The Best Hotels in Crete
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There are countless reasons why Crete remains one of the most popular Greek Islands. It's big—the largest of the Greek islands, in fact—which means it’s easy to find areas of seclusion and authenticity as well as historical sites and architectural ruins. For active travelers, the gorgeous hiking trails offer plenty of things to do. Those looking to relax will revel in its beaches, which have proper sand, unlike those found on Santorini or Mykonos. Our tip: venture to the eastern side of the island to find sandy stretches that are void of many people at all.
Then there’s the food scene and the chance to explore quiet (or rowdy) tavernas where catch-fresh seafood dominates a simple menu of local delicacies. The hotels here seem to get better every year and span everything from romantic boutique boltholes to some of the best family-friendly hotels in Europe. Villas too, are a popular choice for multigenerational groups looking to soak up the surroundings in the comfort of a private space. Here, we round up the best hotels in Crete, tried and tested by our editors.
FAQ:
What is the best location to stay in Crete?
Crete is the biggest island in Greece and home to some of our favorite Greek island hotels. Those visiting for the first time are spoilt for choice on where to stay. The obvious choice is Chania in the northwest, where hotels such as Domes Zeen Chania cascade down the hillside and overlook the sea, making it the ideal spot to settle for a week soaking up the Cretan sun. But the eastern half of the island is also well worth exploring. Near-deserted beaches and some of the best Airbnbs in Crete spell escapism; go now before it becomes better known.
What's the best resort in Crete for families?
Direct flights from London make Crete a popular choice for families, and the island is home to some of the best family-friendly hotels in Greece, so booking a multigenerational trip is easily done. Domes of Elounda overlooks the UNESCO-protected island of Spinalonga. Book into self-catering facilities that offer the perfect set-up for families with little ones.
When is the best time to visit Crete?
Traditionally aligned with a European summer, the hottest months in Crete are between June and September. Many hotels close during the winter. Those visiting during shoulder season—April, early May and October—will be rewarded with quieter beaches, a slower pace, and a sense of locality. This is when the tourists disperse and the spotlight is on Crete’s verdant grounds, fresh food, and sublime sea.
How we choose the best hotels in Crete
Every hotel review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.
This gallery was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller UK. It has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
- Nick Kontostavlakis/Globe & Trotter
The Royal Senses Resort & Spa
It’s no coincidence that everything, from the rooms to the restaurants and every pool, at this hillside hotel near Rethymno faces north. The bright blue views overlooking the sea of Crete are a stop-and-stare asset and made a purposeful feature throughout. Every room enjoys a front-row view via a private terrace with seating, some have their own pool, plus the option to order a Balinese-style floating breakfast spread in the mornings. Then again, the breakfast buffet is a cracking one, with a rotating assortment of the classics (freshly plated eggs Benedict) as well as the traditional Cretan (fennel pie and sweet Bougatsa) and plenty of vegan options, served in an airy indoor-outdoor setting by the sprawling pool, a jazzy live saxophone serenading the morning sun. There’s sparkling wine and strawberries on offer too for those who are celebrating—of which I spotted many.
The Curio collection from Hilton property seamlessly treads the tightrope line between honeymoon and child-friendly. On one side of the hotel is the adults-only pool area and spa—the largest in Crete—as well as the romantic Cretamos restaurant, with room for only seven tables and a degustation menu paired with local wines. All the way on the other side is a shiny new kids' club (the hotel only opened in 2021) that rivals most nurseries, along with a fantastical water playground with an array of slides to suit big and little ones, plus a bar for parents. All ages congregate around the palm-tree-flanked pool area, where citrus salads and cocktails can be ordered straight to your lounger. For a swim in the sparkling sea, guests can access the private beach at the neighboring Royal Blue.
