It may have been a bit chilly in the evening at the end of April, but nothing was going to stop my friend and I from hanging out in Creta Maris Resort’s outdoor, adults-only lounge Adama, sat on swing chairs looking out to the sea.

The resort had just reopened for the season and was keen to showcase new features, including Adama, which brings a sophisticated social corner into the mix, with an attractive cocktail list to go with it and no need to check prices: it’s part of the all-inclusive rate.

The addition of Adama and many other features is all part of an ambitious five-year redevelopment and refurbishment project for Creta Maris, opened in 1975. There is now also a Wine Cellar proposition that will serve Cretan and Greek wines, as well as recognised global labels.

I hate to go on more about drinking, but one of the major additions is the Lounge Bar in the lobby – I can’t imagine how they coped this long without it. A central spot to gather (inside or out, thanks to a large, shaded terrace) during the day, families and friends seemed to be enjoying sitting around with drinks and playing cards. It gets quite buzzy at night too, and we were bar-side regulars ourselves most nights, sipping our margaritas as we chatted to the friendly team.

The driving force of the overhaul has been to elevate Creta Maris’s facilities and offering as a premium all-inclusive resort for families and couples with a new design while also continuing to align with its roots in Cretan hospitality. The changes were immediately evident: as we checked in with the smiling reception team, I could feel how the lobby felt fresher and lighter, while a terrace was also tempting us out to take in the view of the main and refurbished Maris pool and the Blue Flag Hersonissos beach below.

The beach isn’t huge – around 250 metres – and it is so lined with sun loungers it felt a little cramped, but there are lots of quieter spots to go and relax after a dip in the sea, as well as 10 pools, an indoor one and five children’s options.

The most sophisticated new additions are Alatsi (adults-only, inside/outside dining with an a la carte dinner menu focused on seafood) and adjacent Mademi with a focus on grilled food and prime meat. They share a beautiful setting looking out to sea, with a sky that turns pale pink as the sun sets and dinner starts.

Another new feature is Delogo Greek Gyros, which served nothing but gyros (meat cooked on a rotisserie, then sliced and served wrapped or stuffed in pita bread with tomato, onion, chips and tzatziki). It’s part of a collection of snack bars by the main pool: next to it is Drosa Ice Cream for fresh homemade, drippy-soft ice cream. There’s also a juice and smoothie bar and, depending on how you look at it, this area is an all-inclusive godsend for parents, as kids can just run from one venue to the next.

It can be hard to equate all-inclusive propositions with sustainability, but Creta Maris Resort is a pioneer in Greece in this area and aims to become a zero-waste-to-landfill hotel.

Owner Metaxa Hospitality Group has been publishing sustainability reports since 2013 and is the first hotel group in Greece to launch a Sustainable Suppliers Program and Sustainable Hotel Farming Project – 73% of the suppliers for Creta Maris are located in Greece.

We feasted like royalty at Enomy, a big place with a busy buffet fray, where the supply of food is carefully monitored, both to keep it fresh, tasty and varied, and to avoid waste. It features open show kitchens, live cooking demonstrations and an interactive philosophy so you can chat to the team, who will offer insight into the Cretan flavours and international favourites.

This is not Mandarin Oriental or Four Seasons levels of luxury (there are almost 700 guest rooms, after all), nor does it want to be. Neither does it pretend to compete with some of the hallmark luxury resorts this island is known for. But it does fill a demand for “affordable luxury”, and with lots to keep everyone occupied, it’s a good suggestion for easy-breezy family trips and friend groups looking to chill.

I loved the accommodation too – a collection of bungalows, townhouses and cute little white and blue buildings, all connected via cobbled streets, with colourful bougainvillea spilling over walls in village squares, reminding you firmly you’re in Greece.

Good to know 

• The resort is next to the seaside town of Hersonissos, and close to Crete’s capital, Heraklion, 25km away. There are a few local bars and shops in either direction outside the resort to wander to for a change of scene. 
• Two parts of the hotel have grown up on either side of a (not too busy) road; most of the recent work has been on the beach side of the resort. 
• On the other side is a waterpark, indoor pool and fitness centre, and Asterias Kids’ Club (4 to 11 years) and Teenagers’ Club (12-15), but none of this has been renovated yet. Guest bedrooms, entertainment offerings and further public areas and F&B outlets will be refurbished over the coming five years. 
• Elsewhere on the property, there is an open-air cinema, five-a-side football pitches, two tennis courts, mini golf, basketball court and petanque, with a daily programme of activities.
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