The Syntopia Hotel

From the moment we arrived, it was clear Syntopia isn’t trying to shout for attention — and that’s exactly its strength.

Arriving by rental car, the entrance is discreetly tucked away on a side street (easy to miss if you’re not paying attention), and while there’s no dedicated hotel parking, we always found a spot in the quiet backstreets behind the hotel. A small trade-off for what follows.

The entrance immediately sets the tone: tasteful, serene, and quietly exclusive. Water features, space, and a calm flow guide you into a lobby that feels more like a design retreat than a hotel reception. The adults-only concept truly comes alive here — elevated further by music that’s curated, not generic. A DJ gently shapes the atmosphere throughout the day with tracks that would feel right at home in Ibiza’s most refined adults-only hotels.

We stayed in a Superior Sea View with Jacuzzi, and expectations were high — they were met effortlessly.

The room: hard to leave (we tried)

The room was spacious and beautifully finished, with local wood integrated into the design, giving it warmth without losing its contemporary edge. And then there’s the terrace… expansive, private, and genuinely seductive. One of those spaces where plans get cancelled because the room itself becomes the destination.

Views, with context

Sea-facing rooms are key here. You’ll get lovely views, especially from higher floors, but it’s worth noting there’s a busy road between the hotel and the sea, and another large hotel across it partially blocks the view. From the top floor, it’s a non-issue. Rooms facing the back enjoy more countryside views, but they don’t quite deliver the same sense of beauty and exclusivity that defines the rest of the experience.

Service that feels human, not scripted

Service at Syntopia is exceptional — attentive, proactive, and never intrusive.

A standout moment: they quietly realised it was my birthday and, without prompting, sent a complimentary bottle of wine and an incredible cake straight to our room that evening. Thoughtful, personal, and perfectly timed.

From reception to the kitchen, pool team to bartenders — everyone felt genuinely engaged and proud of where they work. That energy is contagious.

All-inclusive, redefined

This was our first all-inclusive stay, and honestly? We were converted.

The food was consistently excellent, with clear labelling for gluten-free, lactose-free, and other dietary needs (one small labelling slip, quickly resolved). The wine and drinks selection was generous and well-chosen — not the usual “all-inclusive compromise.”

I’m not vegan, but the quality, variety, and flavour made it incredibly easy to eat plant-based if you wanted to.

Pools, wellness & movement

There are three outdoor pools, each with its own distinct mood:

One by reception and the restaurant, soundtracked by the DJ
One heated pool, tucked away and calm
And the rooftop pool and bar — effortlessly stylish, beautifully designed, and with a vibe that’s simply on another level

We lived up there.

The onsite gym deserves a special mention. It’s small but carefully designed, with everything you actually need for a solid workout. Slots are booked in advance and capped at four people at any given time, which keeps the space calm, uncrowded, and very much in line with Syntopia’s adults-only, considered approach.

Add to that daily curated events — outdoor cinema, live music, and more — all executed with quality and intention rather than volume. Their Instagram posts the event of the day, and it’s genuinely worth checking.

Final thoughts

Syntopia is for travellers who value design, atmosphere, music, and subtle luxury. It’s not loud. It’s not flashy. It’s confident, calm, and beautifully curated.

If you’re looking for an adults-only escape that feels closer to a design hotel in Ibiza than a traditional Cretan resort — this one absolutely delivers.

Our stay at this hotel was truly wonderful. From the very first moment, we were greeted by exceptionally friendly and attentive staff – honestly, some of the friendliest we have ever encountered. They made sure every part of our stay was smooth, comfortable, and enjoyable.

The room was immaculate, stylish, and cozy, with every detail thoughtfully considered. We also loved the calm atmosphere and the overall cleanliness throughout the hotel.

The food and drinks were an absolute highlight.Every meal we tried was amazing. The international drinks, fantastic cocktails, and beautifully presented dishes made the experience even more memorable.

I highly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for quality, comfort, amazing food, and outstanding service. We will definitely return! 🌟

Hotel; Astectically very nice, a good feeling to the place with a relaxing boutique / boughie style; good vibe with music being played it was almost hypnotic at times / amazing smell in the hotel.
( on arrival we received No arrival drink as advertised, minor issue !! )

Rooms; Some rooms are small and some face onto a road at the back of the hotel, some people said the road was noisy but it was ok with us.
Rooms facing the main pool are good.
Upgrade if you have an issue, we tried but none available.

