Crete Island hotels & places to stay

Avra is a great resort with great service but I would recommend it more for family trips. We went during the peak season in summer and the resort was filled with families and children. We were 2 couples and we did not really need the private pools in our bedrooms as we were out and about most of the time. The beach that Avra is on is wide, big and clean but not the white sandy kind of beach that you have seen about Cretan beaches. Location of the hotel is great, there are restaurants and cafes down the street with a few shops to buy your souvenirs. A local supermarket is also reachable around the corner. We tried a few of the restaurants in the town facing the beach and they were all quite good. Hotel has 2 different areas serving Greek breakfast or Intercontinental breakfast, both with big selections. The hotel comes with a big spa by Apivita with many type of body treatments, as pampering as they were, we did not really enjoy the massages. One exceptional thing though was their hospitality and their warmth. We remember a lady, Iro, who was managing the bar at the pool across from the main building. She had the greatest smiles and passion towards her work and engaging with all the guests, it was just a great experience!

We came for 4 days just to relax, read a book and enjoy the sun.. I have to say that at first we were in shock of how nice the people and the stuff treated us! and than when we took a look a round it was so amazing! The hotel is isolated and have the best facilities with the best view! a private beach, multiple swimming pools, some are for adults only so no chance of any interruption while you are napping or reading your book. In general there are no families with lots of kids in the hotel, so it always quit and relaxing. The spa treatments were amazing to, the stuff really know their work, highly professional and very kind. Food, you cannot go wrong no matter what restaurant in the resort you choose to eat in, also the room service food is high quality and come fast! overall this is one of the best places i ever being to, also my partner think so, the service the facilities the food are amazing, there is no reason to get out of the resort, just bring a good book :)

We came during the winter season so the hotel was relatively quiet and we had the full attention of all the staff present, who were really helpful from the outset. Not only did they sit down with us and provide us with suggestions on the places to visit, they also helped us to arrange all our transportation for the 2 days we were there. The restaurant's food was absolutely splendid and the prices, for food of that high a standard, were very reasonable. The rooms were lovely and very well designed and the beds were comfortable. Nothing like waking up to the sound and the view of the sea. We were all very satisfied and we would definitely recommend friends and family, regardless of age, to visit if they were to come to Crete!

The apartments are beautiful and very well equipped. Having breakfast made every morning is a great bonus. Elina and her staff are just perfect. the air conditioned rooms are haven from the August sun and the pool is big enough to swim properly. We had a great stay- there is lots to do nearby (water parks, golf, open air cinema etc) as well as many beaches but you do need a car to enjoy this part of Crete fully. I only gave 4 stars for location because of the lack of good restaurants nearby. There are some but the better ones are in old Hersonissos - you need to drive or get a cab to the village. Hersonissos town is a bustling place for young adults and too busy for our liking but it is easily avoided. In summary- you couldn't ask for a nicer place to stay in but get do get a car. Agios Nikolos, Elounda, Plaka and Spinalonga are all in easy driving distance and well worth seeing.

A lovely hotel in a perfect location just a short walk from the centre of town and close to a lovely stretch of good bars and restaurants. Well located for parking if you hire a car with street parking available and car parks close by. Very pleasant stay with friendly helpful staff and good facilities. Nice pool with both sun and shade, a small beach nearby and larger beaches can be reached by walking 1.5km or bus. Loved my stay here as it's in a lovely area of Crete, Chania is a lovely city and there is always something to do a short bus or car ride away.

the area is not the best to look at especially on the back of the hotel there were abondon bulidings. Next to the hotel there was a house with a pit bull and it didn't stop barking day and night the rooms need a serious renovations especially the bathrooms, our the toilet sit was broken from old age,it was nothing like the photos from the website. The good things its clean and the staff are friendly and helpful. I dont suggest it for families with small children

We really enjoyed our stay at this hotel. We stayed in the executive suites which are just to the side of the main hotel. The hotel itself is far enough away from the main town to be peaceful, but near enough to walk to (15mins) for evening meals and entertainment. Whether you want to buzz of new town or the ambience of old town the hotel sits between the two. The hotel itself is very pleasant and set in it's own grounds. It has large size swimming pool with loungers with a toddler pool which is covered and a Jacuzzi. The executive rooms are very large and have a oversize bed (med firm), dressing table, sofa, coffee table various draws and large wardrobe. The bathroom has large Jacuzzi bath, open rain shower, sink etc. The room we had was it the top and has 3 balconies. The largest one has 2 x loungers plus table chairs and sun shade. Great little hotel. Would recommend. Really friendly staff.

On arrival at this hotel we were told our room would not be available until the next day! We were transferred to another hotel, no where near the same standard and given a small, shabby, sub standard room the worst We have ever stayed in! It over looked a busy road that along with air conditioning not working made it impossible to sleep! The following day we were transferred back to the hotel we had booked , our room was still not ready! By now we had lost the best part of two days out of our seven moving in and out! This was not acceptable! The only compensation offered was two massages which we were unable to use due to medical concerns! I want everyone that is thinking of booking Santa Marina plaza to know that you may have the same problem- not getting what you have booked and paid for!! Agoda please look into this- we would like answers?