Price: from $245 per night
Address: Herakliou 58 km, Panormos 740 57, Greece - Nick Kontostavlakis
Acro Wellness Suites
Teetering over a caldera-like cliff with spectacular views over Mononaftis Bay, Acro Wellness Suites’ string of stone-built suites and villas are like a slice of Santorini in Crete. Scattered across a thyme-scented hillside, nine dome-roofed cave suites have in-room tubs for amorous soaping and large terraces with grotto pools for lazy soaking. The romantic adults-only setup makes it one of our favorite hotels for a honeymoon in Greece. The cave suites offer oodles of room for canoodling, but for the best sunset views choose one of the three pool villas. Beyond the lovely suites, other highlights include the resort’s lagoon-like central pool, and a light-filled spa crisscrossed with trickling water channels and centered on a Moroccan-style dome-roofed hammam. —Heidi Fuller-Love
Price: from $468 per night
Address: Mononaftis, Ag. Pelagia 715 00, Greece
- Nick Kontostavlakis/Globe & Trotterhotel
Numo Ierapetra
$Crete’s black sand beaches are something of a marvel, and Numo Ierapetra is the place to stay if you’re keen to be surrounded by this unique local aesthetic. It’s an adults-only, village-like retreat based on a southern part of the island that’s void—for the most part—of crowds. The jewel in its crown is the main pool and beach club, which is designed to celebrate the rugged nature of its surroundings. Daybeds seamlessly transition from pool to sandy shore so making the switch feels as effortless as possible, and both preferences are catered for in one place. Our repeat order? An ice-cold Mythos and Greek Sandwich delivered straight to the loungers to soak up every last minute of sun.
After sundown, book the most fabulous of the on-site restaurants, Menoa, where a mix of Peruvian and Asian cuisine is served. For something more casual, buffet-style breakfast and dinners are hosted at Tamarisk. But be sure to factor a sunset supper into your stay, too. The Coast by Tamarisk, Numo’s fine dining spot, is one for a special occasion. —Sarah Leigh Bannerman
Price: from $192 per night
Address: Epar.Od. Ierapetras - Sitias, Ierapetra 722 00, Greece - Nick Kontostavlakis/Globe & Trotterhotel
The Royal Blue Resort
$If you yearn for somewhere that looks and feels akin to a traditional Cretan village, The Royal Blue with its separate stone buildings, perched along the island’s coastline, might just be the perfect hotel choice. Once you’re checked in, there really is no need to leave the property, as on-site restaurants serve authentic Greek cuisine and there are 38 pools in total (albeit some private and others shared between a small clutch of rooms to lend a feeling of exclusivity). The main swimming event is a heated expanse overlooking the sea—ideal for those visiting in shoulder season when temperatures are balmy but there’s a chill to the water in the mornings. Here, sunloungers and daybeds act like an open invite to settle in for the day; some are even suspended in the water, making a quick toe-dip an effortless way to cool off. The closest restaurant, Alarti, is mere steps away, but if you really don’t want to move, its service extends to these idyllic poolside spots.
Beach people will be happy, too. There’s a sheltered manmade bay at the foot of the hotel with easy swimming conditions that instill a sense of confidence in parents of younger guests. This tribe is catered for elsewhere, too. At the spa, there’s a kids’ menu, and suites are kitted out with expansive bathrooms and tubs. The family suite is our recommendation of choice; little ones can nap on the fold-out sofa in the lounge room while parents can sunbathe in reaching distance by the pool. Even in the grown-up Elia restaurant, where the freshest catch of the day is brought out to you to choose from, and local musicians serenade guests, the atmosphere is relaxed and a kids' menu thankfully keeps youngsters happy. —Sarah Leigh Bannerman
Price: from $229 per night
Address: Panormo Geropotamou, 740 57, Greece
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Daios Cove Luxury Resort & Villas
$$It may be big—there are 280 rooms, suites, and villas dotted around the olive-tree-covered cove—but service at Daios Cove is as smooth and polished as the marble floors. Families are especially well taken care of with complimentary buckets and spades for the beach and electric buggies to glide you noiselessly to your door. Villas are split over two stories, with sitting rooms leading out to the infinity pool and terrace, and the master suite and balcony below. There’s a notable amount of effort to make your stay extra comfortable from the lengthy pillow menu to the choice of mango, vanilla, or violet fragrances to be fed into the air-conditioning, and little treats like macaroons or feta muffins, waiting for you whenever you return to your room. The bars, restaurants, and the swimming pool area are all on different levels up the rocky sides of the bay, accessed by a funicular rail car. Down at the beach, the shore is lined with loungers and the sea is shallow, making for child-friendly rippling waves. —Heidi Fuller Love
Price: from $307 per night
Address: Βαθύ, Kritsa 721 00, Greece - JF Wiens
Domes of Elounda
Cretans love kids—so family-friendly hotels aren’t hard to come by. But this sprawling retreat tumbling down a slope with spectacular views over glittering seas to Spinalonga island is one of the best. More village than resort, facilities—which include an olive tree-shaded sandy beach, several large pools (one just for adults), gourmet restaurants, a kids' club, and a games room for teens—are excellent and the elegant spa even has a specially designated kids' treatment menu.