Food;
Only a Buffett Restaurant ??!!
Breakfast; Selection ok / Lunch; Selection ok / Dinner; Selection ok.
Our Main issue was the food was never HOT at best is was warm for ALL sittings.
Breakfast got busy around 8;30 to 9am, struggle to get a seat.
Canteen; Provided good snacks and very good service.

Pools;
3 x Pools ( Main Pool , Catch Pool, Rooftop Pool )
Main Pool; Sunbeds over the pool get taken before 6am, noise from the road at the opposite end of the pool from the restaurant. Sun only gets on the side opposite to the bar.
Rooftop Pool; on the 3rd floor opens at 10:30am , que to get up there on the stairs from just after 9am !!!
Catch Pool; Very enclosed , again you need to be up early if you want a sunbed.
Hotel needs to police the sunbed situation better ??? people placing towels on sunbeds before 6am them coming back to them at 10am ???

Beach;
Beach is a 5 minute walk away along the road on the opposite side to the hotel.
Sunbeds at Roulis Beach are 15 euros for 2 sunbeds ( give you 2 small water as well ).
Beach is nice, you will need sea shoes to enter the sea.
Lunch Box from the hotel is pathetic , we threw ours in the bin, eat at Roulis Bar it is ok and reasonable.

Bars & Drinks;
Main bar at main pool, Rooftop Bar, Catch pool Bar;
Drinks on the All Inclusive package are ok and service is good.
Some Branded Drinks and Wines were extra.

Spa; We did not use.

Hidden Extra's include;
Safety Deposit Box in your room is chargeable at 3 Euros a Day.
Roulis Beach is 15 Euros for 2 sunbeds per day.
Late check is charged at 25 Euros per Hour.

Staff are on the whole gave a very good service;
Special mention to; Ioanna from Guest Relations / Athanasia & Christina in the restaurant.

At this current time we would not return to the hotel due to minor issues which need addressing ( Extra charges , Food being warm at best in the Restaurant and the Sunbed issues at All pools ).

The Syntopia is without doubt one of the most beautiful and stylish hotels we’ve ever stayed in. The décor is stunning, a chic bohemian style that feels both luxurious and relaxed, appealing to all ages. Everywhere you look, the design has been so tastefully thought out, creating a calm and inviting atmosphere.

The food was exceptional, beautifully presented buffets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a wide variety of choices to suit vegans and meat eaters. We stayed all-inclusive and there was always plenty of choice and high quality in every meal.

The staff were outstanding, polite, friendly, and always willing to go above and beyond to make your stay special. Our room was spotless, stylish, and well maintained with fresh bedding, towels, and toiletries provided daily. We upgraded to a pool view suite which had everything we needed and more, highly recommend!

There’s even a lovely on-site shop selling unique clothing, gifts, and the hotel’s signature scent, which you can smell throughout the property, such a nice touch.

If there’s one small negative it’s that (as with many hotels) you need to be up early to secure a sun bed around one of the three pools if you don’t want to be in a shaded area. Other than that, everything was perfect.

A truly enjoyable and memorable stay. Thank you.

The staff made our holiday. All of them, from the reception to the cleaning staff, bars and kitchen. They are so kind and work so hard! They are there every day always with a smile! The Food is unbelievable, fresh and different every day and for everyone. Please do not listen to people who write “oh the food was not great etc” because trust me, the only people who were saying that were eating only French fries and ham and cheese sandwich because that is what they are used to. So thank you for giving us one of the best holiday❤️

As we entered the hotel, the extremely loud music was overwhelming, making it impossible to relax. We checked in, but the receptionist's welcome was hindered by the noise, forcing us to ask to move to a quieter area. This wasn't a warm welcome at all. Furthermore, there was no warm food available for late check-ins, and the 'snacks' in our room consisted of processed meat, olives, cheese, and bread. The fridge wasn't cold, and there was no mini-bar. Our room was also plagued by a constant dripping noise from the toilet and a leaking shower. The all-inclusive package had limited drink options, with weak spirits and overly sweet syrups, and the food choice was poor, repetitive, and salty. The service was subpar, with staff seemingly miserable and unattentive. The hotel's sunbed situation was also inadequate, with most beds in the shade and people reserving them as early as 6 am. The cleaners entered our room without knocking multiple times, and we felt unwelcome and disappointed throughout our stay. If you value good food and a friendly atmosphere, I'd recommend looking elsewhere. However, if you're not particular, you might be okay. Our experience at Stella Island in April 2025, a 5-star hotel, was vastly superior, and I'd strongly advise spending a bit more to stay there instead.

