Best Crete Hotels

Choosing the best Crete hotels isn't easy. Crete is a huge island, and there are many more fine hotels than we have space to list here. But we've tried to single out some of the most exceptional hotels – historic, romantic, luxurious – that are in some way special.

We've provided some choices in popular spots such as Chania, Rethymnon, Iraklion and Elounda, near Agios Nikolaos.

There are also many really good cheap hotels on Crete, offering very good value for money, but when you're choosing the best hotels on Crete they do tend to be at the more expensive end of the price range.

Here's our choice, in alphabetical order.

The Aquila Atlantis Hotel's Rooftop Pool

Aquila Atlantis Hotel
This is a 5-star hotel in the centre of the Cretan capital and close by the Archaeological Museum. It has its own rooftop pool, restaurant, bars, and a rooftop garden, and some rooms have views over the harbour. It's upmarket and classy without being snooty.
Atlantis Hotel
Iglas 2, Iraklion

Casa Delfino

Casa Delfino Suites
This lovely hotel is in a 17th-century building that was once a Venetian palace. It's right in the old part of town but with a rooftop terrace that overlooks Chania's lovely Venetian harbour and where they serve drinks and bar snacks. The suites lead off a central courtyard and all have luxuries like marble Jacuzzi baths. It's both historic and romantic, and along with the Casa Leone (below) it's easily one of the best hotels in Chania.
Casa Delfino
Theofanous 9, Chania

Casa Leone Boutique Hotel in Chania

Casa Leone
The Casa Leone rivals the Casa Delfino (above) for quality, and beats it for history as this is a 15th-century Venetian villa, even older than the Delfino. It too has a rooftop terrace overlooking the harbour, and some of the suites also look out over the harbour while others face the lovely hotel garden. There are only five suites so personal attention is guaranteed, and all have air-conditioning, private bathrooms and wifi access.
Casa Leone
Theotokopoulou 18, Chania

The King Minos Royalty Suite at the Elounda Mare

Elounda Mare Hotel
One of the best luxury resort hotels in the whole of Greece is here in Elounda, just outside Ayios Nikolaos. It's the only Relais & Chateaux hotel on Crete and has 215 suites and private villas, some with their own pool if you want complete privacy and pampering. It has three restaurants, gorgeous gardens, golf, tennis, watersports, and access to the spa and other facilities at its sister property, the porto elounda DE LUXE RESORT which is 400 yards away and another of the best Crete hotels. Those aren't typing mistakes, by the way, that's just how they like to write their name.
Elounda Mare Hotel
Elounda

The Beach at the Istron Bay Hotel

Istron Bay Hotel
Not far from Ayios Nikolaos on Crete's north-east coast is this wonderfully hidden retreat which has won many awards for its fine cuisine. It also has a great pool, steps down to its own private bay, and all its rooms have balconies with views over the bay. When we stayed here we were totally spoilt and wanted to stay forever.
Istron Bay Hotel
Istro, Agios Nikolaos

The Megaron Luxury Hotel

Megaron Luxury Hotel
This newish hotel instantly became the most luxuriousd hotel in Iraklion. It's a conversion of an old classical building from 1925 that overlooks the harbour, and the modernisation has been done with great style. It has a rooftop pool (open May-October), health club and gym, restaurant and bars, and all the facilities you expect of a 5-star hotel. Definitely one of the best hotels on Crete.
Megaron Hotel
Beaufort 9, Iraklion

Palazzo Rimondi, Crete

Palazzo Rimondi
These 4-star suites are rated A Class, and the Palazzo is made up of several 15th-century Venetian houses that are right in Rethymnon's Old Town. There are twenty luxury suites, and it has its own swimming pool and a quiet courtyard. It's owned by two architects and is beautifully stylish.
Palazzo Rimondi
Xanthoudidou 21, Rethymno





Other Crete pages

  • Chania, in Western Crete

    Chania is the main city in Western Crete with a lovely setting and a beautiful harbour as well as several museums.

  • Knossos

    Visiting Knossos near Iraklion is one of the best things to do on Crete, and this page has a history of the site with visitor information.