Linked by winding paved alleys shaded with scarlet paper chains of bougainvillea and white star jasmine, rooms, suites, and villas veer from extremely comfortable to very luxurious—many have plunge pools or whirlpool baths. Families will love the self-catering facilities in Luxury Residences but privacy is best in Ultra-Luxe Villas, which are like individual houses with gyms, saunas, and pools indoors and out.
Price: from $251 per night
Address: Tsifliki, Schisma Elountas 720 53, Greece
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Phāea Cretan Malia
A considered boho revamp has given this classic Crete hotel on the north-east shore of the island a second wind. Opened by the Sbokou family in the 1980s, with low-rise buildings set in tropical gardens of banana trees, palms, and cacti, it is now drawing in a curious Euro crowd. On the private beach, Italian couples kick back and sunbathe, a bookish Parisian flicks through the latest Prix Goncourt-winning novel, and a group of Germans orders a round of Negronis. As one of our favorite family hotels in Europe, little ones come out of the kids’ club giggling before splashing into the river-like swimming pool, racing for the pink-flamingo and crocodile inflatables. Teens hang out at The Place, with its hammock-strung outdoor cinema where parents are kindly invited not to come. The modernist spaces were cleverly designed more than three decades ago—despite having 204 rooms the property never feels overcrowded. Nature envelops it all: The many trees provide shade throughout the grounds and the grassy lawn makes everything smell cool and fresh even in the searing summer heat.
When Agapi and Costantza Sbokou undertook the complete renovation in 2019, they focused on sustainability and the Cretan soul of the place. Designer Vana Pernari opted for knocked-back tonal textures for the interiors with lots of ceramics, wood, and stone, plus nature-inspired jungle green and Aegean blue alongside works by urban artists Thanassis and Dimitris Kretsis. Make a beeline for the deluxe family bungalows—with their built-in bunks and separate bedrooms for the grown-ups, they get snapped up early. At Mouries restaurant, the large, open kitchen with a huge fireplace hosts cooking lessons using vegetables from the garden during the day and becomes a farm-to-table taverna after sunset. It’s lovely to feast on local flavors under the starry sky listening to the sound of the lyre. This is definitely an elegant new look for Malia.
Price: From $149 per night
Address: Malia 700 07, Greece- Pnoé
Pnoé Breathing Life
Translating simply as “breath” in Greek, Pnoé Breathing Life is a stylish fly-and-flop adults-only designer beach resort with a strong wellness offering and an easy-going private club vibe. Just 10 minutes from Heraklion airport, this debut hotel concept has an edgy crispness, with a pleasing nod to the dramatic Minoan architecture celebrated in Cretan history. The open-plan architecture provides all-day sunshine with 60 private pool suites from a central courtyard with an almond-shaped pool at its heart. Spacious suites are all decorated in the same earthy palate reflecting the surrounding rocky landscape, and graceful eyelines have been carefully considered throughout. Pnoé’s ethos revolves around selecting the highest offerings from “home-grown” Crete, backed up by partnering with some of the island’s chief players, namely Crete’s best chef Panagiotis Magganas. Fullness of flavor, assured freshness, and minimal food miles are guaranteed, along with conscientious service that’s setting a new standard on Karteros Beach. —Sarah Siese
Price: suites from around $641 per night
Address: Karteros Beach, Heraklion, TK 71500, Greece
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St Nicolas Bay
In the unspoilt eastern side of the island, nestled between the town of Agios Nikolaos and the fishing village of Elounda, where local fishing boats pootle about the marina, life at St Nicolas Bay Resort feels simple. It’s hard to put this blissfully soothing cliff-side hotel into words: a hidden Greek far from the madding crowds, with twinkly sea views in every direction, teamed with a comforting, relaxed vibe that will see you and your brood scooped up, set down and looked after. Families can’t get enough of the chic new Olives & Sea suites, with separate bedrooms for the sprogs, private terraces and a pool so you can do laps and drink rosé, gazing across the spectacular Mirabello Bay, while they nap peacefully inside. The hotel is scattered about its six acres, with a rustic, authentically Grecian style, all-white stone walls fringed by blossoming pink oleanders and olive trees, with its own sandy beach and oodles of tucked-away spots under the fragrant bougainvillea or beside the ancient church, ideal for diving, nose-deep into a book.
