Elounda Breeze Resort in Elounda

TUI Blue Elounda Breeze in Crete. This trip was marketed as a “family-friendly” all-inclusive holiday, but the reality was stressful, unsafe, and I would not recommend to anyone. traveling as three mothers with young children — one of whom is autistic — and expected a safe, accessible resort, as advertised. 1. Room Issues on Arrival We arrived at midnight after a 12-hour travel day with a 1-year-old child, only to be told there was a “technical issue” with our reserved room. We were temporarily placed in a different room, described as an “upgrade,” which was just adequate for our needs. I was told I would need to change rooms the next day, but no time was given. After finally settling in and unpacking for my child, we discovered in the morning that the door to our room was broken and had been wide open overnight — a serious safety concern. I was then told our room would not be available until 3:30pm, requiring me to pack and unpack repeatedly. No milk was available for the baby on arrival, and no shops were open. 2. Resort Accessibility & Misinformation The resort was not family-friendly as claimed. There was no pram access to most areas — including the pool bar, which had only steep steps. As I could not leave a 1-year-old unattended, I was unable to get food or drinks for myself during the day. The bar served only wine and beer — which I do not drink — and there was no mention of these limitations on your website. There was no music, atmosphere, or accessible facilities. I asked a staff member to help carry drinks; he reluctantly accepted, saying he didn’t want to be “caught” helping me by the manager — a disturbing comment. 3. Eviction from the Hotel The most distressing part of the holiday was being effectively evicted from the hotel, through no fault of our own. After being forced into a temporary room due to the hotel’s internal issue, I was told — abruptly — that I had to vacate or be charged. This was despite having a young child, and being told I could move at 3:30pm. I explained the difficulty, especially as one child is autistic and these disruptions were traumatic. The hotel manager ignored my concerns, told me to “leave his hotel,” and instructed the TUI rep to “get them out of my hotel.” We were left completely stranded, with no support, no accommodation, and no transport — in a remote location, as three single mothers with young children. I immediately contacted TUI. It took 48 hours for a response, only to be told no other hotel was available in Crete. I felt so unsafe I had to pay £1,000 for a private villa to ensure our safety. That level of helplessness, abandonment, and emotional distress is beyond unacceptable. 4. Ongoing Safety & Hygiene Issues During the time we remained on site awaiting a response from Tui, we encountered numerous health and safety hazards: • Loose tiles at the restaurant caused a fall and injury to one member of our party. • Broken glass was found near the children's play area and entert

eview of TUI Blue Elounda Breeze, Crete I am writing this review so that other families, especially those with young children, do not experience what we went through. Our holiday, booked through TUI at the TUI Blue Elounda Breeze in Crete, was marketed as a “family-friendly” all-inclusive. In reality, it was stressful, unsafe, and deeply disappointing. The experience has left me with no trust in TUI, and I cannot recommend them. 1. Room Issues on Arrival After a 12-hour journey with a 1-year-old, we arrived at midnight only to be told our reserved room was unavailable due to a “technical issue.” We were given a temporary room, described as an upgrade, but were told we would have to move the next day with no clear time given. The following morning, we discovered the door to our room had been broken and left wide open overnight — a major safety risk with a child inside. We were then informed our actual room would not be ready until 3:30pm, forcing us to repeatedly pack and unpack. On top of this, no milk was available for the baby on arrival, and no shops were open at that hour. 2. Resort Accessibility & Misinformation The resort was not remotely family-friendly. There was almost no pram access, including to the pool bar, which was only accessible by steep steps. As a result, I couldn’t get food or drinks during the day without leaving my 1-year-old unattended. The bar offered only wine and beer, which was not advertised on the website. There was no atmosphere, music, or accessible facilities. When I asked staff for help carrying drinks, one admitted he could get into trouble with management for assisting me — a worrying attitude. 3. Being Evicted from the Hotel The worst part of the holiday came when we were effectively evicted. After being placed in a temporary room because of the hotel’s error, we were suddenly told to vacate or pay extra. The manager showed no compassion when I explained we had young children, including one with autism, and instead instructed the TUI rep to “get them out of my hotel.” We were left stranded in a remote location — three single mothers with young children, with no accommodation or transport. TUI took 48 hours to respond, and eventually said no alternative hotels were available in Crete. For safety, I had to fly my partner out urgently and pay £1,000 for a private villa. The abandonment and distress caused were inexcusable. 4. Safety & Hygiene Concerns While waiting on site for TUI’s response, we encountered numerous hazards: Loose tiles in the restaurant that caused a fall and injury. Broken glass near the children’s play area and entertainment stage. Evening entertainment held on rocky, stepped ground with no pram access. Broken sunbeds, one of which collapsed and caused another injury. Allocated upstairs rooms (2027 and 3023), despite us requesting ground-floor for pram access. In one, the pram couldn’t even fit through the door. We were told no upgrades were available, yet later threatened wit

If you’re looking to experience the profound shame of being a British holidaymaker, but fancy travelling three times the distance of Benidorm to the otherwise picturesque town of Elounda to do so, the TUI Blue Elounda Breeze might just be the place for you. Upon arrival, you will promptly be branded with your TUI cattle stamp and shown to your room. Following which, you’ll be treated to a parade of cultural delights such as: Football Shirt Bingo Can you spot the home and away shirt of every Premier League and Championship club? The restaurants at breakfast and dinner are an ideal place for this. Extra points are awarded for a “full house” (father, mother, and all offspring clad head-to-toe in matching polyester). Sunbed Wars. Marvel at the dawn migration: hundreds of Brits in obligatory socks and sliders, marching to the pool at 7am to reserve their sacred sun beds, before slouching back to bed again. A National Geographic documentary waiting to happen. An intriguing drinks menu. An enticing selection of “red”, “white”, or “rosé” wine - all served on draught. For the gentleman - cheap, just-below-room-temperature lager is available on tap. The rustic beachfront. Enjoy the unique post-apocalyptic ambience of the “beach” area. Featuring rusty, collapsed metal rails and derelict concrete, you’re guaranteed a quiet afternoon away from the masses—helped by the fact that the adjoining bar does not carry the umbilical cord of free booze on tap. A moonlit dinner at the ‘He Restaurant’. Once dressed for the evening, make your way to the “He Restaurant”, past the amphitheatre (booming out that authentic Greek cultural staple Freed from Desire by Gala), for a romantic moonlit buffet. Less charming when the moon isn’t out, as you’ll instead be dining in pitch black. To their credit, the staff are welcoming, hardworking, and professional. This review is in no way a criticism of them, as they stoically tolerate the loutish behaviour of many of the residents. Our holiday was salvaged by taking good humour in the situation, hiring a car the morning after arrival, and using the hotel as a bed & breakfast. Elounda itself is a wonderful place, full of exceptional restaurants, bars, and welcoming locals. TUI Blue residents aside, it attracts a lovely mix of visitors from around the world, and we would highly recommend it as a destination. The issue lies with the management of the hotel and TUI themselves: firstly, for building a hotel that so blatantly caters to Benidorm holidaymakers in an idyllic and stunning location like Elounda, and secondly, for marketing it as a five-star resort to unsuspecting travellers simply looking to escape the masses for a couple of weeks a year.