Crete Accommodation
Introduction
Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, offers a wide range of accommodation options to suit different budgets and preferences. Here are some of the most popular types of accommodation in Crete:
- Hotels: Crete has a vast selection of hotels, ranging from budget-friendly options to luxurious resorts. Many hotels are located near popular tourist areas or along the coast, offering stunning sea views and easy access to beaches and attractions.
- Villas: For those seeking more privacy and independence, villas are a popular choice in Crete. These range from small cottages to large, luxurious villas with private pools and stunning views.
- Apartments: Apartments are a great option for those looking for more space and amenities than a hotel room. They often come with a fully equipped kitchen and living area and can be rented for short or long-term stays.
- Guesthouses: Crete has many traditional guesthouses, often located in historic villages or rural areas. These offer a unique opportunity to experience Cretan hospitality and culture, with home-cooked meals and personalised service.
- Camping: Camping is also popular in Crete, with many campsites located near the coast or in the mountains. These offer an affordable option for travellers who enjoy the outdoors and want to explore the island’s natural beauty.
Overall, there is a diverse range of accommodation options in Crete, making it easy to find something that suits every budget and preference. Whether you’re looking for luxury, privacy, or an authentic local experience, you’re sure to find it on this beautiful island.
Listed below, you’ll find in-depth reviews of all Crete accommodation that we’ve personally experienced in our years of travel to the island.
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Minois Boutique Hotel, Stalis, Crete
Review Rating: 5+/5 Website: https://minoishotel.gr/ Date of Visit: August 2022 Introduction Sometimes, when you book a hotel, you get lucky. Other times, as with Minois Boutique Hotel, you get really, really lucky. Of all the places I’ve stayed at across many years of travelling, this hotel has to be one of the best, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Location Nestled into the lower hills that stretch across most of northeastern Crete, the location of Minois Boutique hotel has both positives and negatives: its elevated position gives superb views across Stalis Bay as well as being in a quieter…
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Yiannis Manos Hotel, Malia, Crete
Review Rating: 4.5/5 Website: https://yiannismanos.gr/ Date of Visit: August 2022 For a change of scenery during my extended visit to Crete in August 2022, I moved from nearby Stalis to Malia for a week. I wanted accommodation that wasn’t too close to the resort centre, fearing it would be overrun with alcohol-fuelled partying youngsters (not wanting to sound old or anything!), but also close enough to be convenient for evening meals and access to local shops. I was also looking for somewhere on the more budget end of the spectrum since part of the reason for visiting Crete was to…
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Hotel Elysee, Sitia, Crete
Review Rating: 4/5 Date of Visit: July 2021 I needed a hotel room to overnight before my early ferry to Karpathos the next day. After some time exploring options on Booking.com, I settled on Hotel Elysee and was not disappointed. Just a short walk from the bus stop where I arrived from Heraklion, the hotel is right on the harbour front and has plenty of tavernas and cafes all around. Check-in was friendly and fast and my room on the second floor was huge and had a nice balcony with a great sea view. For €45 it was a bargain,…
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Matala Bay Hotel, Matala, Crete
Review Rating: 3/5 Date of Visit: July 2021 As I journeyed across Crete from west to east, my penultimate hotel was an overnight stay at Matala Bay Hotel. The hotel was further from the beach and resort centre than I’d expected from looking on the map, but still walkable in 10-15 minutes, and the free parking was essential as it gets pretty busy here in high season. The room was reasonable, if nothing special, but everything worked as expected, and the bed was comfortable enough for a decent night’s sleep. The best thing about the hotel is the pool, which,…
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Akteon Rooms, Agia Galini, Crete
Review Rating: 4/5 Date of Visit: July 2021 I stayed at Akteon Rooms for a single night in July 2021 as part of a road trip across southern Crete. The rooms are small and very basic, but for €40 it’s exactly what I expected. The host is a lovely lady, very kind and courteous, offering me a free bottle of cold water on arrival as it’s pretty sweaty work carrying your luggage up the steep steps from the public parking at the harbour below. Breakfast was home-cooked and served individually to each guest, rather than the usual buffet style. It…
