TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess

After a stressful summer at work, we were eager to unwind and head off to the sun in September. But not so far this time. So we decided on Greece, specifically Thessaloniki. We chose the 5-star all-inclusive TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess. It was our first time on a vacation with nothing but beach, pool, food, and drinks. Find out how we liked it and whether we'd do it again in our hotel review.

Booking, arrival and check-in

The TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess, which opened in 2016, is located approximately one hour from Thessaloniki, near... Gerakini. In a very quiet location, right on the Mediterranean Sea, as no other large hotels have been built nearby. Check-in was very quick and extremely friendly, including a small welcome drink.

What are the rooms (Junior Suite with sea view) like at the TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess?

The room types at the TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess are very diverse, and we had the impression that they were somewhat randomly distributed throughout the hotel grounds. This creates a good mix, and you don't get the feeling that there's a special area for particular guests. All room types can be booked with either a garden view or a sea view, and some even come with their own jacuzzi, direct access to the communal pool, or even a private pool. The room types are as follows:

• Family room with two separate bedrooms (with bunk beds for children)
• Standard Double Room
• Junior suites with lounge and bedroom
• Suites with a large living room and bedroom and two bathrooms
• Maisonette apartments over 2 floors

Upon arrival, we received an upgrade to a junior suite with a sea view. The junior suites, as well as all rooms, are bright and modernly furnished; despite the abundance of white, they don't feel cold, but rather typically Greek. Blue and turquoise tones were chosen for the upholstery as a contrasting element. The light wood furniture also creates a fresh, summery feel.

Our Junior The suite was a really good size, with a living room containing a sofa (which we converted into a bed for our son), an armchair, a small table, and a desk, as well as a bedroom with a king-size bed. Both rooms had flat-screen TVs. The bathroom was spacious, with two sinks, a toilet, and a Rainshower shower. What really surprised us were the fresh flowers in the room and a bottle of Prosecco in the refrigerator. It's rare to find such service in a family hotel. The fresh fruit platter was a very thoughtful and welcome touch, and our son immediately claimed it.

What does the TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess offer for relaxation?

The hotel grounds are spacious but not too large, well-maintained and clean, beautifully landscaped and green. The rooms and suites are located in the main building and in the smaller houses scattered throughout the grounds. The many different pools are also distributed in the same way. The main building houses the reception and lobby, the breakfast room, and Evening buffet restaurant, the Kids Club (a small one from the hotel and a large one from TUI), the baby club, a Mini-market, bars, the spa area with indoor pool and an entertainment room with stage.

Two more restaurants are located throughout the grounds: the Green & Grill Restaurant and the Mylos Greek Tavern. There are also three additional bars: the Thalassa Pool Bar, the Mylos Pool & Beach Bar, and the Poseidon Pool Bar. The hotel's playground is located right next to the main building, near the restaurant. We found it a bit small for a family hotel, but it was sufficient for all the children during our stay. However, it might get a little crowded during peak season.

The hotel still looks brand new; everything shines in a beautiful, typical Greek white, and the rooms show hardly any wear and tear. There's definitely room for expansion and the construction of new guesthouses on the hotel grounds. Throughout the entire area, the hotel staff are busy with small... Electric golf carts On the go. A clean and quiet option for the expansive grounds. This way you'll be... To- and departure also chauffeured with luggage.

pool

The TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess has 6 Pool facilities, The pools are spread throughout the grounds and come in various shapes and styles. The indoor pool and spa area are located in the basement of the main building. Due to the somewhat changeable weather at the end of September, we also spent a day in the indoor pool. According to the hotel, children are not allowed, which we found a bit odd for a family hotel, but apparently, this isn't taken too seriously, as no one seemed to mind the children in the pool area. The indoor pool isn't very large, but it's adequate, and we found the water quite refreshing.

The outdoor pools are very diverse, with features like small waterfalls and massage jets. We spent most of our time with our son in the children's pool. It's beautifully designed, with three small water slides and a play boat that sprays water. The pool has varying depths, so all children can play and swim in it. However, you should always keep an eye on your child, as even the shallowest water was deep enough for our son to slip and not be able to get up on his own. We found the water in all the outdoor pools to be cold; it reminded us of a Kneipp cure. Apparently, they were still cooling the pools as they always do in the height of summer. Our son didn't seem to mind at all, even with blue lips. he still thought he was not cold.

There are plenty of sun loungers and parasols by the pools, and they are clean and tidy. Even in peak season, you should always be able to find a free lounger. Reserving loungers at 6:00 a.m. like at a party resort is unnecessary here, and we didn't experience that either. A hotel like this shouldn't allow itself to be subjected to such practices.

Beach

Fine sandy beaches are rare in Greece, and this beach was no exception. However, the sand and pebble beach was still quite pleasant for building sandcastles and swimming. There were plenty of sun loungers and parasols, though we doubt they'll be sufficient during peak season. The cushions were clean and well-maintained, if sometimes sandy, but then again, it's the beach, so there's plenty of sand around. Towels for the pool and beach were available via a towel card at one of the beaches. Unfortunately, the same towels were used for both, and only one was issued per day. The sea was still wonderfully warm, having been heated by the very hot summer. This was a welcome relief, as the air was quite cool on some days.

