In a nutshell
- We show you the 12 best family hotels in Crete that truly won us over — the right value for money, great offerings for kids, and fantastic locations for a perfect Crete vacation with children.
- Our top pick for a small family hotel in Crete is the Stefan Village Hotel. For the best value, check out the Meropi Hotel — it has slides and seriously low prices.
- Want a family hotel in Crete with a water park? Go for the Stella Village Seaside Hotel. Prefer 5-star luxury? The Euphoria Resort is absolutely worth it.
Small Family Hotels in Crete
A vacation at a family hotel is always a great idea when you have kids! Personally, we love small family hotels in Crete. They have a more personal atmosphere and are usually more intimate, too. And even here you’ll find options with kids’ clubs and meal plans.
We’ve picked out three smaller properties that we consider among the best family hotels in Crete. One of them is even a small family hotel right by the sea.
Stefan Village Hotel
- Childcare: No dedicated kids’ club, but organized activities for children of all ages
- Travel time from the airport: 30 minutes from Chania, 2 hours from Heraklion
- Bed types for kids: Single beds or sofa beds
- Meal plan: Breakfast or all-inclusive
- Pool: 5 outdoor pools, children’s pool, and lifeguard on duty
The Stefan Village Hotel is a truly small and beautiful family hotel in Crete. Its 16 rooms and apartments in total are designed in a minimalist style and are incredibly family-friendly.
For us, it’s one of our 14 best hotels in Crete. Families with toddlers and elementary school-age kids will especially love it here. Two of the five gorgeous outdoor pools are designed specifically for little ones.
The absolute highlight is, of course, the three colorful water slides — super cool! We also really love the small children’s pool and the shaded playground. The only downside: there’s no kids’ club.
That said, this small family hotel is super close to the sea. Agia Marina beach in the northwest of the island is just a five-minute walk away. It’s one of the most beautiful beaches in Crete in our opinion — and Agia Marina itself is one of the most beautiful places in Crete for us.
Solimar Aquamarine Resort
- Childcare: Baby care, kids’ club for ages 5 and up
- Travel time from the airport: 40 minutes from Chania, 2 hours from Heraklion
- Bed types for kids: Single beds or sofa beds
- Meal plan: All-inclusive
- Pool: 1 main pool, 1 children’s pool, and private pools
You love the northwest of Crete, but a kids’ club in your small family hotel is non-negotiable? Then definitely check out the Solimar Aquamarine Resort.
With 105 rooms it’s a bit larger, but compared to most family-friendly hotels in Crete it’s still very small. A genuinely long sandy beach is just 500 meters away.
The beautiful and spacious suites are perfect for a vacation in Crete with kids. Some rooms even have real beds for the little ones and a private pool.
For the kids, there’s also a really lovely children’s pool with a small slide and cool water toys. The all-inclusive food at this place is genuinely great.
Book the Solimar Aquamarine Resort
Marinos Beach Hotel
- Childcare: Babysitter available for all ages upon request, no kids’ club
- Travel time from the airport: 1 hour from each airport
- Bed types for kids: Sofa beds
- Meal plan: Breakfast (optional with dinner), lunch à la carte
- Pool: 2 pools with a children’s area, but no lifeguard
Want a small family hotel by the sea in Crete for your vacation with kids? We’d point you straight to the Marinos Beach Hotel. It’s one of the most beautiful small beach hotels in Crete.
This property sits right on a beautiful, private sandy beach — perfect for building epic sandcastles. There’s also a small children’s pool on site.
The 48 rooms are well-suited for families, especially the large suites with comfortable sofa beds. The design is classic and modern.
We also really love the location near Adelianos, east of the port city of Rethymnon. For us, it’s one of the best places to stay in Crete.
Gratis-Guide: Die 122 coolsten Unterkünfte für Familien
Ob Bauernhof, Biohotel oder Luxusresort: Einfach eintragen und unseren kostenlosen Guide mit den 122 familienfreundlichsten Unterkünften bekommen. Bereist und kuratiert von uns und der Community.
Affordable Kids' Hotels in Crete
We know that a family vacation can get expensive fast. Good news: we’ve also rounded up some more affordable family hotels in Crete.
These kids’ hotels in Crete may not be in the most popular spots, but the value for money is seriously hard to beat. All of them have a kids’ club, and some even offer all-inclusive.
