Dreaming of an infinity pool? Wondering which is the best spa hotel in Crete to give your body all the rest it needs? To live in luxury for a few days? Top-of-the-range bedding so you can sleep like you haven’t slept in a long time? Here’s our TOP 13 CRETE LUXURY HOTELS (note that the 12th is the most beautiful…)!
1. Hotel in Heraklion: we tested the GDM Megaron
Heraklion, the capital of Crete and the city where you’re sure to land, boasts a hotel with a building that’s both robust and magnificent. It’s the GDM Megaron Hotellocated right in the center of town, just a few meters from the city’s historic harbor walls. A 5-star hotel, rated 9.4/10 by visitors, that we have tested!
On-site, you’ll find very comfortable rooms and bedding, a view of the sea and harbor, an EXCELLENT breakfast, a simple gym (tried and tested) and incredible massages for €60/hour.
2. Hotel Balos Beach, Kissamos: seaside hotel
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Balos is certainly an exceptional place to see in Crete, but it is impossible to stay and sleep in this wild place. You’ll have to exile yourself to Kissamos and why not to the the Balos Beach hotel in Kissamosto admire the sea from the pool! Not forgetting, of course, the tasty cuisine and ESPECIALLY the Spa, perfect for relaxing after a long day of hiking on Balos Beach!
Fantastic standards for a 3-star hotel, less than 30 minutes by car and 7km from the pink lagoon of Balos Beach.
3. Hotel Chania: 5-star hotel in Crete by the sea
A hotel built in an old Venetian house. A luxury and a licked design. Comfort at all times. Incomparable views of Chania. A top-class Spa. Book now your stay at this hotel in Chania, at the Casa Delfino Hotel & Spadefinitely one of the most beautiful hotels in Crete!
A 5-star hotel, luxurious and exceptionally decorated, offering nights from €200, including breakfast for a couple.
4. Hotel Hersonissos: we tested the Nema Design Hotel & Spa
In the town of Analipsi, just a few minutes from vibrant Hersonissos, lies a jewel box of modernity, design and clean lines, called the NEMA Design Hotel & Spa. A 5-star, Adults Only hotel (it’s important to note) offering rooms that are both simple and very luxurious, all (or almost all) with their own private Jacuzzi or swimming pool.
Restaurants, gym, spa and staff are perfect, all on a private beach. A wonderful stay for which we give a 10/10 rating.
5. Hotel Hersonissos: we tested the Lyttos Beach!
Lyttos Beach is one of Crete’s largest hotels. A real city within a city, perfect for families on vacation in Greece.
Lovers will also be tempted by the club’s many pools, including an Olympic-size one, the large water park, the many sporting activities, restaurants and private beach… INCREDIBLE: book your stay at Lyttos Beach!
6. Hotel Rethymnon: among the most beautiful hotels in Crete
For those of you who’d like to stay in northern Crete, between Heraklion and Chania, here’s a luxury establishment that would be delighted to welcome you (in couples!). Book your room at the Pepi Boutique Hotel in Rethymnon for an upscale stay for lovers!
A luxury hotel highly rated by tourists, offering nights from 140€, including breakfast.
7. Hotel Hersonissos: your luxury hotel in Crete with private pool
Hersonissos is one of the most lively and charming resorts in Crete. In this marvellous setting, an establishment overlooks the city from its heights to offer visitors a breathtaking view. Book your room at this hotel in Hersonissos, at Creta Blue Boutique Hotel !
A luxury hotel Crete private pool, 4 stars and 900m from the beach, for rooms from 100€/night, in Hersonissos.
8. Hotel Malia: luxury hotel with sea view in Crete
Vacation clubs, apartments for rent, luxury villas, hotels of all kinds… Malia, a seaside resort in the north of Crete, a few kilometers from Hersonissos and Elounda, offers many types of accommodations. But Crete Autrement offers you this incredible luxury hotel in Crete!
Book your stay at this hotel in Malia, the Spa Ikaros Beach, Luxury & Resort on Malia’s beachfront, with your feet in the sand!
Ikaros Beach is one of the most popular luxury hotels in Crete for its private beach, its facilities and its standing. From 1700€ for two and for a week.
9. Hotel Matala: your beachfront hotel
Now we’re heading for one of Crete’s legendary beaches: Matala. A place out of time and this, for 2 reasons:
- Its beach and its troglodytic caves dug in the cliffs overhanging the bay.
- The very strong hippie heritage of the place, where Janis Joplin or Bob Dylan had their quarters!
Would you like to find a hotel in Matala so that you too can be in this timeless place? Crete Autrement warmly recommends that you a stay at this hotel in Matala, the Matala Caves Seafront Apartment and its breathtaking view of the beach!
An incredible apartment, on the beachfront, for 1000€ a week for 2 people.
10. Hotel Elounda: a breathtaking 5-star hotel in Crete
Elounda is best known as the (very beautiful) Cretan coastal village looking the mythical island of Spinalonga in the eye. A few hundred meters from the island of Lepers, Elounda has the advantage of being a vacation spot offering primarily luxury hotels and resorts. Among the most beautiful of the island of Greece. So don’t hesitate a single second before booking booking your stay at this hotel in Elounda, at the Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection !
A luxury hotel, but above all, a 5 star hotel in Crete and Elounda, from 2400€ per week.
11. Hotel Agios Nikolaos : your luxury hotel in Crete with private beach
Agios Nikolaos, in the east of Crete, is a town known as one of the “jet set” spots of the island of the Gods. Often referred to as the “St Tropez of Greece”, the resort is a year-round delight for tourists, partygoers and vacationers looking for beautiful hotels. If this is your case, book your hotel in Agios Nikolaos, the Daios Cove Luxury Resort & Villas !
