were all so kind, funny, friendly, and full of energy. They worked so hard every day to create a great atmosphere, with activities around the pool and so many other fun things to do.
Every evening, the animation team also performed different shows in the theatre, and we absolutely loved them! The shows were so entertaining and funny, and my daughter and I laughed so much every single night.
A very special thank you to Bobby, Anja, Staisy, Anastasia, Anna, and Tonny ❤️ You truly made our holiday unforgettable and gave us so many wonderful memories. We are going to miss you all!
We came home with so many happy memories, and we already can’t wait to come back again and hopefully see you all again. ❤️
We would definitely recommend this hotel!
