Our Summer Holiday in a Pandemic
Travel in a pandemic bought new experiences but not necessarily all bad. Luton airport was very quiet, especially for the time of year; it was definitely the most pleasant airport experience I’ve ever had! There are lots of signs to remind us of the precautions to take. Hand-sanitiser is plentiful and airport seating is labelled to facilitate social distancing. Wearing a face-mask in the airport and on board the plane is mandatory for anyone over the age of 6.
We were greeted upon arrival at our hotel, the 5 star Creta Mars Resort & Spa, by staff wearing masks and gloves and it was evident that the Covid protocol has been well thought out. The hotel was operating at around 60% capacity to allow for social distancing, which also made for a really chilled holiday experience.
Set right on a sandy beach, designed and laid out like a traditional Greek Village with different zones and multiple pools, I loved how spacious the Creta Maris resort is. Perfect for social distancing in a Covid world, but even at full capacity I imagine you’d never be short on space.
Most importantly this luxury All Inclusive hotel offers a choice of restaurants. This is probably my most requested feature when planning All Inclusive holidays for clients who like the ease of All Inclusive but not the idea of dining in the same buffet restaurant three times a day. At the Creta Maris Resort you are not short on choice with 6 restaurants in total, plus poolside snack-points. My favourite spot was the seafront location of the Greek BBQ restaurant, Cohlias. Whilst Pithos is a unique à la carte serving Cretan Cuisine. It has been awarded by the Bio Hellas Institute with the ‘Bio-Kouzina Gold’ certification, for offering 90% of organic dishes on its menu.
I love a waterpark so when I saw that the Create Maris Resort had it’s own waterpark I knew it was the hotel for me. The waterpark was a new addition in 2019, is exclusive for hotel guests and is included in the All Inclusive package at no additional charge. There is something for everyone with a toddler splash pool, Aqua Tower and slides for the little ones, plus slides for big kids (over 1.2m) and adults to enjoy too. Located in it’s own corner of the hotel, don’t worry – if waterparks aren’t your thing it can easily be avoided.
One of my favourite things was about the hotel is its efforts in sustainable tourism. Powered by solar panels the hotel aims to be zero waste by 2021. There is no single use plastic in sight! Straws are compostable plus water is filtered and provided in reusable bottles. There are recycling stations, plus wooden cutlery and polycarbonate reusable cups are used instead of plastic at the poolside snack bars.
Yes, travelling in a pandemic meant there was a few extra things to think about, but once we’d arrived and settled in the holiday was just as you’d expect any holiday to be – an opportunity to make wonderful new family memories!