The 10 best Villas in Crete, Greece

April 28, 2023 Toi Mattera

The birthplace of both the king of the Olympian gods and of modern European civilization, Crete is a Mediterranean jewel. It’s rich with archaeological and mythological history that’s reflected in its ancient ruins and cultural attractions. Soak up the charming atmosphere of Chania Town’s Old Venetian Harbor or the fortresses and monasteries of Rethymonon. The awesome Minoan ruins of Malia date to 1900 BC, and majestic Mt. Ida is said to be home to the cave where Zeus was born.
Things to do in Crete

1. Sarpidon Apartments

5 Sokratous, Malia, Crete 700 07 Greece
Excellent
80%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
2%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 292 reviews

Sarpidon Apartments

A perfect self catering option in Old Town Malia

Reviewed By SteveW08

Katerina and her staff ensure a perfectly relaxing environment for all here in bright, pleasant surroundings. Rooms are spacious, clean and well equipped and bedding and towels are changed every other day. Good reasonably priced food and drinks is available at the bar all day and there are plenty of sun beds available in the gardens. This is a well situated venue for those who wish to visit the restaurants in Malia Old Town (and who wouldn’t?) but is also secluded and quiet.

2. Gouves Water Park Holiday Resort

Kato Gouves, Gouves, Crete 700 14 Greece
Excellent
50%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
6%
Terrible
4%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 2617 reviews

Gouves Water Park Holiday Resort

Gouves Water Park Holiday Resort is a 4-star family oriented hotel located in Gouves, an attractive and touristic village on the Northern coast of Crete Island. Only 300m away from the beach, 8km away from the popular nightlife of the Town of Hersonissos and 19km from the Heraklion Town, the capital of Crete, it is an ideal choice for families as well as for couples that want to combine relaxation, fun, freedom and fulfillment.

Great wee 4 night break

Reviewed By GillianJ254

Booked this hotel last minute to get some sun. The pool areas did not disappoint, the slides were great fun. Room was clean but basic but had everything we needed. Restaurant was busy, would have been nice to have fresh fruit at the breakfast sitting, it was available at lunchtime. Food could have been warmer was my only criticism. Also other 4 stars you have been able to get fresh omelettes but didn’t here, they do have the space to do so. Never had an issue getting a table and always found plenty to eat at other meal sittings. Asian restaurant you get one booking, very good food. The street food was amazing from 12-6, had something each day. Cocktails were lovely but not the strongest, however it would be nice to have a proper glass instead of plastic in the evening. Entertainment very good. All in all great trip and I would return.

3. Blue Aegean Hotel & Suites

Thermopylon, Kato Gouves, Gouves, Crete 700 14 Greece
Excellent
59%
Good
22%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
6%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 675 reviews

Blue Aegean Hotel & Suites

The Blue Aegean Hotel & Suites is situated in the resort of Gouves, 18 Km east of the city of Heraklion, on the northeast coast of Crete, and 50 meters from beautiful sandy beach. Comprised of fifty eight beautifully appointed suites and apartments located in eight separate buildings, each named after an island of the Aegean Sea, the accommodation offers comfort and quality for your enjoyment. The hotel is designed for families as well as couples and offers a wide range of hotel facilities combined with the convenience of All-Inclusive services. We provide a rich buffet selection of traditional Greek cuisine and international dishes. Our poolside pagoda offers a range of professional massage and beauty treatments for your total holiday relaxation. Every guest receives a complimentary treatment too. We are a family run hotel who not only provide efficient service but also create a genuinely friendly atmosphere. Every guest is warmly welcomed with typical Greek hospitality.

