Swell Boutique Hotel in Rethymno

We had a wonderful stay at Swell Boutique hotel. Staff really were amazing, they were always so helpful and friendly. Our room was lovely and had a beautiful sea view. It was split over 2 floors, upstairs having its own bathroom too, lots of wardrobe space and storage. The stairs were a little steep so had to be extra careful coming down. The bathroom could do with updating (like a rainfall shower) but beds were very comfortable with lots of pillows to choose from. Room service was daily and the ladies were so lovely. Really good breakfast selection, something for everyone and certain options changed daily. I really liked that they had local sweets/pastries so could try different things (all absolutely delicious!) lovely touch of fresh orange juice to guests too.
The hotel is very conveniently located, about a flat 10 minute walk to the Old Town but plenty of restaurants, bars and shops around. Although it’s right by the road we weren’t disturbed by any outside noise.
The hotel has a nice small pool to the side or is across the road from the sandy beach. Hotel guests get discounted sunbeds and you can get food/drink to the beach too.
We were so sad to leave, Rethymno is such a beautiful place and we would definitely recommend Swell Boutique!

The hotel is right on the waterfront, a 20-minute walk from Rethymno. We booked half board and had a delicious five-course dinner (drinks are an extra charge, but inexpensive).
The hotel isn't new, but everything is in good condition, and it offers excellent value for money.

The fifth time in Swell. Already before we came we had excellent service from the management in arranging the room to meet our hopes. Coming there was like coming to a second home. All the people from chambermaids to the manager whom we knew from our earlier visits were like old friends. The hotel itself has excellent location, could not think any better. The rooms are clean, service warm and thoughtful, breakfast very good. All in all, an experience to remember until next visit.

We had a truly wonderful time at Swell Boutique Hotel in Rethymno this mid September. From the moment we arrived, everything felt thoughtful and welcoming. We were kindly upgraded to a spacious two-floor apartment with two terraces, and I was genuinely amazed! One had a covered area, perfect for warm afternoons, and the other opened just above the promenade with a beautiful view of the sea. It was such a joy to sit with a cup of coffee, soak up the sun, and simply enjoy the sound of the waves and the peaceful landscape. The apartment itself was so cozy. Really comfortable beds, soft cushions, and a modern bathroom with beautiful tiles. We had coffee machine and Kettle, those small details that made a difference. Beach is just across the street, guests get beach towels at the reception and discounted sun beds. The hotel is in a great location, about 15 minutes on foot from the old town, so you are in a quiet seaside area but still close enough to enjoy the vibrant center of Rethymno when you like. It felt like the perfect balance. It is charming little town I couldn’t pick better. Breakfast was another highlight. Each morning offered a wide variety of delicious options, including several types of cheeses, from smoked to traditional, vegetables, ham, eggs, Greek yogurt, fresh fruits full of flavor, various kind of pastries (some kind of pizza pies and mushrooms pies) and the most delightful little donuts! Everything was fresh, tasty, and tempting…I often did not know what to try first. It was the perfect start to each day. And then, of course, there was dinner, which was absolutely exceptional. Each evening, we enjoyed a beautifully prepared five-course meal that felt like a loving home-cooked dinner made by a truly skilled chef. The flavors, ingredients, and presentation were wonderful. We tried dishes we had never tasted before and loved every one of them. I was a bit unsure when they mentioned eggplant, since it is not something I usually enjoy, but I completely changed my mind the moment I tasted it. The eggplant and minced meat dish with its golden topping was unforgettable. Perfectly baked chicken and pork, so tender and juicy, cooked just right. They had this lovely golden outside, but stayed soft and full of flavor inside, not dry at all, just really well done. You could tell a lot of care went into making them. On our last day, we had pork with a rich mushroom sauce it was full of deep flavor and felt like the perfect comfort meal to end the trip. There was a new combination each evening....I never knew I could enjoy olive oil so much, nothing sold in our supermarkets back home compares to the one we had there. We are usually not big fans of greens, but the way the cook prepared baby spinach and arugula made them incredibly tasty. We ended up eating the whole plate with pleasure. And their honey and cheese pie that was simply amazing. The chocolate parfait was also one of the best I have ever had. Whoever was in the kitchen d

September 2025
Beautiful hotel and suite. Friendly helpful staff. Would recommend.

