Stavromenos Crete, Stavromenos Rethymnis, Rethymnon, Crete 74100 Greece, Stavromenos Rethymnis, Greece | (937) 315-4602
Outdoor pool and hot tub with sun beds and umbrellas
Located right off the beach
Within walking distance of restaurants and shops
Greek restaurant with a bar on-site
Free Wi-Fi
Small kitchenettes in air-conditioned rooms
Good-sized sun deck
Rooms are cheaply and sparsely furnished
Internet is inconsistent
Not close to Rethymnon town center; requires a car to get most places
Beach by hotel is scenic but not great for swimming
Air-conditioning requires a fee
The Blue Dream Apartments is a budget, family-run hotel with simple accommodations just a few minutes' walk from a rocky beach. Several kilometers from Rethymnon's town center, the 111-room property is a quiet place to relax near the beach, but may be inconvenient for those without a car. Sparse, but fairly spacious rooms come with mini-fridges and two-burner stoves, the worn condition of which suggests the Blue Dream's half-board option might be a better bet. There is an on-site taverna serving traditional Greek cuisine, an outdoor pool, and free Wi-Fi. Guests wanting to be closer to the town center and attractions such as the Archaeological Museum -- and are willing to pay more -- could try Casa Vitae.
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Scene
With few interesting aesthetics, this hotel manages a homey, welcoming feel nonetheless.
The Blue Dream Apartments is a no-frills hotel on the island of Crete consisting of whitewashed boxy structures with typically Greek blue trim. The tile lobby has wicker furniture and a few cushioned chairs, and yellow and reddish walls give it a warm, welcoming feel. The poolside restaurant and bar is where most of the action is -- in fact, sometimes parties can go on into the wee hours of the morning. A mashup of plastic, wood, and metal tables and chairs, the restaurant nevertheless has a homey vibe, with soccer jerseys hung behind the stone bar and the names of yearly guests on the bar stools. The restaurant is covered, offering respite from the sun while guests eat, and sits underneath a small sun deck that could use a few more chaises but offers nice views of the water. The grounds have sculpted shrubbery and a range of greenery, but a good portion of the grass is dead and dried out, putting a bit of a damper on the scene.
Location
In a quiet area of Rethymnon that requires a car for getting to most notable places
The Blue Dream Apartments is off a fairly idle road that runs parallel to one of Crete's highways and is lined with fields. While there are a popular bakery and a few other shops nearby, the heart of Rethymnon is about 10 to 15 minutes away by car. The Archaeological Museum of Rethymnon is about 20 minutes away. Unless guests truly intend to stay at the hotel for the duration of their stay, it's likely they'll want a vehicle, though there are public buses as well. A beautiful rocky beach is just beyond the hotel, and there's a sand beach about a five minutes' walk further. The hotel is about an hour's drive from the Heraklion Airport.
Rooms
Spacious, but bare bones
Guest rooms at the Blue Dream Apartments are fairly large and simply furnished. Decor includes beige tile floors, and an otherwise blue and white color scheme mimicking the building facade. The standard Double Room comes with two twin beds, a small wood table and chairs, and a long desk/table with a few drawers. The two-burner stove in each has seen better days -- the top layer of the hot plate is burned off in some -- but there are dishes and a mini-fridge for those who want to eat in. Rooms have air-conditioning, but use of it requires a fee. The bathrooms are clean, but quite small. The curtained stall showers come with hoses that cannot be docked on the wall, making splashes and spills almost inevitable.
Features
Nothing fancy, but a pretty pool, a relaxed restaurant, and a nearby rock beach
The hotel has a bright blue pool that's clean and fairly large for the size of the hotel. Next to the patio bar/restaurant, it is a popular communal area. Above the bar and up a flight of stairs up from the pool is a small sun deck, which only has a few chairs but offers a peek at the ocean nearby. The beach off the hotel is rocky and not very swimmable, but is quite beautiful. Reaching the sand beach is more of a trek, but it's still only about a five minutes' walk. The playground at the Blue Dream Apartments is downright bleak: a swing set missing one of it swings and a faded teeter-totter, set in a small pit of sand is all you'll find. Wi-Fi is free throughout, but it can be spotty.
