The island of Crete, known to us from Greek myths, is today one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. Both beach lovers and romance lovers come here who want to see firsthand the place where Gaia gave birth to the supreme god Zeus, where Ariadne and Theseus met, who defeated the Minotaur, where Tsarina Calypso kept Odysseus captive for 7 years ...
Tourism Development in Crete
As a tourist center, the island began to develop only in the late 60s of the last century. In large cities of Crete (Heraklion, Chania, Rethymno, etc.), infrastructure began to form, beaches were built, hotels were erected, and so on. By the way, many of the Cretan hotels, for example, the Maravel Hotel Rethymno 4 *, were built in the traditional Greek style. They are fundamentally different from Turkish or Spanish. In Crete, you rarely see a hotel consisting of multi-storey buildings. Here, almost all hotel complexes are presented in the form of two- or three-story bungalows, which are located in a picturesque park with flowering trees and shrubs. On the territory there are several pools with sea views for both adults and children. For example, in the Maravel Hotel 4 * there are three of them. Two of them are connected to each other by a charming bridge, which is one of the main elements of landscape design on the island. As for the Cretan beaches, they are diverse: there are golden sand, small pebble and mixed (pebble sand).
Rethymnon - a piece of Italy on Greek soil
This ancient town, which is located in the north-west of the island, has a special flavor. Here you can see wonderful architectural monuments: majestic fortresses in the Venetian style, colorful medieval houses with carved shutters, narrow streets, paved pavements, etc. Rethymnon is divided into two parts: the modern one, which is constantly evolving, turns into a real metropolis, and historical , where ancient values significant for the townspeople are carefully stored. Car traffic is prohibited in this part of the city. The zone is designed for hiking, during which tourists can enjoy the beauty and color of the old town. Rethymnon is a favorite place of European bohemia. How many talented artists, writers and musicians came here in search of their muse, how many wonderful masterpieces were created thanks to the inspiration that this wonderful town gives! In the summer months, numerous festivals are held in Rethymnon. By the way, here is the largest university on the island. In a word, this city is not only a resort, but also a major scientific and cultural center of Crete.
Rethymnon resort area
As already mentioned, this city is located on the northwest coast of the island of Crete. It is very clean and well equipped, for which it annually wins the Blue Flag of the European Union. A wonderful climate contributes to a beach holiday in Rethymno: the maximum number of sunny days in a year, mild summers and warm winters, and minimal rainfall. The beach begins in the city itself and stretches along the coastline for many kilometers. On both sides there are resorts: Adele, Platanias, Adelianos Kampos and others. The latter is the largest of the hotel suburbs not only in the Rethymnon region, but also throughout Crete. It is here that the Maravel Hotel (Rethymno) 4 * is located, which offers tourists a respectable vacation, high-class service and complete relaxation.
Adelianos Campos - the best place for a family holiday
This resort center is located on the coast of Rethymnon Bay. It is 7.5 km away from the city of Rethymnon. The beaches of this resort have all the conditions for practicing water sports and entertainment (water skiing, parasailing, surfing, scuba diving, etc.). By the way, it was here, next to the Maravel Hotel 4 * (Rethymno), that the headquarters of Atlantis, the most famous diving center in the whole Mediterranean, settled. Fans of this sport and scientists studying the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea come here from all over the world during the holiday season. Tourists who would not mind spending their Christmas holidays and New Year in Adelianos Campos should be disappointed because hotel complexes, including the Maravel Hotel 4 *, close in November and open their hospitable doors to tourists only at the beginning of March. And yet, if you are adamant about your desire to visit Crete in the winter, you can stay in hotels in large cities, for example, in Chania, Heraklion and Rethymnon. There are always hotels that operate all year round.
Maravel Hotel 4 * (Crete / Rethymnon / Adealianos Campos): how to get there?
This four star hotel is equidistant from the two airports in Crete. The path from both Chania and Heraklion to Adelianos Kampos is 75 km. Tourists who bought tours to the Maravel Hotel 4 * (Greece, Rethymno), of course, prefer to get here through Heraklion, since direct flights fly here from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rstov-on-Don and other regional centers, but you can fly to Chania to get only with transfers. Arriving on the island on tour packages, of course, will be met by employees of tour operators and will be delivered to the hotel complex within an hour.
General description and location
Maravel Hotel 4 * occupies an area of 20,000 m 2 and is located 70 meters from the beach. The rooms are located in four two- and three-story buildings. The hotel was built in 1982, the last time it was renovated in 2009. It was then that he received his 4 stars: before that, this complex was featured as a three-star hotel. Its territory is called "Marvel Land" and includes a restaurant, swimming pools with a solarium, snack bars, a chic flowering garden, etc.
Number of rooms
In total, the hotel has 130 rooms of three categories: standard (25 m 2 ), studio (25 m 2 ) and family (45 m 2 ). The interior of the rooms is modest, but there is everything you need for a comfortable stay. Studios and family rooms even have a small kitchen with utensils, appliances, tea and coffee supplies. By the way, precisely because of this feature, this hotel is sometimes called Maravel Hotel Apartments 4 *. However, in their reviews, many tourists write that they have never had to use kitchen utensils, because the food in the restaurant completely satisfied them.
