LOTUS EATERS TRAVEL

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WHERE TO STAY IN RETHYMNO: A DETAILED GUIDE.

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I once heard a good description of what it means to visit a new place as a tourist: your first job is to find “the bit”. The bit being the main area where the tourist sites are clustered. Large cities can have several bits, London being the obvious example. Somewhere like Rethymno only has one. Here, the bit is the old town.

So most travellers assume the old town is the best place to stay, and they’re often right. But it won’t suit everyone.

There are really three options: the old town, the beach, or somewhere in between. This guide sets out the pros and cons of each, along with our accommodation picks for all three.

Rethymno Old Town

Staying in the Old Town is ideal if you want to be right in amongst it, with restaurants, bars and nightlife on your doorstep, plus easy reach of the bus station for day trips and museums for exploring by day.

The drawbacks: it can be noisy, so pick your spot carefully, and it’s a little hilly. The beach, meanwhile, is a 15 to 20 minute stroll away, further still if you’re after one of the better beach clubs.

Here are our recommendations:

BUDGET: The Old Town has the greatest selection of budget properties. We chose to stay at Constantine Fortezza Rooms, which is well located. We loved the sea-views from our terrace.

MID-RANGE: Ink Hotels House of Europe is a bright and clean hotel in a central old town location. Ideal for a couple staying in town for a few nights.

LUXURY: For luxury properties, there are a few great options in town. The Veneto Boutique Hotel looks like a perfect romantic choice, whilst Rimondi Boutique Hotel is ideal if you want old town luxury and a swimming pool.

Rethymno Beach

Staying right on the beach is ideal if a straightforward sun-and-sea holiday is your priority, with sand and sea steps from your door and none of the old town’s hills or noise to contend with.

The trade-off is the distance: the beach is 12km long. If you pick one of the many beachfront properties, you will be looking at a longer walk into the old town for evening atmosphere. That said, there are buses going up and down this stretch during the day, so it’s easy to visit.

We’ve selected a few hotels that have their own restaurant or are located near to restaurants. There are many eateries along the bay, so you don’t always have to head to the old town.

BUDGET: Galeana Beach Hotel is an idyllic budget option, complete with a swimming pool. Ideal for families, or couples.

MID-RANGE: Zeus Hotels Ydoria Resorts – A family friendly all inclusive resort with direct beach access.

LUXURY: Nalu Resort & Spa – a luxury beachfront property with a swimming pool, spa and breakfast facilities.

Somewhere in between

Given the length of the beach (around 12km), it’s possible to position yourself somewhere in-between the old town and the beach. Or just on the edge of the beach. I would actually argue that this is one of the better locations, giving you a short walk into the old town and a short walk to the edge of the beach.

For families, this might be a better location than the old town, which is both hilly and a little noisy.

Here are some recommendations:

BUDGET: There are some fantastic budget options in the area between the old town and the beach. Consider something like these sea-view apartments.

MID-RANGE: Steris Elegant Beach Hotel is quite literally on the beachfront and yet only a 10 minute walk to old town. It’s an ideal location if you want a bit of both.

LUXURY: Ionia Suites is a 10 minute walk to the old town, and just a 5 minute walk to the beach. Couples will enjoy the romantic vibe at this hotel.

Where to next?

You can find more guides to Crete below:

• Chania or Rethymno: which one to choose
• 9 best beaches near Chania
• Best things to do in Chania
• Kissamos: a detailed guide
• Is Elafonisi worth visiting?

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Written by Emma

Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.

British travel writer and long-distance hiker, native to Kent. Emma has walked the Camino de Santiago more than ten times, completed trails across Europe from the Corfu Trail to the Fisherman’s Trail, and covered thousands of kilometres on foot. She always writes from first-hand experience. Her goal? Inspire just one person to go on their first long-distance hike.

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