A pleasant stay

Reviewed By JaneReid

Stayed for a week with my husband and another couple. Lovely staff, very welcoming. Perfect location. Couple of mins stroll to a gorgeous stretch of golden beach. Shops and Tavernas nearby. Pool clean. Loungers a bit worn and uncomfortable. Food pretty good but not very warm on several occasions. Puddings disappointing, only fruit available was kiwi, orange and apple slices. Would have loved done grapes or melon. All inclusive drinks stop at 11pm. Had a bit of a run in with Stef the barman on our first full day. We had been out in the resort since an early breakfast. Arrived back at 10:40pm and 3 of our group tried to order a round of drinks for the 4 of us. He was happy to give one drink each, was stroppy about us asking for a 2nd drink and refused a 3rd drink. Now I get that he can't have everyone stocking up on loads of drinks just before the 11pm cut off and I agree with this but bearing in mind we'd not used any of the all inclusive food or drinks in the past 12 hours I thought this was very unreasonable. . .but it really was his unprofessional, stroppy, rude manner in dealing with us that really shocked us. I think he might have had 2nd thoughts and maybe felt guilty about it because a short time later he came over and slammed another round of drinks down on our table. No smile, no apology. Anyway, the following day our husbands and to make the peace with him and apologise and he apologised too. All was fine after that, it didn't ruin our holiday but did leave a sour note. Would we go back again?? It's a really decent hotel and lovely location. I am not a fan of all inclusive though and there were hardly any UK people there. Mainly German I think, who weren't the friendliest and seemed to get preferential treatment with table service when the outdoor entertainment was on one night. We seemed to be the only people not getting offered table service for some reason? We probably wouldn't go back but others do and I can see why they have a really nice time.

4. St. George's Retreat Village

Kokkino Chorio, Crete 73008 Greece 011 30 697 818 5760
Excellent
99%
Good
1%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 106 reviews

St. George's Retreat Village

The Retreat Village is situated just below the famous St. George's Retreat cave. The complex benefits from extensive cultivated gardens, olive trees, and a large number of fruit trees, which the guests are free to taste. They are ideal for families and friends who would like to holiday together, but still maintain their private space. There are discounts available for groups who wish to book 3 or more villas. Contact the owner for details. There are two shared pools and a large BBQ area containing both a BBQ spit and traditional baking oven, while the tavern situated high up above the villas will take care of any appetite desire. The village of Kokkino Chorio is 5 minutes drive away while Plaka and Almyrida villages are a further 5 minutes drive each.

A Six Star Villa Complex

Reviewed By Andrew M

We spent 15 days here, mostly as the only guests. We cannot speak more highly of our choice. Our villa was well equipped and very comfortable, with an amazingly efficient wood burner for cooler nights. Friendly Stefanos and Roula work very hard, and often generously, to provide what you need and make the stay comfortable. They saw us though power cuts and serious storms, one of which blew the glass topped patio table completely away - they replaced the same day. The place has magnificent views but does need a car. A wide choice of good restaurants within 5km. It is next door to an interesting chapel (of St George) and German WW2 bunkers. The complex is well set up for families, with pools, books and games. we could not recommend St George's more highly.

5. Arcus Suites

Epar.Od. Argiroupolis-Asi Gonias, Argyroupolis, Crete 740 55 Greece 011 30 2831 200201
Excellent
85%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 160 reviews

Arcus Suites

Seven kilometers away of the beautiful beach of Episkopi you will found Arcus Suites, a whole neighbourhood of old Venetian stone mansions of the 14th and 15th century, located in the heart of Argyroupolis, Lappa in Rethimno. The entire complex of buildings was declared in 2005 by the Ministry of Culture as «Preservable archaeological monument». Since then the mansions and the environment space renovated with respect for the style and architecture and created 5 independent suites. All the suites retain their architectural features and fascinating atmosphere of the Venetian people, their predecessors. Ambitious dome, stone arches, burrstones, axes, arches, stone fireplaces, wooden floors and ceilings, interior gardens, cobblestone courtyards emphasize and highlight the charm. The two level and one level (path) suites can accommodate, in comfort, from 2 to 6 persons each, in all seasons. The decoration in each one is unique and offers all modern comforts 5 stars. The interior garden of

Definitely to discover

Reviewed By David L

The quality of the restoration of this magnificent old house and the beauty of the well maintained garden seduced us during our stay in April 2022. The place is very calm and relaxing. The presence of lemon trees allowed us to make our own juice in the morning. The house is ideally located in the small village of Argiroupolis, in the center of Western Crete, which allows you to explore the surroundings in all directions. The beautiful little town of Rethymon, on the north coast, is 30 minutes away and Plakias, on the south coast, is 35 minutes away. Chania is also only 55 minutes away. The only things that for us were not up to the standard of what one would expect from a "luxury suite" were the lack of servery equipment, the very limited bath amenities, the comfort of the bedding and the messiness, outside, near the suite. This was not catastrophic and can easily be improved. We thank our host, Yiannis Deligiannakis, for his thoughtfulness and availability.

