The Retreat at Crystal Manatee is in a perfect location for anyone who wants to relax off the beaten path and enjoy nature. At the same time there are shops nearby, beautiful Springs to visit, manatees to swim with and restaurants with a water view. But once you are finished with the hubbub of travel the Retreat is a quiet place to unwind. There is also a park on the water within walking distance to enjoy the beautiful sunsets. A wonderful added surprise - homemade scones from the owner and local coffee as the icing on the cake. The staff was kind and helpful. The area is beautifully landscaped with local foliage. A tropical oasis.

There is nothing I did not like about The Retreat at Crystal Manatee.

We made this reservation on the fly while driving down the road, with limited access to computer services to read evaluations, other patron ratings, or any of the normal stuff we review before making a reservation. We were a little hesitant about our choice when we first pulled up, as we couldn't find parking (our bad - missed the sign) and it looked a little small. Boy, were we more than pleasantly surprised at check in! The front office staff was friendly and very welcoming, and our room was easily accessed, beautiful, clean and very comfortable. The location of the property was perfect: adjacent to downtown and within 1/2 block of Kings Bay Park and a public dock overlooking the river, which provided a great venue for al fresco dining while watching the beautiful sunsets. The property was also close to a pedestrian walkway, which we used to visit the Three Sisters Springs Nature Preserve and several other local sites. And I haven't even mentioned the WONDERFUL just-baked croissants left on our door each night! In a word, this was a perfect setting for us to relax and unwind!

This has nothing to do with the property, but we were unable to see any manatees during our stay in Crystal River: apparently, we were about 2 weeks too late in our visit. We'll just have to time our next visit for between November and March!

Room was very clean, modern, comfortable and more than ample for the two of us. Loved the quaint and welcoming vibe of the whole property. Location was ideal for us to visit a friend in a nearby town, and visit several nearby attractions to see the manatees! And ability to walk to restaurants and shops in the village checked all the boxes! Delivery of fresh croissants to your room each day was lovely, and although we didn’t need it, 24hr access to the little breakfast room for coffee/tea/snacks was an added plus. Wish we were staying longer! Will definitely book here again next year!

Not a dislike, but just a suggestion for the property to add a small shelf to put your toiletries in the bathroom, and a hook to hang a robe when getting out of the shower. That’s it!

We booked the deluxe King room. When we arrived, they had a full sized bottle of wine for us, as well as some fresh macaroons. You are given fresh croissants every evening. Very yummy. The property is beautifully appointed and maintained. Many restaurants and shops within walking distance. You could also walk to a pier to check out the bay.

The included breakfast is very minimal. Cold cereals packets of oatmeal. Yogurt Apples and oranges and white bread and white bagels could be toasted. I will say, though the coffee machine is excellent each cup is freshly brewed.

This is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in, and I have been in many, many hotels. Everything and everyone was wonderful. The room was exquisitely designed and welcoming, and the bed was very comfortable. The shower was amazing, I had never used or even seen one like that, it made it very difficult to stop showering! I have also never been in a hotel where the breakfast room was open 24/7. The desserts and wine in our room and the bag with croissants hanging on our door in the evening were extra thoughtful details. The hotel is close to evertything and in a quiet location. We will most certainly be back many times!

Nothing!!!

This place is a hidden gem, and it reminded us of a typical Italian Apulian Masseria though with, of course, an American touch! The rooms, as well as the common spaces, were pristine and showed great attention to detail. We also loved being surrounded by nature, the silence, and even sweet raccoons. The staff was super welcoming and friendly, and OMG, the homemade welcome croissants were delicious and highly appreciated!

We really appreciated the homemade jams in glass jars, which added a lovely touch. However, the plastic and paper cutlery should be avoided to stay in harmony with the place's sustainability efforts. We’re highly conscious about sustainability, and believe it’s important to minimize plastic use. Additionally, it would have been great to see more local produce and food to help support the local economy

Exceptionally clean, and I'm very particular about that. Service was friendly, professional, and helpful. Donna at the front desk, did everything to assist us and make us feel welcome. Becky from housekeeping was also very kind and helpful. We were greeted with wine and dessert on our first night. They also give you baked goods daily that are beyond excellent. Everyday they tidied our room and made the bed. The building is very nice and well maintained. We had a slight issue with the shower and it was fixed to our satisfaction as soon as we mentioned it. The grounds feel like a botanical garden with cute sitting areas throughout. They provided great breakfast items each day, coffee, tea, juice, milk. Just a short 2 minute walk to several restaurants and shops, but tucked away so you don't have traffic by your rooms. Park is another short 2 minute walk. We met one of the owners and he was very nice and helpful. All the staff was great.

Not one thing.

the room was very clean and well appointed. check in was a breeze and the young lady who checked us in (donnas daughter) was very polite and pleasant and gave some good recommendations. Donna was very helpful before and after our stay with our stay. my son left his sleep "stuffy" in the room when we checked out and the cleaning staff found it and held onto it for us. after contacting the hotel, Donna helped get this very important lost item back to us via US mail. thank you so much! we will be back!

only thing we didn't like (according to my 9 year old and 11 year old) is that it didn't have a pool. we knew that going in, but i guess that's the one thing that could make this place perfect

Loved the landscaping. It was lovely to sit outside and drink coffee in the morning, with the lovely view of the grounds.Loved the pastries, but prefer the croissant over the fruit kind. My husband loved the coffee and I loved the variety of teas. The hotel feels very welcoming and we love the shower.

Almost ran out of toilet paper. Need extra roll in room. My husband wanted to watch the Super Bowl and he couldn't find it on the TV. Asked for help and the lady on duty said she didn't know how to work the TV. He had to watch it on his tablet. Not ideal.

We were met at the front desk by Donna who was delightful and very helpful with "things to do advise." The grounds of the Retreat are as beautiful as they look on line. Our room was spacious and clean with a very modern updated bathroom. The Retreat is right on the edge of town so we walked to everything including 3 sisters Manatee preserve. If I'm ever back in Crystal River, I will stay here.

Not on the resort yet, but Crystal River should do more to preserve the dark sky, we were there on a new moon and there is a dock right near the hotel, should have been fabulous star gazing.. The lights in the park nearby and street lights made it a busy for stargazing, unfortunate.