Caramel, A Grecotel Resort to Live

Enjoyed a lovely relaxing break with family at Caramel. From start to finish, the staff couldn’t be more accommodating. Beautiful rooms, close by to the lovely town of Rethymno, Caramel is so peaceful! Their renowned Greek hospitality is second to none and the food and drink is 5 star - special thanks to Front of House Maria, for always going the extra mile. Thoroughly recommend for families and couples.

Wonderful time at Caramel. I was surprised to learn that his hotel is 10 years old as it is immaculate. Walking into the reception the lobby area is pristine. Pool area is wonderful and a kids club is nearby should your little ones need respite from the sun (and nice that it's not too far away so you can pop in and see them). The beach area is also nice as it has a grassy area with gazebos for those who don't like sand. The beach is not Seychelles style but there is sand and you can walk along the beach for ages passing other resorts if that is your preference. The main themes of my feedback would be the staff and the attention to detail. The biggest compliment I can give to the staff is that I did not feel like I was in a hotel but rather in a luxury home of my own. The staff are incredibly friendly, attentive and welcoming. So many of them were particularly welcoming of our young children. Particular mentions I would like to give recognition to are: Alexandros from the waiting staff Elizaveta, Maria and Eleni from the kids club The two Giorgs (lifeguard and from the beach bar) We stayed in a two bedroom villa which was wonderful. Great amenities, wonderfully set up for children (the little robe and slippers for kids was adorable). The hotel thinks of so much - they brought milk to us fresh every morning for our young baby. If you are a young family (our children were 5 and c.2 at the time of our stay), I would say this is great in terms of size of the hotel as well. So positive is my feedback that I did not want to write this publicly as I don't want other people knowing about it :) but I do this out of credit to the staff. My only minor, minor feedback is: - Lunch service at the main brasserie can be a bit slow - The food at the buffet is presented very nicely (it doesn't feel cafeteria-esque). My only recommendation is that some of the hot meals are not served in those folding warmers. It loses a bit of the luxury feel (Grecotel's Sounio resort did a good job of this where they often had specials on e.g. a pig being carved). The hot meals in general were very nice but more attention can be made to serve more crispy, dry foods. - Didn't bother us, but if you don't like hearing music when you go to sleep, there were some instances of the live music being able to be heard from your room (depending where you are in the resort)

It was a short post-Easter break which we have thoroughly enjoyed. A stunning Hotel, sets the standards as soon as you enter the lobby. Calming and elegant feel enhanced by the gorgeous pieces of furniture and the amazing array of orchids. The room was delightful and the views of the Aegean blue magnificent. The pool was busy with families, but the beach was quiet and relaxing. The breakfast spread is a feast for the eyes with the way all the dishes are displayed and they even taste better than they look. Lunch time at the Brasserie is a must and worth trying those deliciously crispy calamaries. Giorgos and his team were amazing hosts and did everything they could to pamper us. Dinner at the a la carte is highly recommended, especially if you book a place in the sunken patio surrounded by the pool. Christos and Stavroula have spoiled us with their attention and the food was divine.

I don't usually write reviews, because usually I can't add anymore to what has already been said. However the Caramel is a Unique hotel with Unique service and staff and deserves the recognition. This is a long review and is probably more for the benefit of the hotel, but I hope people will stay with it, to see what you get when you stay here. We have stayed at a lot of 5 star hotels over the years and this was our second time at the Caramel having stayed here in May last year, we loved it then too. Sometimes when you return to a hotel it's not quite the same, that can't be said for this piece of paradise, the hotel has a very Unique ambience, it's on a road, but once you go through the doors to the pool it's another world, all you can hear is bird song! There are lots of trees giving it a plantation vibe, like stepping back in time, with the twist of a gorgeous pool that changes colour. There are plenty of sun beds round the pool and on the beach with always one available, not the usual mad scramble at 7am! There are lots of different sitting spaces inside and out, all spotless (the cleaners do an amazing job too) so it feels as though there is no one else there. There is nightly entertainment, all good, but the Friday singers are amazing, and there is a Saxophonist on one of the mornings at breakfast, which makes it so chilled! If I had to make a suggestion I would say please can we have some Greek music! As soon as we walked in we were greeted warmly and given a glass of champagne, this set the scene for the 10 days we were there, the service was excellent at all times. The room we were given was an upgrade to a private garden Junior Suite, we were grateful for the upgrade, but we didn't find it suitable, we went to reception to ask if we could move, no problem they said, as soon as one becomes available we will show it to you which they did. We ended up with a lovely sea view room on the top floor. It's so much better for them too, to let them know, and give them the chance to put it right rather than keep quiet, then complain on TripAdvisor! sure its a pain to relocate once you have unpacked, but it was worth it. There was a mattress topper missing in the new room which I hadn't noticed till it was too late, I woke up with a bad neck due to Arthritis, when we were asked if our room was OK I mentioned it, so then the lovely girl behind reception, (I'm so sorry I can't remember her name!) but she is amazing, she is there to make sure guests are as happy as can be, and she's brilliant at it, nothing is too much trouble, she found me a topper which was so much better, we were happy and she was happy! There were a couple of days when I wasn't very well, people saw my partner was on his own at mealtimes and they all kindly asked if I was OK and did I need anything sent up to our room, we have never had that level of service anywhere, I will never forget their kindness. The restaraunt runs like clockwork run by the lovely Alexandros, he alwa

We booked a 3-night stay at Grecotel Caramel Boutique Resort in Crete through the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program, expecting a premium, family-friendly experience. Unfortunately, the reality fell far short of the promise. Pre-arrival communication was poor—the hotel never responded to multiple email inquiries about airport transportation. It took two international phone calls just to confirm a transfer, which ended up costing €120 each way for a one-hour ride. For a supposedly high-end property, this level of service was already concerning. After a 20-hour journey from California, we arrived at 9 p.m., only to find that no restaurants were open and room service offered no kids’ menu—a major oversight for a resort marketed to families. A significant issue was the lack of transparency and integrity regarding FHR benefits. Our booking was eligible for a €100 property credit and a $125 Amex FHR promotion for food and beverage with a 2+ night stay. The hotel refused to honor either credit, insisting that room-charged transportation didn’t qualify (despite being explicitly billed to our room). This contradicts both Amex’s terms and basic hospitality standards. Breakfast was also disappointing. While there was a large spread, it consisted mostly of repetitive cold cuts and cheeses, with the hot food borderline inedible. Only the eggs and pastries were passable. The air conditioning in our room did not work, which made sleeping uncomfortable. While the room itself was clean, there were no washcloths provided, an odd and inconvenient omission—guests are expected to bathe with hand towels. Lastly, the location is remote, over an hour from key destinations like Chania and Knossos Palace, making it less than ideal for travelers wanting to explore the island. In our experience—and in alignment with similar feedback from other disappointed guests—this hotel does not meet the standards of a 5-star resort or the Fine Hotels & Resorts program. Between the poor communication, unfulfilled benefits, mediocre food, and inconvenient location, I cannot recommend this property.

Wonderful hotel with amazing staff rooms are spacious and airy pool area is prefect and a great choice for families couples etc with a breakfast to die for. The staff are extremely attentive in all areas ie restaurants bars and even the room maids.