Caramel, A Grecotel Resort to Live

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

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.

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.

This may seem like a negative review but it’s an honest critique of our recent stay. We chose the Grecotel Caramel because of the plethora of positive reviews. I suppose these should always be viewed as objective. This is reported to be a luxury 5-star boutique hotel. It is certainly a boutique with 69 rooms. Overall, the week was enjoyable and very relaxed. The staff in general were great, especially the beach bar team who were fantastic. We normally only go to adult only hotels but as we were out of the school holiday period we took a chance. Initially there were only a couple of kids but as the week went on more arrived, more on this later. On arrival all seemed standard fare at reception and all went smoothly. The guest relations manager advised us that we had been ‘upgraded’ to a suite. This was a nice surprise as it sounded great. We were shown to the large room and left to it. We quickly unpacked and realised the ‘suite’ was in fact a family room. The apparent lounge area had two beds, no sofa or TV, it was a second bedroom. It did have two bathrooms which was handy. Storage was sparse with no wardrobes just two open hanging rails and a couple of drawers. Most of our clothes were either all out on show or remained in a suitcase. Furniture was minimal, cheap, nasty and unstable. For a family room this would be a disaster as it would all be knocked over easily (see pictures) Bed was comfy, but the standard pillow was hard and small. The first night was sleepless because of them. I asked at reception if they had other pillows, thankfully they did. There was absolutely no information in the room, such as a pillow menu, no local info, no menus. Some of this was on their app. The app was OK but a bit clunky. It became apparent that the room overlooked the front car park and a busy, noisy road, not the ground floor garden room we had booked. We tried the balcony but with no view and the noise it was a non-starter. We were woken numerous times by loud mopeds. It was obvious this was no upgrade; the room was as about luxurious as a week old McDonald’s burger. We had unpacked so really could not be bothered to complain and move. We spoke to another couple who had the same disappointing ‘upgrade’ experience. We were not offered our original booked room so if you are offered a ‘Grecotel upgrade’ ask to see both rooms! The pool area was clean and the sunbeds very thick and wide. There was never an issue getting one. The attention from the staff was good with plenty of towels available. Now considering this pool is used by kids (and many older guests) there was only a single set of entry steps to the pool, and these were on the opposite side to the sunbed area. The pool was about 4’ deep across the whole pool so not easy for those even slightly infirm or young to climb out. There was no shallow part for kids, despite being a family hotel?? Shade was at a premium as the parasols were heavily weighted and difficult to move. Y

Caramel Grecotel is a wonderful hotel with a warm welcome from the manager and the staff. We received a superb, spacious apartment, with an extremely comfortable bed and a huge terrace overlooking the pool, the garden full of palm trees and the sea. For us this accommodation was an oasis of peace and relaxation.