6. Istron Bay Hotel

Istron, Agios Nikolaos, Crete 721 00 Greece
Excellent
32%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
16%
Poor
10%
Terrible
7%
Overall Ratings

3.5 based on 667 reviews

Istron Bay Hotel

See why so many travelers make Istron Bay Hotel their hotel of choice when visiting Istron. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers a romantic setting with an array of amenities designed for travelers like you. Istron Bay Hotel is a romantic hotel offering a minibar, a refrigerator, and air conditioning in the rooms, and it is easy to stay connected during your stay as free wifi is offered to guests. The hotel features a 24 hour front desk, a concierge, and room service. Plus, guests can enjoy a pool and free breakfast, which have made this a popular choice among travelers visiting Istron. For guests with a vehicle, free parking is available. While you’re here, be sure to check out Smile Cafe, one of the cafes that can be found in Istron, which is a short distance from Istron Bay Hotel. We’re sure you’ll enjoy your stay at Istron Bay Hotel as you experience all of the things Istron has to offer.

A great place to stay

Reviewed By tomjon

We stayed here for a week in early September. The hotel overlooked the bay, the view from the balcony was beautiful. The pool was large and the beach was private. Breakfast was excellent, you made orange juice with real oranges in a machine, the choice was wide for food, almost anything you can think of. The staff were excellent, your room could be cleaned daily or every two days according to your preferences. Although the hotel is a little old, it was by far the best hotel we have stayed in Crete

7. Azure Beach Villas

Nopigia Village, Kissamos, Crete 734 00 Greece
Excellent
61%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 100 reviews

Azure Beach Villas

Azure Beach Villas part of BLE COLLECTION Hotels and Villas managment company, in Chania consists of 55 villas on the lovely beach of Nopigia. Pergolas, covered terraces, manageable private plots and 8 shared swimming pools with landscaped gardens adorn the properties. As with all Hellenic Homes Developments, the Azure Beach Villas is characterised by its unsurpassed quality of build and material. A peaceful and lovely seaside location, near to the famous, award winning beach of Falassarna, and its magnificent sunrise and sunset. Situated conveniently close to the National Highway, it is both easily accessible and well-located in relation to the main attractions of West Crete, The Azure Beach Villas is a scenic five minute drive to Kolimbari and the beautiful city of Chania is a thirty minute car drive away.

Holiday

Reviewed By peterpG3186IC

Excellent apartment very friendly staff . Nothing was too much to ask Lefteris and George. We had a wonderful relaxing time. We would highly recommend this place. Hope to return soon. The pools are beautiful and the apartment was spacious and very comfortable. Easy access to beach and restaurants.

8. Ariadne Hotel

Machis Kritis 171, Platanias, Rethymnon, Crete 741 00 Greece
Excellent
59%
Good
29%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
4%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 114 reviews

Ariadne Hotel

See why so many travelers make Ariadne Hotel Platanes their hotel of choice when visiting Platanias. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers a charming setting with an array of amenities designed for travelers like you. Guest rooms offer amenities such as a flat screen TV, a refrigerator, and air conditioning, and guests can go online with free wifi offered by the hotel. Ariadne Hotel Platanes features a sun terrace, outdoor furniture, and a coffee shop, to help make your stay more enjoyable. The property also boasts an outdoor pool and a snack bar. If you are driving to Ariadne Hotel Platanes, there is free private parking available nearby. While in Platanias, you may want to check out some of the restaurants that are a short walk away from Ariadne Hotel Platanes, including Sky Park Grill House Restaurant (0.2 mi), Bella Casita Taverna (0.1 mi), and Pagona's Place (0.2 mi). We’re sure you’ll enjoy your stay at Ariadne Hotel Platanes as you experience all of the things Platanias has to offer.