There’s a brilliant kids’ club run by the kind-hearted Roula, a baby and Olympic-sized infinity pool and no shortage of tempting food - from the Greek Kafeneion, where a bouzouki band serenades as you tuck into wood-fired souvlaki to the fine-dining Minotaur and its famed sushi. However, this place is all about the people. Eleni remembers every child by name with a high-five, Nikos happily picks up a tantruming toddler for a whirl around in his hotel buggy, and manager Alex treats every family coming here like his own. So very different from the run-of-the-mill resorts that Greece has become synonymous with, you’ll feel clever for finding this spot. —Annabelle Spranklen
Price: from $315 per night
Address: Thesi Nissi, Ag. Nikolaos 721 00, Greece - Christos Drazoshotel
Kapsaliana Village
Crete's glorious beaches are difficult to resist, but if you want to experience a slice of the island's more authentic charms head inland to Kapsaliana, a stone-built village buried in olive groves and sweet-scented citrus orchards a few miles from 16th-century Arkadi, one of the island's best-known monasteries.
As patient as the ant in Aesop’s fable, the resort’s architect-owner Myron Toupogianis has been buying houses in the village since the 1970s and restoring them as rooms and suites linked by a warren of cobbled paths and original features. Think lofty timber-beamed ceilings, writing desks made from the giant pitted stone wheels of an olive press and beds handcrafted from sweet-scented olive wood – along with plenty of modern extras, including plump beds and walk-in showers. This beautifully restored village centres on a raised terrace where traditional Cretan-inspired breakfasts and dinners are served beneath the perfumed shade of citrus trees.
Price: from $215 per night
Address: Καψαλιανά 741 50, Greece
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Elounda Peninsula, All Suite Hotel
$$On the eastern side of Crete (about an hour’s drive from Heraklion airport), the Elounda Peninsula, All Suite Hotel is a sprawling resort with its own private beaches, sailing boat for charter and nine-hole golf course. In 2023 it unveiled a new waterside Italian restaurant in partnership with the Ferragamo fashion dynasty. Plus, there's a coveted Six Senses spa with a serious range of treatments and wellness programs—including even a dedicated kid's spa menu. It’s the kind of place that offers everything, giving little reason (but curiosity) to leave, especially when the weather is very hot. It's also the real winner for groups and families, with accommodation only comprising spacious suites and villas that are beautifully modern and minimal in style. We were staying in a one-bedroom villa that came with a huge outdoor terrace, private pool and pathway to a hidden cliffside swimming spot with steps directly into the sea. And as an LGBTQ+ couple, we can also attest to feeling very welcomed and comfortable. —Jenny Southan
Price: from $495 per night
Address: Pigadakia, Schisma Elountas 720 53, Greece - Georg Roske Creative lead & concept by Lambs & Lions Berlin (https://lambsandlions.com)
Domes Zeen Chania
It’s one of our favorite Greek island hotels, particularly for families. The Palm Springs–style concrete bungalows and pavilions dot the hillside toward the sea, some of which have been purpose-built for families and have private pools. Outside there’s a black-tiled pool surrounded by thatched parasols for snoozing under, and the kids club is a whimsical oasis with yurts and teepees. When you want to go for a wander, guests can take a boat trip or venture into pretty Chania.
Price: from $346 per night
Address: Apteron Road Parigoria, Kon/nou Paleologou, Chania 731 00, Greece
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Minos Beach Art Hotel
As its name suggests, this charming hotel—with its manicured lawns, plant-strewn alleys spiked with sculptures and artworks, and trio of restaurants from chefs Poppy Kourkoutaki and Kyriakos Mylonas serving up skilful farm-to-table Cretan cuisine—is all about aesthetics. Strung out along its own (very) private peninsula in a hidden corner of magical Mirabello Bay, it's fronted by a meandering seafront pathway strewn with beanbags and deckchairs and punctuated at regular intervals with ladders leading down into the mirror-clear waters below.
