Macaris Hotel

We found the Macaris was very worthy of its four star rating.
Exceptionally clean. The maids were superstars, every day arranging a little fan shape on the bed from some item of clothing left out.
Don’t know why they did this, but it looked good (and funnily enough, never once out of a pair of my dirty undies!)
Air con, fridge, hairdryer, radio set into the wall, but no iron so take your own if like me you’re no fan of "the suitcase" look.
Receptionists spoke better English than I could, and were always helpful in phoning cabs etc.
We were half board and the food was fantastic. Although I don’t quite like the European type cold meats breakfast, I just opted for the bowl of Corn flakes on the couple of occasions I actually got up for it.
One thing I wasn’t expecting was the request not to wear shorts for the evening meal.
Suppose it makes since not to have sweaty legs knocking around when your eating, but I only brought one pair of jeans and never had the things off every meal time!
In practice though, 3/4 length pants were ok, because lots of people wore these to dinner.
The only thing I can fault the Macaris on is its location. The brochures say 900 meters to the town centre, But it feels more like a good mile.
Plus the fact the hotel is set on a main road which at times is harder to cross than the M6 means the walk along it into town isn’t a particularly scenic one. LOTS of building work going on and a bit hairy at times.
This didn’t really bother me, but I certainly wouldn’t want to walk it with a couple of kids in tow.
Saying that, the taxis are prompt and reliable, and only cost 3 euros to anywhere in the town centre. (sometimes got charged 4 euros, but that’s taxi drivers for you).
Outside the hotel, the coast is very rocky. not much in the way of beaches at all. Nearest proper one is in Rethymnon itself.
Rethymnon was the most picturesque place I could’ve imagined. (its like a Mediterranean York) with restaurants and tavernas everywhere.
One place you have to visit is the Punchbowl. An Irish bar which has probably been photographed more times than anything else in the whole town!
The whole place is beautiful and well worth the short taxi ride to get to.
All in all. the hotel is top notch. Could’ve been a bit more central, and there were lots of Germans doing the towels on the sun bed thing, But it didn’t spoil the whole thing.
(Just bear in mind the M6 outside if you’ve got kids)