Ibiscos Garden Hotel

This is our second stay at Ibiscos Garden Hotel and I cannot recommend it highly enough for families seeking a relaxing family oriented self-catering retreat. From the moment we booked, the communication was outstanding. The staff promptly responded to our emails, providing all the information we needed ahead of our trip. Upon arrival, we were delighted by the cleanliness of our rooms. Everything was spotless and well-maintained, making it a comfortable and inviting space for our family. The location of our room was perfect, just a short walk from our relatives, which made our stay even more enjoyable. As well as the multiple pools Ibiscos has an indoor play area and outdoor play area for children for cloudy times which were useful as we travelled outside high season. Also it’s proximity to Rethymno was another fantastic aspect. We were able to enjoy the charm and beauty of the town with ease, exploring its historic sites, lovely beaches, and vibrant local culture. The staff at Ibiscos truly went above and beyond to make our stay memorable. When our child's toy broke, they promptly helped fix it, much to our little one's delight. Additionally, we had the unique experience of viewing the kittens the hotel was looking after, which was a highlight for our children. Ibiscos provides a wonderful alternative to the busy, sprawling all-inclusive resorts, with an authentic Greek feel and family-friendly environment. We highly recommend Ibiscos to any families looking for a self-catering holiday destination.

Had a nice family vacation there on May 2024. We have a big family but that was not a problem, because we got two rooms. The rooms were clean and good view from balcony. Hotel staff was nice and helpful. Children liked hotel’s free kids playroom and pools. Food in the hotel’s restaurant was delicious - especially Pita Gyros! There was also a little shop, where you could buy breakfast, drinks and snacks. On the other hand, if you prefer to eat or walk daily in the Old Town with little kids, I would recommend to get another hotel near the city centre.

We travelled as a couple and arrived at 2am after a long travel day and transfer to stay for a week. First impressions weren't great - mainly because it's on a fairly busy road even at that time. An excellent welcome with a nice sandwich wrap. We were pointed in the direction of our room. Room 631 on the 3rd floor with a view of the little chapel - and the road... plus you could see the sea over the buildings in front. As others have said - you don't hear the road with the door closed. There are lifts (small but good for one person and cases). The room was like a hostel in style and decoration. Extremely basic in design. For the price paid, given the school holiday hike in prices, this was very disappointing - more of an issue with TUI school pricing than the hotel though. After the initial shock though, the room had all the facilities needed. Fridge, Safe (at 14 euros - really should be included), Air Con, Ceiling Fan, SmartTV, table/chairs, comfy beds and a balcony. Spare pillows in the room and an iron available from reception. Bathroom was lovely and new in design. Very hot in there though - air con did not filter through. The balcony is where you'll get bitten, often, by the mosquitos. The room was always immaculately clean. We met family members by the main pool (always nicely busy and you can always get a sun lounger even during this busy time) who said pretty much the same about the room. Towels are available from reception - not sure if deposits or charges made. We didn't visit the 2nd pool - it's tucked away behind the main block and I believe good for lane swimming. Family had pool views - which they really only used for oiling up... because of the risk of bites. As others have mentioned, the staff are completely brilliant. From the extremely reasonably priced onsite shop team (2 Euros for 6x 1.5 litres of water - are you reading Florida where $4 gets you a litre), through to the onsite cafe (food is nice and good prices eg 6 euros for chicken giros) and bar (50% happy hour between 6pm and 7pm and 25% between 9.30pm and 10.30pm). Could do with another member of staff at happy hour - one, lovely, man doing cocktails wasn't really enough. The staff were all lovely. All the time. Location is great - again once you get used to it being on a busy road opposite a gym and bridalwear shop. Easy to walk to the beach and 15 minutes to Old Town with that lovely walk. We'd recommend this hotel to travellers if you want a great location, great quality facilities and wonderful people. We're not sure when we'd return to Crete, we would think of Ibiscus if we did.

