Take your pick from three gourmet restaurants and bars, including a poolside bar. The city has an airport which makes this place a number one spot to start exploring the area. GEORGIOUPOLIS RESORT AQUAPARK AND SPA - Prices & Hotel Reviews (Greece) It has a slightly scruffy feel but there are two town beaches, an archaeological museum and some excellent restaurants to entertain you. Chanias maze of old town streets have been prettied up for the tourists, but they still retain a charming atmosphere especially if you can catch them in spring before the masses arrive. Its unsurprisingly popular with returnees. Sissi is a small resort thats on the coast between Malia and Plaka, known for its pretty harbour and seafood tavernas. Suites, bungalows, and villas are light and airy with large swathes of glass and a modern take on Cretian design. 1. What was once a small Greek village has now become a cosmopolitan town, with bars, restaurants and hotels surrounding picturesque Lake Voulismeni. It has a sand-and-pebble beach and a handful of good tavernas to choose from. Myrtos village is located on the south coast of Crete an 1 hour 20 minutes drive from Heraklion Airport. Palazzo Duca is one block behind the harbour and is clean and modern with comfortable Cocomat mattresses. This is tucked away in a remote pocket of Crete's south-western corner, so you could be forgiven for thinking you might have it all to yourself. Transfer time: 1hr from Heraklion International airport. })(); For all the legal bits go to myDisclaimer and Privacy Policy, Cretan cooking experience in the mountains, check rooms and availability on Booking.com, 10 Perfect Gifts for Foodies Who Love Greece (Ideal for a Hamper), 10 Best Places for a Sunny Winter City Break in Europe. It gets very popular and usually attracts people who go there for clubbing. Sumptuous suites and villas have cool contemporary interiors and fabulous sea views, and many with their own private pool. Crete is almost completely surrounded by beaches. This is Crete off-the-beaten-track. 8. Mid-range boutique: Casa Cook is a beach resort reimagined for the Instagram generation, with boho-chic minimalism up on the hills behind the beach in Kato Daratsa. Blue Palace Luxury Collection has views across to Spinalonga, an extensive spa, and direct access to a pebble beach. ); With that and the relative peace and quiet, its an ideal spot to just be on this wonderful island. Outside Heraklion centre is the vast and swanky kid-friendly resort Amirandes Hotel. Mythos Suites is another town highlight with a pool. #1 Best Value of 1,305 Crete Beach Hotels "Beach - Currently sitting on the beach I can tell you it is a little sun trap! But it would be a shame to miss out on the excellent tavernas in Panormo. It is famous for its never-ending stretch of sand, fabulous sunsets and peaceful atmosphere. See More, A great getaway to an idyllic blue bay in a car-free village, right on the beach. This is part of a Greek holiday resort guide series and will cover: Roughly speaking, the north coast is developed and is home to the main cities and also most of the beach resort towns. Despite the small size of Falassarna, its a popular spot and has a reputation for being one of the best beaches in Crete. Nana Princess Suites Villas & Spa 2. The one thing I would highly recommend is getting sea shoes as there are sea urchins on the rocks!! a rundown of Crete's quieter resorts and villages; the best places to stay for couples, families and nature CRETE OVERVIEW BEST LUXURY HOTELS: Domes of Elounda, Daios Cove, Abaton Island Resort and Spa, Domes Noruz. Transfer time: 30 minutes from Heraklion airport. Mar 20 - Mar 21. If you are staying one or more nights, you dont need to worry about thumping music or all-night parties. An adults-only hotel in a converted historic mansion, it has been elegantly restored and has its own hammam. But it has everything you need its ideal if youre looking to enjoy one place for your holiday and dont feel the need to visit the larger towns. Smart rooms and suites have modern furnishings, all the modern gadgetry, balconies, and some have private pools. Essentially, Myrtos has something to offer everyone from a secluded, sandy seafront to a large dose of historical culture. This area is perfect for beach lovers (although its worth noting that the main beach does get very windy). Accommodation in Frangokastello is all self-catered and around the same price point. #30 Best Value of 32 Crete Luxury Beach Resorts 3,851 reviews. #8 Best Value of 35 Exclusive Resorts in Crete. Show prices. Transfer time: 50 minutes from Heraklion International airport. Cool or what? The smaller of the two beaches, Small Triopetra (or Koumado), is more an enclosed, sandy, and rocky bay. A collection of understated luxury rooms and bungalows are elegantly decorated with simple white walls and minimalist artworks. Top choice is the IG-friendly swim-up rooms at Stella Island Luxury Resort & Spa. An award winning restaurant, a superb wine list and a well-known spa on site. This is a natural beauty spot which is an absolute pearl, but youve got to time it right. There is an increasing number of upmarket resorts in Sissi. Check Paleochora rooms and prices on Booking.com. No roads lead here and there are no nightclubs or nightlife. Definitely one of the most unspoiled places to visit in Crete, the pretty peaceful village of Loutro evokes some strong emotion when you land here it is truly like stepping back in time! There are some quieter beaches in the area if youre up for a bit of scrambling, and things calm down in the evening once the coaches have packed up for the day. 17. Royal Marmin Bay Boutique & Art Hotel 4. Euphoria Resort 7. If you want to explore the culinary, you will have a vast variety of restaurants and amazing coffee shops. There are churches tucked away in winding streets, and for those of you who want to enjoy a waterside view without the sand, the town is built around a beautiful lake (Lake Voulismeni), where you can take in the views, whilst also dining in style in one of a multitude of lakeside restaurants. Anissaras, Hersonissos, Crete. The harbourfront is lined with restaurants and smart boutiques, and the narrow alleys filled with souvenir shops, and the colourful tables and twinkly lights of tavernas vying for your trade. Located 80km southwest of the town of Heraklion, it is much more secluded than your average beach, since it's just off the edge of (and sheltered by) a large gorge. Theres plenty to keep older children entertained, including watersports and boat trips. 