Room Amenities
In addition to the kitchen, all rooms are equipped with a bathroom with a shower, a toilet and a washbasin, next to which there are toiletries and towels on a shelf. A hairdryer can be requested at the reception. There is a balcony / terrace with plastic furniture. The rooms are equipped with telephone, satellite TV, air conditioning (paid), telephone, safe (paid), radio, refrigerator, etc. The family rooms have a living room with upholstered furniture and a bedroom with a large bed. Rooms are cleaned daily in the morning when guests go to breakfast, towels are changed every other day, and bed linen is changed twice a week. If necessary, you can use the laundry and ironing services (for a fee). By the way, rooms are decorated with flowers that grow in the hotel's garden. A trifle, of course, but very pleasant. As for the prices of tours, they are not so high, at least they represent the ideal ratio of "price-quality". So, for example, a weekly tour for two will cost from 1200 euros (airfare, visa, transfer, insurance, accommodation and meals on an all-inclusive basis).
Infrastructure and service
As already noted, the territory of the Marevel Hotel is called Maravel Land. All buildings and pools are surrounded by a wonderful garden with tropical trees and shrubs, many of which bloom continuously, giving a lot of positive emotions to all vacationers.
The hotel restaurant is worthy of individual praise. The best chefs on the island try to prepare local and international dishes for guests.
For fans of television programs and cinema in the central building created a TV club. There is also a basketball court, a tennis court (lights and equipment for a fee), billiards, table tennis, etc.
Tourists can rent cars or bicycles for exploring the island. A rental point is available at the hotel. Parking at the Marevel Hotel is free.
Entertainment for adults and children
For younger guests there is a mini club, a games room, a paddling pool for children, a large playground with a sandbox, swings and slides. For the entertainment of adults, interesting theme nights are organized here. For example, a Greek evening, at which performers of national Greek dances give master classes to everyone, a rich show program with karaoke, barbecue, etc. Thanks to all this, tourists are delighted with the reception given to them at the Maravel Hotel 4 *. Their reviews about the days spent in the walls of this hotel are simply enthusiastic. Indeed, for vacationers, the friendliness and friendliness of the staff, as well as the opportunity to spend their leisure time than chicly furnished rooms are often more important.
Nutrition
This all-inclusive hotel is open from 10:00 to 23:00. For tourists served breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon tea buffet. The snack bar offers a huge selection of snacks, sandwiches, sweets, drinks, fruits, etc. All tourists who relax at this hotel unanimously praise the cooks of the Maravel Hotel 4 * (Rethymno). The reviews contain detailed descriptions of the menu, as well as impressions of the guests regarding the taste of certain dishes of national cuisine, for example, fried squid, shrimp in sauce or traditional Greek barbecue with vegetables, etc.
Contingent of vacationers
Many Russians, going on holiday to some foreign country, are interested in the operators, how many Russians are among the tourists at this hotel. Unfortunately, our tourists do not like to meet with their compatriots abroad. Tourists who have bought permits in the Maravel Hotel 4 *, we should please, because the main contingent of guests at this hotel are representatives of Western Europe: the British, French, Germans and others. Russians can be found here, but very rarely.
Beach
This hotel does not have its own beach, but at 70 m, that is, a 5-minute walk, there is a well-equipped sandy public beach. It has showers, changing cabins, a large selection of water activities, umbrellas and sun loungers (paid). However, many tourists prefer to buy straw rugs and sit in the shade of trees that grow right on the beach. But in the pool, these beach attributes are provided to vacationers for free. Entering the sea from the beach is convenient, but pitfalls can hurt your feet, so tourists are advised to buy special coral bathing slippers at a nearby supermarket.
Excursions
Staying at the Maravel Hotel 4 *, tourists can go hiking and cycling to nearby attractions. You can also do this on a rented car. However, it is much more convenient to contact the tour desk, whose staff are professionals and will choose the most suitable route for you. But, of course, the most interesting excursion is a sightseeing of Rethymno and a visit to the bay of Balos, where the Aegean, Ionian and Libyan seas are connected. A trip to the village of Axos is also interesting, where you can get acquainted with the life of local rural residents and participate in a traditional Cretan evening.
Maravel Hotel 4 * (Crete). Tourists reviews
Where else can you find objective information about a particular hotel, if not in the subjective assessments of vacationers? Yes, yes, that’s true. On the tourist sites that advertise a hotel, everything is always described only on the positive side, here you will never find information about the shortcomings of the hotel. But the comments of tourists, although subjective, but in them you can find a grain of truth. However, it is difficult to find a negative review about Maravel Hotel 4 *. Yes, yes, that’s true. Almost all tourists in their assessments praise the developed infrastructure, a magnificent park, delicious cuisine and high level of service at the Maravel Hotel 4 * Rethymno. Reviews with minor notes mainly concern the beach, which does not have a very convenient entrance to the sea. However, this is a problem not only of this hotel, but of the whole island, as large stone slabs are located in many sections of the coastline, but if you pass them, you can feel a smooth sandy bottom under your feet.
Conclusion
After reading our article and looking at photos, you probably have a good idea about this hotel. Despite some shortcomings, it is fully consistent with its category and can be an ideal place for a relaxing holiday. We wish you a pleasant stay on the beautiful island of Crete and experience a thousand bright emotions.