Beautiful Greek hotel

Reviewed By Kathleen E

What a beautiful hotel white washed walls amazing flowers everywhere spotlessly clean lovely big pool plus kids pool good bar area lots of different rooms to offer from rooms for two too family rooms. The breakfast was delicious every morning lots to choose from the staff were absolutely amazing thank you to them all we had an amazing holiday will be back again in September

9. Plakias Suites

Paligremos Beach, Agios Vasileios Municipality, Crete 740 60 Greece
Excellent
97%
Good
2%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 128 reviews

Plakias Suites

Welcome to the Plakias Suites (4 keys), a family complex of 6 apartments that fits perfectly into its natural Cretan surroundings in one of the most attractive locations in southern Crete, the bay of Plakias. The complex is situated on the long, sandy beach of Paligremnos in Plakias.Each of the modern apartments is sound-proofed and fully equipped with a kitchen, air-conditioning, satellite television and wireless Internet connection.Enjoy a wonderful stay amidst unparalleled tranquility and luxury.Each apartment has its own independent entrance and a large private balcony with a view of the mountain and the sea.It is an ideal place for families with children as the spacious, comfortable apartments open onto the 900 sq.m. lush-green garden where children can enjoy their games undisturbed.

COUPLES BREAK

Reviewed By ann-mullingar

Hi all, we had an excellent 10 days in a one bed room suite. This is a family run business, they also own and run the beach bar across the road. Complementary beach beds and beach towels. All of the family members made us feel very welcome. Excellent hosts, very much a sense that we were staying in their own home with out being any way over bearing, ensured we were not in need of anything. The suites were perfect and it is a lovely quite location. The bar and beach less than 100m from the suites. The bar also serves food made fresh for you. Sitting on the bean bags with one of their excellently made cocktail drinks as the sun goes down over Plakais bay is some thing special. Recommended (thumbs up) :)

10. Villa Elite

Labraki Grigoriou, Koutouloufari, Hersonissos, Crete 70014 Greece
Excellent
71%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
4%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 112 reviews

Villa Elite

Adults only hotel. Offering an outdoor pool with a sun terrace, Villa Elite is located in the centre of Koutouloufari Village. It features accommodation with self-catering facilities. Free WiFi is available throughout. The property includes a garden with plants and flowers. Opening to a balcony, all units at Elite come with a seating area. Each has a kitchenette with dining table and mini oven with cooking hobs. Some offer mountain or Cretan Sea views. Drinks and refreshing beverages can be enjoyed at the on-site bar. Homemade snacks and light meals are served at the snack bar. Several restaurants and shops can be found within short walking distance. Limenas Chersonisou Town is about 1 km away, while Heraklion City is 27 km away. Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport is at a distance of 25 km.

A really lovely holiday BUT....

Reviewed By JanKir

My partner and I arrived late evening to a warm welcome from Vagelis the very charming and lovely barman who showed us to our apartment which was split level with the bedroom and shower room being downstairs. On reflection we thought that for our needs a single level apartment would be more suitable and asked if we could possibly change apartments. This was done within minutes and we were shown to a single level apartment with all the necessary requirements for our stay. A clean, comfortable bed, shower room and little kitchen/sitting area leading out onto a small patio area with table and chairs and clothes rack. The bedding and towels were changed and the apartment serviced frequently during our stay by the lovely, very hardworking Miranda. Joanna who works at the pool bar and the upstairs rooftop bar was also a pleasure to meet. She was so pleasant, articulate and kind not to mention hardworking, providing tasty, freshly cooked food from the menu if requested. The BUT in my review title and only downside to our holiday was the fact that the two idiots in room 105 were unable to conduct themselves with any thought for the other guests staying in the complex. They were loud, played loud music and got louder still once the alcohol and openly smoked marijuana kicked in! We were awakened early Sunday morning to loud banging and shouting, one of the idiots was locked out of their shared room and was trying to get in by taking a wooden chair to the door after seemingly knocking on other guests doors asking to be let in! The broken chair and scarred door were left for someone else to deal with while he decided to sleep it off on a sun lounger by the pool. This was unacceptable behaviour by any standard and senior management should have dealt with this pair to ensure that other paying guests were not further subjected to their loutish behaviour. Joanna was staying overnight that night and was also shaken by the experience and she certainly wasn’t expected to approach and try to deal with these two. However since they seemed to go from bad to worse it appears that they were given free rein to behave as they wished. So an otherwise lovely holiday tarnished by the behaviour of two grown men and a seeming lack of management intervention.

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