Camari Garden Apartments

2 readers found this review helpful

The hotel was nice and clean and the staff very friendly. Each room has it's own balcony. There is a charge of 5 euros per night for air con if you want to use it. There wasn't an iron in the room but reception were happy to lend us one.
The bar is open until late and they serve food until 11pm. The food was lovely and very reasonably priced. I tried various dishes on the menu and they were all freshly cooked and good portions.
There are two swimming pools at the hotel and plenty on sun loungers for you to bathe on.
There is a little supermarket nextdoor to the hotel that is also run by the family. This is open from 8am-9pm and sells all of your essentials.
The hotel is very secluded but about 5 minutes walk away there is a bar and I believe they also sell snacks. Right next to this is a lovely little pebble beach surrounded by mountains and rocks. On one of our trips to the beach we saw some mountain goats which was nice.
You can get a taxi into Rethymnon for 8 euros where there is a beach and lots of shops and places to eat out and drink. There is also a bus service but we didn't use this. I believe they run 3 times a day but not at the weekend.
This place is ideal if you want a relaxing holiday!

3 readers found this review helpful

we were a three generation family looking for a quiet relaxing holiday in a lovely location and we found it. The hotel, the family who run it (and they mostly all are family), the food, the rooms, the cleanliness, in fact everything about the place was top notch. The only thing some people could be disapointed in was the location. We had a car and had well researched where we would be, and in fact this was one of the reasons we picked the hotel, there was no where really to walk to but buses stoped just outside and a taxi can always be called by reception. 8 euros to Rethmynon and even less to the many beaches just up the road.
When we went to Rethymnon we ate at one of the top restaurants in Crete and whilst it was lovely, the food at Camari could equal if not surpass it and at a third less it was much better value. Michael (Y) Dimitiri, Bill and all the others were great company in the bar and stayed till the last person left but somehow managed to be there no matter how early the next day and with a lovely big smile to welcome you in for breakfast.
All in all, fantastic hotel with everything for a relaxing holiday but close enough to beaches and rethmynon to go exploring.

1 reader found this review helpful

We have just come back from Camari Gardens and loved it. The apartments were very clean and towels and bedding were changed every other day. The family were very welcoming and cater to your every whim.
Camari Gardens is very isolated, but is in a beautiful position overlooking the sea, and if like us you hire a car it is very central to get all over the island. They do have their own supermarket and restaurant which we found to be excellent value.
These apartments are probably not suitable for people with walking difficulties as they are built upon a hill, and there are steps to get to the different areas. Buses run regularly and taxis are cheap to get into the towns at night, where you are spoilt for choice as to where to eat.
If you do go on days out, do try Kournas Lake where the turtles live. You hire a pedalo and go round the lake and see the turtles and the water snakes, plus all the ducks and geese that call it home. It’s a very pretty area with lots of tavernas and touristy shops. We will now become regulars at Camari Gardens as we felt so comfortable there and enjoyed our holiday immensely.

1 reader found this review helpful

Camari Gardens is in a great spot for the gorgeous lively Rethymnon and the quiet beaches and tavernas of Georgioupolis. Situated about 10 minutes drive from Rethymnon ($8 Euros in a taxi) and about 20 mins from Georgioupolis ($15 Euros in a cab) it nestles into a hill side above Gerani caves.
The hotel is very clean and very well run with friendly English-speaking staff. The food is a mix of Greek and English and was average (although I only sampled the breakfasts). They have Greek nights and Karaoke nights for the guests. There are pretty views of the sea and about 5 minutes walk to the sea (although there is no beach directly down from the hotel). There is a nice restaurant at the bottom of the hill and a village up the hill about 1000m walk (steep hill though for those who find walking difficult).
The staff were excellent. The reception desk was well manned and the staff were very helpful with our enquiries and booking taxis. They also informed us of different things to do nearby. There is a supermarket next door with lots of different foods, alcohol and gifts (and newspapers).
The rooms are basic, although well kept and clean. Our apartment was cleaned every second day which did not go unnoticed. Most of the rooms have excellent views of the sea. The hotel noise is quiet with a mix of tourists between Italian, French and German.
There are two swimming pools, one large one for children and adults with an attached baby pool and one even larger one which seems to be where the adults do their swimming and sunbathing. The pools are very clean and the family who run the hotel seem very dedicated in ensuring the hotel remains clean and tidy.
There is building work going on nearby (they are building a beach in Gerani which will make this hotel even better) and I'm a stickler for noise. But it went completely unnoticed. There is a lot of trees around which drowns out the noise and building work seems to only start for about an hour at 9:00 am and even then, the noise was minimal.
The cons of the hotel are that it is situated in a place which means taxi rides are a must. You cannot walk to Rethymnon as it is along a main motorway and there are no public footpaths in most bits. Very dangerous if you notice how many accidents there have been on the roads there ( there are shrines along the motorways to honour the lives of those who have died.)
However the hotel staff ordered taxis for the evening and during the day we rented a car - a real must if you want to get the best of the surrounding beaches. Rethymnon is brilliant, cosmopolitan, beautiful to look at and has many shops and tavernas and very good nightlife with a couple of night clubs - it cost us $8 Euros in a taxi each way.
Georgioupolis is a fifteen minute drive (about $15 Euros in a taxi) and is very quiet with a beautiful well catered yet quiet beach and some small shops and tavernas. There's a great beach-hut pub on the beach here which is reasonable and good for a night out. It’s also cheaper to rent a car from Georgioupolis than Rethymnon - cost us about $115 Euros for 6 days.
I would recommend Camari gardens if you're the type of traveller who doesn't expect the hotel to cater to all entertainment needs and you're willing to go and explore. Really enjoyed it and would go back to see how the beach is coming along.