2,101 reviews. Accommodation is spacious and secluded, the best options have heated seawater pools, but all are utterly indulgent. The coastline is developed on either side, but it was the introduction of budget flights to Chania airport that really put it on the map. If youre used to staying in small villages then you may find Bali too busy and commercialised. THE 10 BEST Crete Beach Hotels of 2023 (with Prices) - Tripadvisor But the highlight is the peaceful and picture-perfect sugar cube village of Loutro, with its whitewashed walls and electric blue seas. The beaches in this area are all sandy, clean and stretch as far as the eye can see! It has a quiet and authentic atmosphere and a well-sheltered beach its one of the best places in Crete for families with small children. Milatos is a small and low-key beach resort just beyond Sissi. There are few roads in the area, and some of the villages are accessible only by boat. The beach here is better than any at Hersonissos, which is 5km away. Z Boutique Hotel has comfortable rooms and a small pool. 4.4/5 Wonderful! The best beaches in Crete | CN Traveller S&K Villas near Amyrida has a modern white cubist design and pool. On a budget? Just dont expect to find authentic Crete here. Its not perhaps as quaint as some of the other places on this list but what it lacks in tradition it more than makes up for in swankiness and still manages to retain an air of what makes Crete so great. See More, A stunning resort on Mirabello Bay with its own private beach and dreamy views. Many boat trips, excursions, and day tours are available, and its possible to make some journeys (such as hiking the Samaria Gorge) yourself by bus. Top things to see and do in Agios Nikolaos include: Porto Maltese Boutique Estate is Ag Niks most stylish des res, with a waterfront location, courtyard, and sympathetic restoration. 9 Theofanus Street, Chania, Crete Island, 731 00. The architecture of the village looks like it just sprang from a WWII novel, winding streets, brightly painted buildings, plenty of brick and crumbling plaster. The lagoon itself is actually an island that can be reached by paddling out to it. Sfakia is the nearest town for amenities. A typical routine is to eat dinner in the old village and then head down towards the waterfront for evening drinks. Its set back from the town but is 4* and modern, with 3 pools and spacious rooms. Show Prices. Their wild and remote location and lack of road access have helped to preserve their beauty. 9. The resort itself is sleepy but like most in the area the beach gets very busy in the summer. On the beach: Check out LUX.ME White Palace and Caramel Grecotel Boutique Resort for sheer whitewashed bliss right on the beach. Astoria Hotel is a small family-run hotel with sea views and coastal decor. 18. Check out cheery Sunday Life. But there are plenty of alternatives if your budget doesnt stretch quite that far, have a look at Blue Bay Resort Hotel, Peninsula Resort Hotel, Pela Mare, Seascape Luxury Residences, and Acro Wellness Suites. On the beautiful beach of Kolymbari, 20 km from the city of Chania, lies Grand Bay Beach Resort. The walk between these two areas is truly stunning, the path along the way is marked with cairns to guide your route thankfully as it is easy to get distracted by the views! There are more Minoan ruins worth discovering though head further afield to Malia and Phaistos. Agios Nikolaos has four sandy beaches though theyre all a little way out of the city Kitroplateira is the most central, Almiros is the nicest. Several celebrities (including Brad and Angelina in happier days) have been spotted walking on its sandy shores, this combined with it being a hotspot for European dignitaries just adds to the appeal. } The 12 Best Crete Beach Hotels (Greece) | Oyster.com Oceanview Designer Beach House (4 guests): $300/night. event : evt, Its a busy tourist town dominated by resort hotels, with a small harbour and 4 organised beaches, and is packed with pretty bougainvillaea and colourful sun loungers. Transfer time: 1hr 40 minutes from Chania International airport. Chora Sfakion: A few upmarket options here such as the No Problem Luxury Suite (it has a bathtub), and the excellent value Livikon Hotel and Samaria Hotel which both have fresh white and blue decor and seaview balconies. Its a windswept and low-key kind of place, with remnants of a hippie vibe. If you want to be closer to the beaches, Nostos Beach Boutique Hotel is freshly renovated and has a pool, beach bar and day beds. See More, This exclusive beachfront hotel in Rethymno recently underwent a full renovation. Georgioupolis Resort Aquapark & Spa offers a unique holiday experience to those that want to enjoy the incomparable Greek Hospitality whilst seeking top quality services in a relaxing environment, excellent gastronomy as well as a . There is the standard selection of resort hotels in the surrounding coastal areas stylish Cretan Malia Park is one of the best, with beachfront access, boho chic decor, and family-friendly facilities. Crete is filled with fine beaches, ancient treasures, dreamy villages, wonderful cuisine, and hospitable locals who hold their traditional culture in high regard. If you think of a sleepy Greek fishing village, you probably have images of small boats bobbing in quartz waters, piles of multicoloured nets, and fishermen unloading their catch before nipping off to the Taverna for a cheeky ouzo. Agia Roumeli: Lots of budget rooms all around the same price point thanks to the proliferation of walkers tryAgia Roumeli Hotel or Gigilos which are both right on the beach. Its vulnerable to high winds but on the other hand, this makes it ideal for surfers. It is flanked by steep, mountainsides, home to a sizable herd of goats (judging from the clinking of bells) as well as a tepid sea, sheltered by a lush bay. Crete's Best Beach Hotels | The Hotel Guru window.mc4wp.listeners.push( One of the most beautiful cities in all of Greece, Chania is unsurprisingly a popular tourist destination. Panormos is the first beach resort that you hit east of Rethymnon that has a proper village feel and isnt just an outpost of the city. But there are many places offering rooms and studios at a great price.