Set back from the seafront, the low buildings peeking out from a jungle of mature undergrowth have hardly changed since they were built here in the 1960s. Inside, however, there are now wicker furnishings and walk-in showers. For the best sea views, choose one of the Superior Waterfront bungalows where you’ll be lulled to sleep by the murmur of waves tickling the sea urchin-spotted rocks below.
Price: from $270 per night
Address: Agios Nikolaos, Crete 721 00, GreeceMetohi Kindelis
Located close to Chania, to stay at Metohi Kindelis is to experience true, authentic Cretan hospitality—in everything from the 400-year-old building to the warm, inviting welcome from the local owners, and the organic fruit and vegetables grown on site. Bought by the Kindeli family in 1912 as a home and farmstead, Metohi Kindelis remains in the family; now co-owner and second-generation hotelier, Danai Kindeli took over from her uncle in 2013. Today, Danai runs the property’s three guesthouses—each private and with their own pool—while her uncle ensures the farm remains active, growing organic citrus fruit, avocado, strawberries, dates and more, some of which will be brought to your room for breakfast. Danai’s mother, an archeologist, tends to the flowers. While there are no exact records to show the date of Metohi Kindelis’ construction, estimates suggest the early 16th century—and to step into its cobbled courtyard is to soak in the history of Crete. Yet, the small touches—fluffy towels, sink-into-me beds—ensure all the modern comforts you might need. Having completed her WSET diploma, Danai curates a wine list of local favourites that she’ll be happy to talk you through, or ask her about the farm—you may even find yourself picking your own lettuce for lunch. —Katie Silcox
Price: from $312 per night
Address: Μετοχι Κινδελή, Perivolia 731 00, Greece
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- Courtesy Nana Princesshotel
Nana Princess
Readers' Choice Awards 2021
The sleek black stone buildings of this property close to the seaside town of Hersonissos offer a stark contrast to the popular resort’s souvlaki stands and souvenir shops—behind high stone walls the outside world fades away as you wander through glass-walled rooms lined with funky artwork overlooking two large pools and a small-but-sheltered beach.
Suites and villas have blissfully private sea view terraces with whirlpool baths or heated plunge pools and lots of high tech fixtures and fittings, including chromotherapy lighting, LCD mirror TVs, and (for some) fully equipped gyms. Fans of pinball and Pac-Man should book the Royal Villa which has an entire basement room crammed with vintage games. But the icing on this stylish cake is the space-age spa which has an entire wing of treatment rooms where—wait for it—wellness therapies are tailored to suit your star sign.
Price: from $318 per night
Address: Old National Road (El. Venizelou), Drapanos, Chersonissos, Crete, Chersonisos 700 14, Greece - Paterakis Vangelishotel
Cayo Exclusive Resort & Spa
$Cayo’s boho charms are the perfect match for the sparkling seas and near-deserted beaches of Elounda, the laidback fishing village where shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and his jet-setting pals once loved to hang out.
On a low hill looking out over the Mirabello bay to Spinalonga, the leper island of Victoria Hislop's best-selling novel, public areas are decorated with a magpie-haul of beautiful objects brought back by its globetrotting owners on their various trips overseas and are linked by a funicular whose glass cabins give stunning views over the bay.
Light-filled rooms, suites and villas have gleaming blonde-wood floors, plump Coco-mat beds and terraces. Families will love the Cayo Grand Pool Villa with its basement bedroom that has a Bond-style underwater window looking straight into the villa’s sparkling pool. There’s also a (free) shuttle bus that carries guests down to the small sandy beach.
Price: from $296 per night
Address: Plaka, Schisma Elountas 720 53, Greece
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Abaton Island
This classy spa overlooking a sand-powdered beach is ideal if you’re seeking a ‘no shoes no news’ getaway. A glass-walled reception with panoramic sea views opens onto wooden decks dotted with rocking chairs where you can sit and sip a cocktail as you gaze out over the turquoise mirror of the infinity pool. Narrow paths lead to rooms, suites and villas—many with a heated pool—housed in low white buildings scattered across manicured lawns fringed by soothing lagoon-like water features. Five restaurants serve everything from Cretan specialities to surf and turf and there’s also a pier stretching far out to sea—scattered with bean bags and tables this is the perfect perch for sun lazing during the day and romantic dining at night.
Price: from $288 per night
Address: Themistokleous Avenue, Chersonisos 700 14, Greece
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