Blue Palace Crete, a Marriott Luxury Collection, has undergone an extensive renovation to become a Rosewood Resort. That’s bad news for Marriott loyalists, but good news for Rosewood, which is on track to grow.
The Blue Palace closes as a Marriott Luxury Collection Hotel
Marriott Luxury Collection’s Blue Palace on the Greek island of Crete has just left Marriott. The hotel is open seasonally (summer) and was owned by Marriott for the 2023 summer season, but is no longer affiliated with Marriott.
I reviewed Blue Palace in 2021 and it was a great stay. Crete is my favorite “popular” island in Greece. There are many things to see. Blue Palace was my favorite accommodation I stayed there. It has a very nice environment and a great restaurant. Therefore, the departure of this hotel from the group is a huge loss for Marriott Bonvoy, as you will no longer be able to earn or redeem points on your stays here.
Rosewood Blue Palace Opening in 2025
It was announced that Rosewood takes over management. The Blue Palace hotel is undergoing extensive renovations. The hotel will close in the 2024 season and reopen as the Rosewood Hotel in the 2025 summer season. This suggests that the hotel is undergoing extensive renovations, which frankly is needed at this time.
In a full renovation, not only the site but also the structure of the building will be completely renewed. The updated property features 154 rooms and suites, 85 of which feature private pools. The interior will be designed by Greek company K-Studio, with a vision based on Cretan tradition and identity. His six restaurants and bars at the resort will also be reviewed.
This will be Rosewood’s first facility in Greece. For those who aren’t familiar with Rosewood, the luxury hotel group currently has more than 30 properties, with about the same number in the pipeline. I think Rosewood is the closest competitor to Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental in terms of store space, service, and pricing.
To be honest, I’m really conflicted here. I’m disappointed in the fact that this will no longer be associated with a hotel group that has a loyalty program. However, the hotel is really a bit outdated and what made this hotel great is its environment. If this hotel gets a major renovation, it might become one of my favorite hotels in the world.
Of course, I think that will be reflected in the price as well. Again, prices in Crete are not as high as in Mykonos or Santorini.
conclusion
Crete’s Blue Palace is undergoing renovations, and you can expect a rebrand as part of that. The hotel will no longer be a Marriott Luxury Collection property and will instead join Rosewood Hotels. It’s a shame that you won’t be able to earn or redeem points on your stay here, but it’s nice to see a change as this hotel was starting to get a little past its prime.
By the way, it’s interesting that this is the second Luxury Collection property in Europe in recent memory to become Rosewood. Fuschl Castle in Austria also became a Rosewood property.
For those of you familiar with the property, what do you think of this Blue Palace news?