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Galini Beach Hotel, Plakias, Crete
Review Rating: 4/5 Date of Visit: July 2021 I spent one night at Galini Beach during a mini road trip across southern Crete in July 2021. I chose the hotel based on its central location, proximity to the beach, positive reviews and budget price. The room cost me €44.50 which I felt was a fair amount given the time of year. The hotel offers a small car park in front of the building, large enough for perhaps 6 vehicles. There was a space available so I was able to park on-site which made it convenient to get my luggage to/from…
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On The Rocks Hotel, Palaiochora, Crete
Review Rating: 4/5 Date of Visit: July 2021 We visited Crete in early July 2021, spending 9 nights in Palaiochora at On the Rocks Hotel. I was travelling with my parents, who’ve visited Palaiochora several times and know the area well. We chose this hotel based partly on price (€72 per night (high season), including breakfast) and location. We wanted somewhere quiet, but still within easy walking distance of tavernas and not too far from the main town beach. Due to the ongoing travel restrictions caused by Covid-19, the hotel wasn’t very busy for our entire stay – there seemed…
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Cretan Malia Park, Malia, Crete
Review Rating: 4/5 Date of Visit: July 2016 I booked a week here through Thomson Holidays who advertise Cretan Malia Park as being a 4-star plus hotel. Coupled with some overwhelmingly positive TripAdvisor reviews, I arrived with high expectations. As the only person from my flight arriving at the hotel, check-in was quick and friendly. However, I was told that the room I would be staying in the first night was an upgraded pool view room and that I would be moved to the single room that I’d booked the following day. They didn’t explain the reasons for this but…
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Manos Apartments, Elounda, Crete
Review Rating: 3/5 Date of Visit: September 2016 I spent a week at Manos Apartments back in September 2016, having visited Crete a few times before but never to this part of the island. Starting with the positives then, the location really is excellent – right on the Northern edge of Elounda so it doesn’t feel crowded, but just a few minutes walk from the main harbour area and the main beach. There is a smaller beach just opposite which actually gets much less crowded when the boat trips arrive and it’s slightly less rocky in the water too. A…
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Sentido Vasia Resort & Spa, Sissi, Crete
Review Rating: 4/5 Date of visit: September 2019 I chose to spend 8 nights at Sentido Vasia early September, travelling solo for a bit of quiet relaxation. All-inclusive hotels aren’t typically my style, but having had a busy July island-hopping around the Cyclades, I fancied the idea of staying put in a single location. What better way than having meals and drinks included? I’ve visited Sissi a couple of times on previous trips to Crete, but always in passing and not to stay. It always seemed like a nice place though, and not too inconvenient to get to from Heraklion…
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Ourania Apartments, Kato Gouves, Crete
Review Rating: 4/5 Date of visit: May/June 2018 I just returned from a lovely week in Crete at Ourania Apartments. This was my ninth time on the island, but my first time in Gouves (Kato Gouves, to be precise). It’s a nice area and conveniently close to the airport, but it seems to be lacking a resort centre—everything is quite spread out along the coastline, so getting around involves a decent amount of walking. The apartments are set back off the coastal road, about a 10-minute walk up a gentle slope and then around a dirt track. Our apartment was…
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Royal Heights Resort, Malia, Crete
It’s Malia, but not as you know it When you hear the word “Malia”, premium relaxing hotels probably aren’t what first spring to mind. Yet the Royal Heights Resort Malia offers an up-market Cretan experience usually associated with the likes of Elounda, Agios Nikolaos or Rethymnon, but just 30 minutes’ drive from the island’s main airport in Heraklion. The hotel is set back on the hillside 1.5km behind Malia’s old town and 3km from the beach, a safe distance from the late-night revelry Crete’s main party resort is – somewhat infamously – known for across the continent. Stunning views of…
Crete Island Guide – Crete Beaches