  • Rouvas Gorge Walk

    This Rouvas Gorge walk starts and ends in Zaros in southern Crete and should take three to four hours with a distance of eight kilometres or five miles.

  • Irakleio

    Crete's capital and largest city is Irakleio, also called Iraklion or Heraklion, a large and busy place with good restaurants, museums and historical buildings.

  • Keramos Studios in Zaros

    Keramos Studios in Zaros on Crete is an inexpensive two-star hotel/guesthouse with one of the best breakfasts on the island using food from the family’s farm.

  • Dining at Vegera

    Greece Travel Secrets eats at Vegera in Zaros and finds a cheap but wonderful feast of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes cooked daily with fresh local food.

  • Lasithi Plateau Drive

    This Lasithi Plateau drive on Crete starts in Neapoli and ends in Malia, covering a distance of 80 km (50 miles) and taking two to three hours.

  • Crete

    Crete (Kriti) is the largest Greek island and its main attractions include the Minoan Palace of Knossos, the Samarian Gorge, Chania and Rethymnon.

  • Olive Grove Walk

    This olive grove walk from Limnes to Vrises on Crete also takes you through orchards and gives close-up views of some of the island’s windmills.

  • Zacharioudakis Winery

    Greece Travel Secrets visits the Zacharioudakis Winery near Ancient Gortina in southern Crete, and does a vineyard tour arranged by our guide from Go Crete.

  • Amari Valley Drive

    This Amari Valley drive in southern Crete starts and ends in Ayia Galini, takes four to five hours and cover 100 kilometres or 62 miles.

  • Malia and its Minoan Palace on Crete

    Malia on the north coast of Crete is renowned for its nightlife and beaches but also has the Minoan Palace of Malia, one of Crete's many archaeological sites.

  • Paleohora and the South-West Coast

    The area east from Paleohora along the south-west coast of Crete includes resorts like Agia Galini, gorges like the Imbros Gorge and quieter towns like Sfakia.

  • How to Make Petimezi

    How to make Petimezi, the sweet Cretan syrup made from wine must, is explained to Greece Travel Secrets.

  • Hiking the Samaria Gorge

    Hiking the Samaria Gorge on Crete, one of the best things to do on Crete, by Greece Travel Secrets.

  • Hiking in Southwest Crete

    Greece Travel Secrets goes hiking in southwest Crete with Ramblers Walking Holidays based in Paleohora and hiking the E4 footpath and to Anidri and Azogires.

  • Ancient Gournia Minoan Site in Eastern Crete

    Ancient Gournia is a Minoan archaeological site between Agios Nikolaos and Sitia in Eastern Crete where the visitor can see evidence of a maze of back streets.

  • Goules Taverna Crete

    The Goules Taverna in Goulediana, south of Rethymnon, has been called one of the best tavernas on Crete and Greece Travel Secrets recently visited them.

  • Gortina ancient archaeological site in southern Crete

    Ancient Gortina is an archaeological site in southern Crete famous for the church of Ayios Titos and for the Law Code inscribed here, the first in Europe.

  • Elounda and Spinalonga, setting for The Island by Victoria Hislop

    Elounda on Crete's north coast is a popular holiday town with a pretty harbour, from where you can take day trips by boat to see the island of Spinalonga.

  • Eco-Tourism Accommodation on Crete

    The Dalabelos Estate offers luxury eco-tourism accommodation on Crete in the hills near Rethymnon with its own farm, vineyard and olive groves.

  • Diktean Cave, the Birthplace of Zeus near Psychro on Crete

    The Diktean or Diktaean Cave, also known as the Psychro Cave, near the village of Psychro in eastern Crete, is said to be the birthplace of Zeus.

  • Crete Olive Oil Tour

    For a Crete olive oil tour Greece Travel Secrets visits Biolea, one of the few olive oil factories on Crete that you can visit.

  • Crete Festivals and Events

    Crete festivals and events include Carnival Easter, Whitsun, Christmas, many other religious feast days and public holidays.

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