The Syntopia Hotel – We stayed at the hotel from 6th Oct to the 16th Oct (10 Night) On an all-inclusive basis (Booked with Jet2)
On arrival which was Approx midnight on the 6th of October. We were dropped off on the Main Road / strip we walked a short distance down a side street to get to the hotel as the Main Entrance was not situated on the main road.
On first impression the entrance way was nice bright modern and welcoming with a pleasant aroma (We later discovered this was a signature scent created specifically for the hotel and was used throughout) There were items in the gift store with the same scent, which we brought home a reed diffuser.
We where greeted by the Receptionist who got us checked in, we were provided with our key cards, wrist bands and a map of the hotel and was instructed to download an app to our phones to allow us to access the WIFI which is now the norm for the EU ( which is a percentage of the room price per night) we where shown to our room. The receptionist accompanied us to our room brining our bags up for us.
There was also a small plate of food provided in our room due to the late check in time.
On first inspection of our room which was a Suite which we had requested which was an open plan room with doble balcony, we were overlooking a busy side road and due to traffic noise had the doors closed most of the time.
The room was bright, modern and generally clean with the toilet and shower cubicle directly opening out onto the room, The only downside I could see to the room was there appeared to be very little storage for a 10 night stay only 10 hangers for 2 people for a 10-night stay and only 4 small draws in the cupboard. There was no bedside storage only 2 small stool like tables. With no draws.
Another downside where the amount of lights in the room all lighting was provided my mood lighting and there where various switches around the room all turned off when the card is removed, however if retiring for the night we often found ourselves having to walk round the entire room to switch of switches, if may have been nice to have a central panel to allow you to turn off lights from one place.
Food overall was of good quality breakfast and lunch was on a first come basis but lunch needed to be booked via an app which we had to download when checking in.
And there was a lunch hut where snacks could be got during the day, also for excursions we where able to order a lunch basket to take out with us but needed to be ordered the night before.
Amenities although there were 3 pools on site, we often found out that due to the number of beds on offer as opposed to single sun loungers these where often snatched up early and the main was more often or not already in shade.
We would like to thank one member of staff in particular Chrysa on the reception desk, she initially helped us with the hiring of a car but was also very helpful in showing us and recommending places to visit. She would check in each morning for a catch up to see how we were and how are visit was going.
Overall, the stay was very good and our first visit to Crete although other than the few things I had mentioned would definitely visit again.

My husband and I came here for our honeymoon and it was brilliant, if you are after a week all inclusive to relax in the sun, eat and drink it is the perfect place! We had a pool facing room which was nice, we were worried about it being too small but it was absolutely fine. The food and drinks at the hotel are great, we love our food and it was all really good quality and very nice, not too repetitive. The 3 pools are all really nice, the staff even come round and take your drink orders while you're sun bathing! If you want to sit on one of the cabana style sunbeds you do unfortunately need to get up early to secure one, otherwise there was always sunbeds available but not always in the sun. The hotel decor is stunning and it is spotlessly clean. There are shops and restaurants nearby which you can walk to, we got the bus into the old town a few times which is an absolute must! It is so beautiful and lovely to walk around especially at night time. The evening entertainment is really good but not very lively. We didn't get any little extras for being on our honeymoon like you do at other hotels which was a bit of a shame but we didn't mind. The only minor negatives we had is that the lighting in the room was very dark (you can hardly see what you're doing in the shower!) and that the spa team come round the pools to try and get you to book in with them, and they can be a bit pushy. Apart from that it is perfect and the staff are lovely and very friendly. There's also lots of places nearby to rent a car which we did one day to go exploring. We would definitely come back here and loved our stay!

4/5 Fijne vakantie week gehad in dit hotel. Mooie moderne accommodaties, gratis parkeren in de omliggende straten. Eten in buffetvorm, telkens zeer lekker. De All Inclusive had wel zijn beperkingen, wat jammer is als het hotel het aanbiedt als een All In

The spa was absolutely wonderful, offering a truly relaxing and rejuvenating experience from start to finish. The staff were exceptionally friendly, professional, and attentive, making me feel comfortable and welcomed the moment I arrived. The atmosphere was calm, clean, and beautifully designed, creating the perfect environment for rest and renewal.