Well what can I say, if you like to be in the middle of nowhere this is the place for you. Taxis cost 8 euro to and from the hotel into Rethymnon, there is a bus that stops outside the hotel three times a day 07.45, 10.15 and 14.30, week days only.
Hotel was very clean, the staff worked very hard and were very friendly.
We found that the food at the hotel was very bland, not that expensive though, which made up for the lack of taste!
The pools were very small. Would we go back? No. If your the type that likes to prop up the bar all day and night, then I’m sure you will enjoy this place, as there is nothing else to do there!

As I work in travel I know what I am talking about, this is the 4th time at the Camari Gardens and we think its wonderful. We were there in July this year and are due to go back in 5 days time and can't wait. We always go in a group and so far we have recommended the Camari Gardens to all of our family.
Although the apartments are not in the centre of Rethymnon a short bus or taxi ride will take you straight into the beautiful town and the long stretch of golden sandy beach.
The family are very friendly and can not do enough for you and the village people of Gerani are so welcoming you never want to leave.
As long as the Camari Gardens are open we will carry on going as there is something different to see every time.

These apartments are ideal if you’re prepared to hire a car and explore the island (which i recommend). It's an ideal location to drive over to the south coast and see some beautiful (if not tough to get to) beaches. In the evening you can get a taxi for 8 euros into Rethymnon for some great sea food.
We were comfortable for our entire stay. The rooms were clean and the welcome pack was a bonus when arriving at midnight. (Although you do have to pay for it). I would recommend this hotel. It's a quiet hotel, but close enough to a bit of life if you fancy a night out. The staff are very friendly and very hard working.

If you want peace and tranquility in a lovely setting, Camari Gardens is the place for you. The only drawback is that if you want a bit of life, or just a stroll in the evenings, the Camari Gardens are in an isolated position. There are no tourist facilities nearby, not even a taverna (take basics with you or opt for a welcome pack).
The accommodation is a touch above your average Greek basic standard, and clean. Our room was charming with its balcony overlooking the pool area.
The family are welcoming, helpful and pleasant. They create a good ambience in the bar at night. One poor guy struggled up the stairs leading from the roadway with our one enormous suitcase smiling and waving off our help - even though I think it must have caused a hernia.
The beach would be a bit of a trek, and we were too lazy to do anything but drive down for a look. I'm sure because of the isolated position of the apartments it would be almost exclusively yours even in high season.
With the last minute deal we got, the Camari Gardens represented astonishingly good value. On the other hand we are not exclusively 'pool' people so we did have to rent a car to get out and about for some exploring.
If your idea is a week or two by the pool with a good book and a friendly bar to enjoy warm, balmy evenings, this is heaven.

Fantastic place, beautiful surroundings and a short taxi ride into the centre of town
Apartments are spacious and luxurious and the staff make you smile every morning--- no matter how hung over you are!!!!
A big bar and restaurant, kiddies pool and a large swimming pool
absolutely fantastic place
The town is called Rethmynon which has loads of steak houses, fish restaurants and you can always take a lovely stroll along Crete's most unique harbour.
The beach is 10 mins walk which is a lovely stretched bay right along the coast
this is my 5th year in a row and I don’t think id ever want to go anywhere else
5 *****