Iberostar Waves Creta Panorama & Mare in Panormos

We’ve been half board for a week here. It’s been a super week. We’ve used it as a base to visit the island (we booked direct and booked flights and car hire separately), most of the guests here are on AI package breaks. Yes the main hotel is ready for renovation, but it’s been absolutely fine for us. The bathroom has already been upgraded, and everything was super clean and functional. Lots of toiletries provided and fresh towels daily. The sofa bed had an issue as the cushions separated at night, and we needed to move it to avoid drips from the air con. We loved having a fridge in our room to keep drinks cool when we got back from our trips. Half board doesn’t include drinks at dinner, only at breakfast. Staff seemed happy to provide water though, and the hot drinks machine was OK to use, they had a good selection of teas. The food itself has been fabulous - we tried lots of Greek and Cretan dishes, and loved the variety of fish and grilled meats, as well as the salad bar and fruits / cheese. We ate differently every night, and for the more fussy eaters, the pizza oven was on every night! Our favourite was a Chinese night whilst here (Weds I think). We ate at both the Greek and Italian restaurants too (booked via the app). The Greek served amazing langoustines and grilled pork. Starters and desserts were buffet (the moussaka was amazing!), but they were lacking apple fritters, fried banana and Turkish delight from the pudding bar (favourites from Greek night in the buffet restaurant). I’ve eaten a lot of freshly baked sourdough this week! Really amazing fresh breads at all meals. The pools were fab, although we only swam in the freshwater one, but everywhere was clean, towels changed daily, and little shop on site for water / snacks for the day we stayed on site. The mini land train runs to the next village which was a novel afternoon out. It does mornings excursions too, although we’ve been out and about by car most days. If you’re here without a car, go early on in your stay to the village at Panamos (by land train) and book your trips from the offices there. Overall great value for money, and the staff have been absolutely magnificent. Nothing has been too much trouble all week, just been such a delightful stay ♥️

Beautiful clean hotel, with great amenities and food! We stayed for 7 days - half board, and had a wonderful time. Hotel staff are super friendly and accommodating. The animation team are extremely hard working, providing entertainment during the day and also nightly shows in the theatre. Our stay was topped off with a very well organised Halloween party/disco hosted at the hotel. Highly recommended for all ages!

Returned again to a hotel where there has been major upgrading over half of the site plus the addition of new facilities - but where the high quality of the staff team remains as the major selling point as they are just terrific across the board. There is now a water park that was completed in May/June 2025 and it is a great facility for anyone and particularly those with children. It has a good pool, shallow splash area, various slides and plenty of deck chair style sunbeds with shades and small lockers attached that also form table tops. Food wagons provide snack food such as real chicken nuggets, gyros, burgers, fries, beverages, wine and beer, cold snacks, ice cream and so on and an eating area with shade. A great facility and moving up the same road is the theatre with improved seating, then areas for boules, archery, table tennis, paddle tennis, mi i- golf and the old conference centre which is used for special events as well as housing Lavris barbecue restaurant, which has free booking on a one per week basis. A new cafe/bar and dining g area has been created from the old Creta Mare reception and open courtyard next to the Polo Pool, which has also been refurbished with better sunbeds, non slip tiling around it and better steps into ghe pool. The new cafe/bar is called Lolivetos and is Italian themed and lunch can be booked daily with evening meals on a once per week basis if all inclusive. Have a good appetite as the food is substantial and filling as well as tasty and suggest you consider sharing some courses or lunch meals. Lovely building now that can be used for drinks and beverages in the day like any cafe on site. The 'infinity pool' at the top of the site has been refurbished with better sunbeds and family areas. It is fresh water and has a cafe and fantastic views and is great for families with small children although there is still the kiddies area near ghe theatre with upgraded paddling pool, better shading and better sunbeds. The main pool and other pool and associated cafes are largely unchanged but do have better sunbeds and shades and are due for further upgrade and refurbishment by May 2026. The ungalows on the main pool side of the hotel have all been brilliantly refurbished and rebuilt inside with seperate wc, washbasin and walk in shower. Wardrobes and cupboards, including g safe and other useful items lining the wall opposite these facilities. Door entrance in ours was now at ghe rear and led into a room with bed settee, cupboard and air conditioning plus light switch system that did away with the slot card system of old and even lighted display by ghe door to indicate room OK for cleaner or do not disturb. Walking through past wardrobe and ablution area there is a sleeping area with very large and comfy bed plus a dressing table, TV and tea/coffee making facilities. Inthecupboard under ghe safe is a fridge with initial supply of soft drinks and a couple of beers. Sliding doors from the bed area lead to a nice terrac

Very large hotel and grounds. All very clean and well run. Hotel is on a peninsula by itself so you are a bus ride away from a town with bars and tavernas. There are plenty of pools in the hotel grounds and you have access to the beach and safe swimming areas. Little disappointed that indoor pool was closed on our visit for COVID related reasons, thought those days had passed. Large grounds mean that things don't feel overcrowded. Food was plentiful with a very good choice of dishes. Breakfasts were very good. Dinning room could feel a little overcrowded and canteen like at times. In all a good four star hotel complex.

What an amazing stay for 7days. All inclusive. Whole resort is great. Stayed in garden view room. Staff very helpful and friendly. Choice of food was fantastic catering for all tastes. Download the Hotel app to get map and information where pools, bars etc. Location is out of the way. If you want to visit local towns etc prepare to travel for long periods time. Hotel offers all you need to have a relaxing, stress free holiday. Views amazing where ever you put your sunbed. Which their are plenty of. Main pool can feel busy, but does have activities going on through the day. So we went to the Phaethon bar with pool. Which was quieter but still busy. But still relaxing. Great if you sporty lots to do too.
All in all can not fault anything. Would definitely come again and fully recommend.

we had our Honeymoon in this hotel and happened to have my wife's birthday. The hotel manager sent us a birthday cake and bubble wine as gifts. That's touching! Like this hotel, nice location, nice food, nice staff, extraordinary experience. Recommended with 6 stars!

Gorgeous setting and grounds, staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The food is varied and all good quality, something for everyone.
Unfortunately the shower in the room is very disappointing.. as a cheap plastic shower curtain and a tiny shower basin.. we have found completely lacking. We are not large people, but we struggle to get a reasonable shower. The room is a wet room but I am not confident that the poor tiling and grouting would be waterproof. Good luck to those below us ...
Shame also the air-conditioning is either freezing cold or off. The temperature control does not work. Small things that spoil an otherwise excellent hotel. Please do better iberostar.
Also, a special mention to the animation team .... really excellent.

That‘s the best hotel I know!! everything was perfect, I loved the food. There was a big buffet, so there was something for everybody. And it was so yummy. The location was so wonderful, the hotel was near the beach. The people which work in the hotel are sooo nice. I can’t say something negative about anything. Because everything is so beautiful and perfect!! 🤩 Thank u very much! That’s definitely a hotel, where I will come back! ☺️ I was so sad, when the day come I had to leave, because I had so much fun there. I really loved the animation too! 🥰

Excellent hotel! The price-quality ratio is perfect! All at the highest level. I can compare it even with the neighboring five Greek hotel. Almost everything is the same and even better in some ways, only cheaper!

Great hotel for summer holidays. Polite staff, clean rooms, large area with enough pools and beaches. Of the minuses: thin walls in the rooms, you can hear the conversations of neighbors, the design of the rooms is a little outdated, if you find fault?, weak animation, for those who love it. In general, I liked everything, the food is quite varied. The hotel can be recommended both for families and couples without children. In Crete, of course, it is better to rent a car and travel around this beautiful island.