Alles perfekt, wir würden sofort wieder kommen!

Incredibly relaxing spa experience. Very professional and a great range of services. Would definitely recommend to all

Fantastic all round service, very friendly & welcoming, food is on another level, spa treatment was amazing great reception & facilities, will be back again, A*

Absolutely fantastic hotel stayed in the suit with hot tub on the balcony it was stunning, highly recommend! couldn’t fult anything with this hotel and staff are very pleasant and friendly, the spa and massage treatment is a must.. the whole vibe of this hotel is exceptional.. will 100% be coming back again.

During our stay at The Syntopia hotel, we decided to take advantage of the spa offer, driven by curiosity and the desire to experience something extraordinary. And after just a few moments, we knew it was going to be an unforgettable experience.
We were warmly greeted by Katerina, the exceptional spa manager, whose passion, and expertise were evident as she detailed the available treatments and guided us through the facilities. Her energy, enthusiasm and dedication create an amazing atmosphere – it is remarkable that she is the heart and soul of this place.
We chose the Divine Duet package an extensive three-hour couples' ritual that combines a hammam session, steam bath, traditional Cretan massage, and facial treatment. The experience took place in an intimate space, enhanced by the subtle fragrances of essential oils and relaxing music, creating an atmosphere of deep relaxation. The masseuses were exceptional – professional, attentive, and incredibly intuitive. Their ability to tailor techniques and pressure to our individual needs, focusing on areas requiring particular attention, was amazing. Thanks to them, we felt completely relaxed, as if all stress and tension had disappeared
The spa's commitment to using premium, natural cosmetics further elevated the experience. These products, gentle on the skin, aromatic, perfectly enhanced the treatments.
This three-hour journey of happiness and harmony allowed us to fully relax and enjoy the moment together. We can confidently affirm that this was the most exceptional relaxation experience we have ever encountered.

I’m not one to usually leave a review but this hotel is incredible! The staff are so friendly and the service is perfect including taking orders for drinks all day by the pools! Huge list of cocktails not just the usual standard all inclusive ones. The food in the restaurant is also really good and varied. By far the nicest and prettiest hotels I’ve ever stayed in would recommend.

Amazing spa, I’ve never fallen asleep during a massage. The staff is kind and caring and their hands are magical! The hotel is wonderful and the spa is nothing like I ever experienced!

Empfehlenswert

The hotel is stunning, beautiful decor and the staff are the loviest people. We booked a jungle suite as a treat but there is some major let downs.

All jungle suits receive no sun to enjoy the sunbeds because of where they are situated. Great if you like the shade but it would have been nice to lay out in privacy and enjoy the garden of the suite.

What made this worse is there are a limited amount of sunbeds by the pool that get the sun. One side is shade all day. We realised quickly that unless you’re up at 6:30am to get out there and reserve a sun bed in the sun, you won’t get one. The hotel aesthetic is to promote relaxation, but you can’t even get a lay in unless you want to sit in the shade all day.
Also, we got a note saying we can’t reserve a bed with towels. People are actually laying on the beds as early as 6:30 in hoodies and blankets to secure them for the day.It’s crazy!

The staff need to look at this and operate with a sun bed attendant at a more reasonable time. It’s really let down our experience.

The roof top bar has a smaller pool, that opens at 10:30. This is much better managed.

I do want to highlight how great the staff are here, so friendly and personable.

Food was also great and had a lovely varied selection each day.

Entertainment by the pool was also really nice after dinner enjoyed with a cocktail.

We had an incredible time at the hotel, the staff are extremely helpful and go over and above willing to do anything to give you the best experience. The facilities at the hotel are everything you need, 3 pools with bars, snack bar and the food availability is excellent. In a good location very near to the beach. You can get a local bus to take you into the Old Town which is well worth a visit. Very clean hotel, it was good to see that the food temperature and pool cleanliness were checked regularly. If you want a peaceful holiday for over 18's this hotel is well recommended. 2 Restaurant staff Christina and Maria deserve to be recognised for their excellent service that they gave to us and other guests in the hotel.