Sports and Wellness

The fitness center is located in the main building, but we didn't try it out. Many of the sports offered are included, such as yoga. These take place at specific times, and anyone who shows up can participate. Water sports, like banana boat rides or jet skiing, are only available on the beach for a fee and are operated by a company outside the hotel. The indoor pool, Finnish sauna, and steam room are free of charge. However, massages and beauty treatments in the spa area can only be booked for an additional fee. The spa area was visually very appealing, but we can't comment on the quality of the treatments as we didn't experience any.

What is the food like at the TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess?

The TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess has three restaurants: The Aegean Restaurant (main restaurant), the Green & Grill Restaurant and the Mylos Greek Tavern, as well as the Food Stalls for snacks in between.

The Aegean Restaurant

The Aegean Restaurant in the main building serves the breakfast and dinner buffets. Due to the large number of hotel guests, the food is prepared in large quantities, but it's very tasty and varied. As you would expect from a 5-star hotel, there were different themed evenings. We never lacked anything, neither for dinner nor breakfast. The fruit was always fresh, and there were even oranges for squeezing yourself. Unfortunately, I found a maggot in my juice one morning, but it's a natural product, after all. The various juices from the dispensers were rather watery and made from syrup, but they were okay. In the evenings, drinks were served directly to the table. For younger guests, there's a separate buffet for breakfast and dinner with everything a child could wish for: from simple fries to schnitzel, fresh fruit and vegetables, and sweet treats for dessert. Pancakes and French toast for breakfast were also a hit with the little ones.

The seating areas are directly adjacent to the buffet and extend into three glass-enclosed side wings. The noise level was sometimes comparable to a dining hall, which is why we never sat directly near the buffet. It's much quieter in the side wings, and we recommend the area at the very back, which is the last seating area in the third side wing. In summer, the glass doors can be fully opened, creating terraces. However, with the autumn weather, all the glass doors were closed, which didn't detract from the pleasant atmosphere.

Green & Grill Restaurant

The Green & Grill Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. The lunch selection is rather small, but perfectly adequate. All dishes are fresh and are promptly replenished if something runs out. They offer homemade pizza from a stone oven and a variety of Greek specialties.

For a one-week stay, dinner at this restaurant is included with advance booking. That was our highlight! You can grill your own meat, fish, and vegetables. Just the thing for the men... and for the women too. In addition, there was still a buffet with salad, cheese, and other lighter items. The food is truly delicious and highly recommended. The restaurant has an open design, meaning it has no walls or windows. So, during the off-season, you should bring a light jacket for the evening. We found the service a bit slow and not quite as friendly as in the other restaurants. Nevertheless, we can't really complain.

Mylos Greek Tavern

In the Mylos Greek Tavern Dinner and lunch are served. Menu selection The lunch buffet is large and very tasty. Everything is fresh and, despite the crowds, very good. The tables are quickly cleared for new guests and the service is friendly. As in the Green At & Grill, you can have one dinner here during a one-week stay, with advance booking. This restaurant offers à la carte dishes for the main course and dessert. The appetizer is a selection of four different Greek dishes served together. Our meal was delicious and freshly prepared. We were lucky that the restaurant was almost empty the evening we ate there. This meant our son had plenty of room to play without disturbing anyone.

Food Stalls

For a quick snack during the day, there are also food stalls. If you don't get full at the buffet, you can stock up on crêpes, hot dogs, waffles, and sandwiches here. And let's not forget the ice cream, our son's favorite snack. There's also always fresh fruit available. So there's something for everyone, and it's highly recommended as an afternoon snack.

What is the service like at the TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess?

The hotel staff were consistently friendly and helpful, some more so than others, of course, but no one was rude. The service at the Green & Grill Restaurant could have been a bit quicker and more attentive at times, but that's really nitpicking. At the Aegean Restaurant in the back, we had a very nice and helpful waitress who was always one step ahead of us whenever our son spilled something or accidentally knocked it over. That was truly excellent! At the Poseidon Pool Bar, which was right next to our room, the bartenders were all quick and attentive. We received a friendly smile at any time of day, and our son especially loved Constantina's service. The little charmer managed to attract just the right person and always received an extra straw or a cocktail umbrella. A big thank you to Constantina!.

In the TUI kids' club itself were we No, because we didn't want to just hand the little guy over. Instead, we tried out the hotel's playroom, and an employee offered to watch our son for a while. Since we weren't really the type of people who would want to... Kids Club are and our son very, very Since he's usually reserved around strangers, I wasn't initially thrilled. But he was so engrossed in playing that we managed to sneak away for 30 minutes and enjoy a cocktail in peace. Then, however, the longing for each other became so strong that we spent the rest of the time together. The little guy really enjoyed himself; we did crafts and played games. It was truly lovely! A good, straightforward service. The playroom is open to everyone, by the way, and parents are welcome to join in.

The TUI BLUE Lagoon Princess An absolute family hotel. We saw very few couples, and couples should be prepared for children. Due to its size and spaciousness, we never found the hotel grounds too noisy or crowded, although we did vacation there in the off-season. Children will be children, and some are louder than others. The hotel concept is geared towards all families. Inclusive The hotel caters to discerning guests, primarily from Germany and Great Britain. We never experienced a typical party atmosphere, which is something one might expect from an all-inclusive hotel. Or perhaps our expectations were previously incorrect.

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