SWELL (Excellent) performance in every way.

From reception, restaurant service (dinner for Gods) and cleaning. Yannis, Margaret, Aggeliki and all other unnamed members of the hotel (boutique).
Home is not far when you are in Swell.

Oh, I almost forgot. The sea is just across the street. City center 10-15 min away.

BG

Huge thanks for the wonderful hotel experience ❤️
Customer service made the hotel perfect. Espesially, the room change, thank you for that. It was really a birthday present!! Thank You Nikos.
But also during the holiday, customer service was excellent. As soon as we checked in, we were brought a small welcome bread and drink. During the week, everyone working at the reception was friendly and helpful in all matters (including telling us about good local restaurants, making breakfast earlier on the day of departure, giving us stomach medicine, etc.). Thanks to Angeliki, Yannis and Costas.

Cleaning took place every day and the towels were changed at the same time. The hotel is already old, so you can't expect perfect cleanliness of the seams, i.e. the cleaning was done very well. In addition, every day you got more coffee and tea in the room.

The breakfast was plentiful and tasty. Savory, sweet and even products from the own garden. Fresh, self-squeezed, orange juice was brought for breakfast separately. On Sunday there was also even sparkling! Thank you😋

The location of the hotel is just right, walking distance to the center and the beach right in front. The hotel even provided its own towels for the beach. The views from the room were amazing, saw both sunrise and sunset😍

Couldn't ask for anything better. Thank you!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

This was our second visit to The Swell. I couldn’t rate it highly enough. The beach with great amenities is just across the road, with many restaurants, bars and supermarkets beside the hotel. A 20 minute stroll on the flat promenade will take you to the beautiful old town and all that it has to offer. The hotel itself is great, and I cannot rate the staff highly enough from the warm welcome upon our arrival to the exceptional service provided by the lovely, Angeliki (sorry if the spelling is incorrect) who went above and beyond when there was an air conditioning issue in our room. The room was amazing with comfy bed and a great assortment of pillows. The amenities were great and of course we especially loved our own private pool. Breakfast was lovely, a buffet and eggs cooked to order if you wish, fresh orange juice not mass produced and fantastic farm produced speciality table … loved this. I really hope we can visit again!!!

The entire staff was wonderful. Every single one of them from housekeeping to the front desk. So friendly and willing to serve you. I found the hotel to be extremely clean. The location is central, and they would save us parking in front. This is my new home when I'm returning to Crete.

We recently returned from a five night stay at the Swell Boutique Hotel in Rethymno, Crete, and had a truly wonderful experience!

1. Location: Excellent!
The hotel is perfectly situated just steps from the beach, the boardwalk, and a variety of restaurants and shops. It’s easy to reach (although about an hour's drive from Heraklion Airport), and absolutely worth the trip! Rethymno itself is full of charm and history, with the Old Town and fortress within walking distance.

2. Service: Outstanding!
From the moment we arrived early, the staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome. They prepared our room ahead of time so we could start our vacation right away and even offered us refreshments in the lobby while we waited - always with a smile.
When our flight home was delayed, they were kind enough to arrange a late checkout for a small fee.
A special touch: my husband celebrated his birthday during our stay, and we were surprised with a bottle of wine and fresh fruit in our room - such a thoughtful gesture that really made our day.
The cleaning staff were excellent, and the bartender was equally delightful.

3. Room: Spacious & Comfortable
We booked the double suite, which we highly recommend - perfect for two couples or a family with older kids (note: the stairs inside the suite are quite steep). The room was beautifully arranged, with a lovely view, a great layout, and all the comforts: air conditioning, a coffee machine, water, tea, and plenty of storage space.

4. Parking : Manageable
The hotel does offer parking, though it’s limited. On the few occasions it was full, we easily found a spot nearby after a short drive around the area.

5. Breakfast: Very Good
A nice variety of options and a beautiful spot to enjoy your morning meal with a view.

We highly recommend the Swell Boutique Hotel and truly wish we could have stayed longer. We’ll definitely be back the next time we visit Crete!