Retreat at Crystal Manatee

The exterior of the hotel and lounge areas were absolutely adorable! Little manatee heads and black rod iron with all the plants gave a cozy feel. The room was unique and detail was well thought out. Comfortable king bed. The rain shower head with body misters were a nice surprise. My 6 year old loved it too :). The only downside was having to brush my teeth the beautiful farm/ industrial sink. I wasnt doing my hair and make up this trip because we were focused on visiting the surrounding natural springs but if I was planning a trip that didn't involve water all day I would not have been happy about drying my hair and doing makeup above the kitchenette. But the price was very reasonable for such a beautiful little Inn so all in all it was a very fair deal. Location was fantastic. Such a cute downtown area. Last but not least those chocolate pastries were frikin phenomenal!!! Whoever made that should have a storefront and be banging those out full time. That was the best pastry Ive ever had. They were warm and flaky. I don’t normally like pastries, because I think they taste stale but those were great. We talked about them on our trip back home. Thank you for a clean and cozy getaway.

Brushing my teeth in the main area. But I understand the limitations due to space

This trip was one of our stop-offs from Pensacola to Tampa so we only stayed one night. We arrived around 5pm and checked in easily with a nice lady at the front desk. Our room was as described, a light airy large Motel style room with everything we could need. Very clean, and tidy and the bed was comfy. Nice shower and bathroom too. Parking was right outside. There was a communal room in the middle of the property where there was an ice machine, coffee, and vending machines too. A couple of bars down the road within 5 minutes walk and then we had a lovely meal at a restaurant on the river around 10 minutes walk away. Breakfast was in another room, but there wasn't much there when we went, just some bread, yogurts, and cereals. To be honest, we weren't hungry, so just had coffee and juice so this wasn't a disappointment. Overall a great little place to see Crystal River - unfortunately for us, the Three Sisters Springs were closed so we didn't stay around much the next day.

This is one of the best places we have stayed in. The rooms are very cozy. The decor is tasteful, contemporary, and maybe just the right qmount of funky. I LOVE the pirate insired porthole "peepholes" in the doors. The continental breakfast bar is very nice with surprisingly good coffee. They have a seperate room for ice amd microwave. They also have a room where you can lock up your kayaks, SUPs, or bikes. The old trees with the spainish moss give the outside seating a romantic feel. We will stay here everytime we come up for a kayaking adventure!P

Better toilet paper.

If you are looking for a great alternative to the fast paced corporate hotel scene and want to slow down and relax, the Retreat at Crystal Manatee is the perfect option. The hotel is centrally located to restaurants, manatee swim companies, Kings Bay Park, Hunters Creek Park and kayak rentals. We did not have to move our car for four days, as we were able to walk and ride bikes everywhere. The staff was very friendly. The room was recently updated with modern touches. The continental breakfast was plenty for us. There is a separate locked room to store bikes and kayaks available on site. A fresh-ground coffee machine is available 24 hrs/day. They deliver freshly baked (still warm) pastries or croissants to each room every evening. For the cyclist: 7 Mile Loop Trailhead at Crystal River Preserve is located 3 miles north of the hotel. There are sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of US 19 / 98 up to the park. The trail was dry in March, but a bit sandy in the north quadrant of the loop but overall was a very quiet and peaceful ride. Thank you Joel. Look forward to staying with you and your team again. John and Shar

Although a very minor pet-peeve, the microwave is located in a separate room, away from the breakfast room, so you have to cross the parking lot if you want to "cook" instant oatmeal for breakfast. I would recommend relocating the microwave to the breakfast room. Also, I would suggest installing a grab bar in the shower, for those of us that need one.

This place was perfect! We loved the quiet neighborhood with the big, beautiful trees and within walking distance to the water, shops, and restaurants. The people were very friendly and the room was beautifully decorated and very clean. They even bring fresh pastries to your room every evening! The bed was comfortable and my husband loved the panel tower system shower. They have a small continental breakfast area that you can access anytime of day. I loved the cappuccino machine. If you're looking for a quiet, relaxing place to stay while in Crystal River, this place is perfect.

Very clean & modern. Great A/C (it was hot outside!!). Easy parking, lots of restaurants, bars & shops within walking distance. Fresh pastry delivered to your room around 4pm every afternoon was a nice touch!

Breakfast was included in the price but make sure you get there early. On our 2nd(last) day we arrived at 9am to discover all the bread had gone - except 2 small slices. Considering only one other room was occupied this was poor. When we asked if more bread could be provided for toast we were told “there is no more”. ????

Short walk to the water with easy kayak or paddleboard access. They even have a place to lock up and store your paddle craft. The motel has been renovated over the past 4 years and is by far the nicest place to stay in Crystal River! Nice modern and spacious rooms and the shower was fantastic! Cant forget the delicious pastries dropped off at your door every evening! What a great touch. I highly recommend staying here on your next visit to Crystal River.

Charming hotel, appealing rooms, fancy shower, nightly croissants gratis, adjacent to a waterside park. Comfortable bed. Separate hotel lounge/breakfast room with two large tables and chairs is accessible at all times and can be used to gather in.

No chairs or desk surface in the queen bedroom (just two large, padded stools). Clothing storage consists of a single long low shelf (or place your suitcases on the shelf). Included breakfast is limited to dry cereal (mostly high sugar, but also packaged oatmeal, granola, sometimes raisin bran), bread, yogurt, fruit, juices, tea and coffee (see photos).

The owner was so helpful and upgraded us to avoid a room change during our stay. The modern clean decorating and room was very comfortable, hairdryer, amazing shower, bed was so comfortable, great sheets, and pillows. The location was walking to town, sunsets, quiet street, easy sleeping. They had accommodations for our e-bikes and kayaks if needed in a locked room. Continental breakfast was good, open snack and drink room all day. The treat was a warm baked pastry brought to our room every evening, which was so wonderful. Staff was very kind and helpful. A hidden treasure for sure, would return again or refer friends, we travel a lot and it beats any high end hotel with its quaint modern clean comfort. Excellent!!!

Sure a full hot breakfast, i jest, everything was great, water bottles provided.

Enjoyed the courtyard area outside of our room - worth the extra cost since we were there for 4 days. Quiet location but close enough to walk to restaurants, shops, and the pier down the street. Great location for Three Sisters Springs and hiking at the state park nearby. The pastries delivered to our room late afternoon each day were delicious!

Maybe we just arrived too late (if 8:00 is too late), but would have liked to have bagels or English Muffins for breakfast. If they were provided, they were usually gone by the time we arrived.