Manili Boutique Suites & Villas

We were looking forward to the stay and had high expectations. Looking back, it wasn’t bad at all, but it didn’t quite meet the standard we’d hoped for. The hotel village is beautifully built, with lots of different buildings in a very distinctive style. We had the Pefko room, I think, right next to one of the pools and reception. That meant we could hear every check-in and checkout, as well as people by the pool. The bathroom was rather small, making it hard for two people to move around at once. The pool area is lovely and the sun beds are very comfortable, though there weren’t enough for all the guests. We were lucky to get one each time we wanted to sit by the pool. The reception and restaurant staff were helpful and friendly, and breakfast had everything we needed. But the room cleaning wasn’t satisfactory: the shower and floor weren’t cleaned properly, and we found some bills and clothing tickets left by previous guests. The room and service each get 3 stars from us for those reasons.

The place was quiet and clean, with beautiful attention to detail in the design, just right for a relaxing holiday. I had a wonderful stay. A special thanks to Vicki at reception, who made it even better. She was always friendly and helpful, and went out of her way when I needed anything. She even booked a taxi to the airport for me on time, which I really appreciated. I felt very well looked after and would definitely return!

We spent two weeks here and found the hotel a peaceful base for exploring all of Crete. Set in a lovely mountain village among olive groves and vineyards, it gave us an authentic Cretan feel. Archanes was a great location, with plenty of good restaurants in the village and never a shortage of places to eat. The rooms have a distinctive, luxurious cave-like feel, and the hotel is Michelin-mentioned. Our room had a semi-private hot tub and stunning mountain views, even from bed. Breakfast at Manili Bistro was exceptional, one of the best hotel buffets we’ve had. The staff showed genuine care and hospitality throughout our stay. When we had a minor AC issue, they were quick to respond and easy to reach on WhatsApp. Housekeeping was prompt and attentive, with fresh towels and linens every day. The narrow road running between the rooms makes parking tricky, so I recommend using the Manili lot when you arrive. The property is built into the mountainside, which could be challenging for anyone with mobility issues, though I’m confident the staff would do what they could to help. It was a high-end, culturally rich stay in a picturesque part of Crete.

For someone who stays in lots of hotels, Manili struck me as brilliant value for money, and I highly recommend it. It felt like luxury among locals, a chance to enjoy local Greek culture while staying somewhere luxurious. The staff were friendly and helpful, the pool areas were really nice, and the Bistro was delicious with great staff. We came for a birthday and were given a bottle of wine, a handwritten card, cake and a gift bag. It was a very kind surprise, much more than you’d usually get. Manili was an excellent stay and exceeded our expectations. Thank you!