Tried to think why I shouldn't give them 5 stars! Maybe because the main bar doesn't open until 2.30pm! But that's unfair as who needs a drink so early in day lol.. This hotel is in a great location just a short walk to beach like 5/7 mins where the beach is so clear and lots of places to eat or if you want to go to old town which is like 20/25 min walk or a €6 taxi ride. Everyone at this hotel is so friendly, was never overly busy could always get a sunbed at either pools. Breakfast was lovely and so much choice we paid €45 for family of 4 but on you first morning you get 25% off your bill for Breakfast and dinner if you decide to eat there. The shop is well stocked, the cocktails are yummy to. We asked for late check out which only cost us €20 which was until 5pm. We did changed rooms but that wasn't problem, except room had much more comfortable beds than we just come from but still we couldn't wouldn't moan.. there is a Greek tax at check out which is €1.50 PER room per night to pay for on check out. Always a well kept and clean hotel, beds made daily if required. We hired a car we always found a place to park easily. The welcome wraps and Water was most welcome when we first arrived at 11pm as we really didn't want to go out to find food. There also seems to be only one very lovely little girl cat on site she is very friendly. The pool areas never seem overly busy which was perfect. So as you can see why I struggled not to give a 5 star review. Thank you for a lovely stay.

What a fabulous hotel. We stayed here as a family of 4. We stayed self catering and were surprised at the little touches that were provided from dish soap and drying cloth to shower gel. Every need was met. The apartments are large with lots of storage. The beds were very comfortable which meant we all slept well. The pool at the main part of the hotel is very busy but is to be expected at peak season. The jasmine pool is much quieter. The location is great 5 mins to the beach with lots of activities at very reasonable prices. Old Town is about a 20 mins walk away which would usually be ok. But with the extreme heat it became quite exhausting so we opted for a taxi for 6 euros on days when the evenings were still hot. All in all a great holiday. And hope to return again.

I looked at recommendations before ordering this vacation, and even though all previous statements were positive and this gave me very high expectations - I was still impressed. From the first contact and to the last evening, everyone at the hotel has been so very nice and helpful to us. The rooms are big and clean and the balcony is a perfect place to sit in the evening. Breakfast is fantastic! The make-them-yourself-pancakes are truly a great idea! They are freshly made and no waiting time. We attended the cooking class one day, and I recommend this to children who likes to cook. The mini-market had everything we needed - including a really nice and helpful sales person. The pools are fine, including basketnets in one of them, but we spent more time at the Beach, it’s a 2-3 minutes walk from the hotel. Thank you very much for a perfect vacation :-)

One of the best apartments we have stayed in. Staff were so friendly and helpful. Food, pool and supermarket was amazing. Apartment was very clean and spacious with 2 balcony. We will definitely be going again.

Just returned from a 2 week stay at this hotel, we were really happy with it, we stayed in a self catering apartment, it had everything needed, the cleaners even gave us clean t towels, the rooms are very nice, spacious and ours Number 332 was top floor with a great view. The hotel has a couple of pools, we used the one at the back which was quieter and mainly used by adults, each pool has a bar which are reasonably priced and great for snacks, beers etc. - there's also a happy hour every evening at the main bar, between 6 - 7, great for a few pre dinner drinks! The hotel is in a good location, 5 mins to the beach, with plenty of shops, bars, restaurants nearby - the old town is an easy 20 min stroll with many restaurants etc, although I would really recommend wandering around the back streets, the restaurants are so much more reasonably priced, and offer a better choice and more relaxed atmosphere than the tourist restaurants along the front / port / old town. The bus station is at the back of the old town, and you can catch buses usually every hour to other parts of the island, we went to Heraklion, worth a visit but very hustle bustle and not as quaint as Rethymnon. The staff at the hotel were all very polite and super helpful, we had a room request and this was sorted out quickly. The hotel is great for couples or families.

Such a friendly hotel! We booked a last minute holiday for our family of 4. Our children are 9 and 11. It was the last week of their season so quiet but that was ok for us as we used the hotel as a base to explore some of the island . Entertainment at the start of our stay was good. A singer/ guitar player and a magician. We had breakfast one morning and it was lovely. Pancakes and freshly squeezed orange a hit with the kids. The hotel was very accommodating when we needed an extra bed in our room as our daughter preferred being next to us than on a bunk bed. They also sent me back an item we had left in the room on our departure. They went above and beyond and even sent us a picture of the hotels cat and two kittens! Would definitely return to the hotel and area. Old town was wonderful but stay clear of some of the harbour restaurants which are very expensive. More atmosphere in the old town tavernas. We love Crete and this hotel again showed the warmth of the Cretan people. Enjoy your rest and have a great season in 2024. Yamas!