A particularly luxurious and extraordinary hotel in Agios Nikolaos, Crete. Couples can book a room on site from 3000€ per week.
12. Hotel in Kato Gouves: feet in the water!
An exceptional establishment in Gouves. A true luxury hotel in Crete, the Sensus Experience by Lavrus in Gouves is not only a pleasure in comfort and well-being, but also a feast for the eyes! Book your stay at the Sensus Experience for an unforgettable vacation in Crete.
Its very modern configuration and its rooms with feet in the water make it a must on the Greek island!
13. Stella Island Resort: Crete’s most beautiful hotel?
You may have already seen it on your Instagram feed, it’s undeniably one of the most beautiful hotels in the world, Europe, Greece and Crete: the Stella Island Luxury Resort & Spa ! Head for Hersonissos, just a few kilometers from Heraklion and its airport, to experience a true 5-star dream: bungalows with their feet in the water, pools that are veritable lagoons, palm trees, beach, hammocks above the water, wooden rooms… And that’s just a small part of what you’ll get on site!
If you’re looking to do things in a big way on this vacation in Crete, then Stella Island is probably the place to be!
Where to sleep in Crete?
Where to sleep in Crete ? The Greek island, nicknamed “Island of the Gods” or formerly called “Island of Candia” is definitely one of the most tourist destinations in Europe. Not that we walk on it, but above all because the island of Greece knows how to welcome its vacationers. Summer or winter!
This is evidenced by the incredible know-how of the Cretans to offer incredible hotels, Airbnb, guest houses and other inns. Find a luxury hotel in Crete or a typical Cretan accommodation in one of the many mountain villages of the island, as well as a hotel with a private beach by the sea.
Crete Autrement presents here the most beautiful luxury hotels in Crete. Starting with a tourist stay in an establishment in Heraklion, the capital. The city offers many establishments to visitors, but do not hesitate to explore the hotels in the surrounding cities, such as Hersonissos, Rethymnon or Malia.
On the west coast, it is very easy to find your hotel in Crete with sea view! Direction to the most beautiful landscapes of the island, near Balos, Gramvousa, Chania (Chania), Elafonisi and other Kissamos.
Finally, if you are looking for a place to stay in Crete and on the east coast, nothing could be easier either, with luxury hotels in extraordinary cities, such as: Agios Nikolaos, Elounda, Sitia or Ierapetra!
Room with private pool, hotel with Spa, 5 star hotel, hotel with private beach Give free rein to your desires when looking for a hotel in Crete: the island has so many different things and stays to offer you!
Hotel in Crete : what are the best places to sleep in Crete ?
The town of Chania (also known as Chania in Greece) is one of the most beautiful and picturesque villages on the island. You will find :
- luxury hotel,
- 5 star hotel,
- 4 star hotel,
- luxury villas
- and other more modest accommodations.
Chania is a small town of character, ideal for discovering the west of the island (Balos Beach, Elafonisi, the Samaria Gorge…)
Many other Cretan cities are nevertheless and obviously worth a visit:
- Rethymnon is an ideal base camp for exploring the city and discovering the Arkadi Monastery, 4 km away, or hiking in the Amari Valley in the Agios Antonios Gorge en route to enchanting villages such as Patsos.
- Malia is a very pleasant seaside resort where you can stay with your family and spend your vacations.
- Heraklion, the capital of Crete, will amaze you with its nice hotels!
- Agios Nikolaos, the Cretan St. Tropez, is the promise of partying, good food, sunbathing and accommodation in beautiful establishments.
- Sitia
- Matala
- Hersonissos
- Agia Pelagia
Finally, sleeping in Elounda is one of the best accommodation ideas in Crete. Elounda is a small coastal town in the north of Crete and a tourist place full of rich and luxurious accommodations. In a beautiful setting: turquoise sea and mountainous landscapes, Elounda offers many rental options.
Frequently asked questions about hotels in Crete
Crete’s best hotel is the 5-star Stella Island Luxury Resort & Spa in Hersonissos, which boasts not only the most beautiful aesthetics of any resort on the island, but also breathtaking accommodation, with private pools throughout. It truly feels like an oasis.
Crete combines heavenly beaches, authentic villages, major ancient sites, mountainous landscapes and renowned gastronomy. The island is welcoming, safe and equally suited to travelers seeking relaxation, culture and nature.
Crete offers a wide variety of accommodation: charming hotels, family-run establishments, classic resorts, boutique hotels, apartments, private villas and top-of-the-range hotels offering premium services such as spas, gourmet restaurants or private beaches.
A luxury hotel in Crete is distinguished by a high level of comfort, superior service, meticulous attention to detail and top-of-the-range facilities: spacious suites or villas, often private swimming pools, a full spa, fine dining, personalized concierge service and direct access to the sea or a private beach.
The best months are May, June and September: an ideal climate, pleasant seas and a reasonable number of visitors mean that you can enjoy quality establishments at lower prices than during the July-August high season.
It’s important to check the exact location, what’s included in the price (breakfast, taxes, services), cancellation policy, any extra charges and recent traveler reviews to make sure the establishment meets expectations.
Luxury hotels are ideal for couples, thanks to their romantic services and comfortable suites. Many upscale hotels are also family-friendly, offering kids’ clubs, family rooms and adapted activities. Solo travelers will find excellent service and a safe environment.