Fantastic staff, Sofia at the reception is really excellent. Hotel has very good buffet breakfast. Really nice garden with palm trees, parking private area, and is amazing view towards the mountains too. Only in the hotel you can hear anything from other rooms... which was disturbing. We got some discount by booking, and even more we got room update for free. So all together we were so much satisfied, we would like to come definitely again!

We spent a week at the Kydon and were wonderfully cared for. Their central location in Chania is a perfect location for visiting various sites and tours on Crete...and their buffet breakfasts are the best we encountered during our 4 weeks traveling in Greece! We can't say enough about the quality of the staff; their prompt and efficient responses to our emails, requests for tours, recommendations for shopping, taxis, etc. We stayed in 7 hotels in Greece and Kydon was our favorite. We highly recommend travelers looking for quality accommodations and a great traveling experience to consider the Kydon.

We stayed two nights here and wished that we could have made it longer. The location in the charming old town area of Rethymno was exactly what a tourist would want of a romantic Cretan town. Less overrun than Chania, equally charming and accessible to beaches. The reception was kind and helpful, recommended great itineraries to nearby attractions and beautiful beaches. The various food options of the hotel, restaurant, bar and shop were all fabulous. We went home loaded with olive oil, honey raki, Cretan tea. Would like to stay here every year!

The stay was great.The reception staff are a real asset to the business.They are helpful,competent knowledgeable and can not do enough to help. The hotel is beautifully clean,the cleanliness is faultless.Once again well done to the staff. We enjoyed the trips that we arranged through the hotel. I do not have one negative point to make about the hotel and would happily recommend it. I hope that this review is helpful.

Service was subpar and often unhelpful with many extra fees. When I picked a beach resort for a part of our vacation, I thought this place would be a nice retreat at a moderate price given that it's suppose to be a "4 star resort" but we were really disappointed and will never return. So many extra fees --5 euros per day to use the empty lounge chairs across their private beach (now I know why the noisy pool was always filled with people despite the cars zooming by --not relaxing!) $10 per buffet meal if you don't do all-inclusive (we didn't) but it's actually 12 euros for the dinner on Thursday because there is a live band. Also, 10 euros deposit to use each beach towel, and if you lose your flimsy little receipt, too bad. Is it their plan to have people steal the towels so that anyone returning it won't get their money back? Isn't the lounge chair and live band a part of the resort thing? The guy who walked us to our room in silence seemed to wait for a tip but he didn't even offer to carry our bags. Maybe service was crap because we weren't all-inclusive since we just had the bed and breakfast plan only. At first, I asked if we could switch that meal for a lunch or dinner later because one day we went on an extra-fee excursion, but the front desk basically talked around it for 10 minutes, saying she needed to talk to her boss and it could be an extra charge. I asked for a follow up answer but I never heard from her again. Rude. We and other excursion goers were allowed a quick breakfast of yogurt and cold cuts (no cooked foods) early that day so when I asked for something similar on our departure day because of an early flight, they said yes but then didn't set it up (the overnight worker put out some yogurt after we asked). We asked about cabs to town (basic questions here!) and there was a new answer every day. This place is an OK place but there are cheaper options that don't claim to be a 4 star.

Hotel is located just 5 minutes (or less) walk away from Heraklion port and the main “market street”. Food options around the hotel are aplenty. Public buses (bus stop) is just a perpendicular corner from the hotel. My mom and I walked everywhere and it was fun. Staff was polite, helping us to brown bag our breakfast when we had to go out early to other parts of Crete. They’d also assist you to do tour bookings at reasonable prices. I had a fun time in Heraklion, Crete and this hotel (facilities and staffs) had a big part to play.

New hotel with modern rooms and very comfy beds - clearly a step up from what you usually get in this price range. The owners are extremely nice and warm-hearted, so it felt a bit like staying at friends. Just one suggestion: The rooms could do with a bit more storage options (e.g. wardrobe). However, the fresh and airy room design made largely up for this. We will definitely come back when travelling to Sfakion again. Highly recommended.

An unforgettable holiday! The room (master suite) very cosy, super-comfortable and spacious and a large terrace with a fantastic view. Quality toiletries, fast wifi, a Hifi and a TV sets guarantee entertainment in the room and are especially important in winter, as the resort is open 12 months a year. Breakfast is entirely home-made and all the fruit, vegetables and eggs are their own produce. The Venetian lake is full of Koi fish and there are ducks and snow geese as well. Our children enjoyed watching and feeding them, as well as learning a range of herbs around the lake which the owners of the resort painstakingly labelled for visitors in Greek, English and Latin.One can go for walks and short trips in the area.. What makes the whole difference, however, is the unique hospitality of every single staff member who made us feel part of the community throughout our stay and spoilt us with their hospitality.Finally, the spa with its range of excellent treatments is a must.A big THANKS!