Meropi Hotel
- Childcare: Baby care, Mini Club for ages 2 to 5, Kids’ Club for ages 6 to 9
- Travel time from the airport: 30 minutes from Heraklion, 2.5 hours from Chania
- Bed types for kids: Sofa beds
- Meal plan: Breakfast (optional with dinner) or all-inclusive
- Pool: 1 main pool, 2 children’s pools
With 125 rooms, the Meropi Hotel is still one of the smaller family-friendly hotels in Crete. But what really stands out is the unbeatable price.
Even in summer, two adults with two kids pay under 150 euros here. The catch: the hotel is in Malia, which attracts a lot of young vacationers and the beach isn’t the prettiest. On the plus side, there’s Restaurant San Giorgio, one of our insider tips in Crete.
We especially love the family rooms — they’re super bright, modern, and very stylishly furnished. There are also large apartments with a kitchenette.
The little ones won’t get bored either. There are three really cool water slides and a lovely children’s pool with plenty of water toys.
Candia Park Village
- Childcare: Baby care, kids’ club for ages 4 to 12
- Travel time from the airport: 50 minutes from Heraklion, 3 hours from Chania
- Bed types for kids: Sofa beds
- Meal plan: Optional breakfast, kitchenette in every room
- Pool: 2 pools
Looking for a great kids’ hotel in Crete in the northeast? We recommend the Candia Park Village. The property is designed like an authentic Greek village — really beautiful.
The suites are cozy and styled in a charming country-house aesthetic. The beds and sofa beds are a bit on the firm side, so just be prepared for that.
There are no big slides, but there’s a fantastic animation team in the kids’ club. The program changes every day — from theater workshops to treasure hunts, arts and crafts, and beach parties.
Even though the east of Crete is a less typical choice for a family vacation, we think the area around Agios Nikolaos is really wonderful. From here you can also take some great day trips around Crete.
Village Heights Resort
- Childcare: Kids’ club for ages 3 to 12
- Travel time from the airport: 20 minutes from Heraklion, 2.5 hours from Chania
- Bed types for kids: Sofa beds or double bed
- Meal plan: Optional breakfast or all-inclusive
- Pool: 2 outdoor pools with children’s pool, one heated indoor pool
The Village Heights Resort isn’t a classic family hotel in Crete, but it’s a perfect pick if you want a kid-friendly hotel with a boutique feel.
The rooms and the entire property are designed with great attention to detail and everything feels very idyllic. Your kids can roam freely across the spacious grounds or join the kids’ club.
Together you can play volleyball or table tennis, paint rocks, and in the evenings there’s always music. The hotel isn’t right on the sea, but the location is still really great.
Just a few kilometers away are the Aqua Plus Water Park and the Labyrinth Park — two fantastic day-trip destinations for families in Crete. For a 5-star hotel, the price is really quite good. In the off-season, you pay under 150 euros with two kids.
Book the Village Heights Resort
Petra Mare
- Childcare: Baby care, kids’ club for ages 4–12
- Travel time from the airport: 1.5 hours from Heraklion, 3.5 hours from Chania
- Bed types for kids: Sofa beds
- Meal plan: All-inclusive
- Pool: 2 pools with children’s pool
Good family hotels in Crete are hard to come by in the south of the island — but the sea here is especially calm and kid-friendly. If you want to explore the south of Crete, we recommend the Petra Mare.
It’s one of the most affordable all-inclusive kids’ hotels on the island, and the food is genuinely varied and absolutely delicious. Excellent value for money.
Some rooms are a bit small, but they’re bright and very stylishly furnished. The real standout is the water landscape with a pirate ship and slides for toddlers.
If the little ones ever get restless, there’s a really cool animation program to keep them busy. We also love the direct beachfront location.
Family Hotels in Crete with a Water Park
A special treat for the kids in Crete is a hotel with slides — or even better — a family hotel in Crete with a full water park.
The two kids’ hotels we recommend here offer pretty much an all-around carefree package: all-inclusive, kids’ clubs, and of course tons of slides.
Stella Village Seaside Hotel
- Childcare: Baby care, kids’ club for ages 4 to 12
- Travel time from the airport: 20 minutes from Heraklion, 2.5 hours from Chania
- Bed types for kids: Single or double beds
- Meal plan: All-inclusive
- Pool: 3 pools, 2 children’s pools, and a water park
Your kids will have an absolute blast at a family hotel in Crete with a water park. One of the best picks is the Stella Village Seaside Hotel.
The aqua park here is truly incredible — numerous slides and cool water playgrounds, plus multiple pools. Get ready for some seriously action-packed days.
This kids’ hotel also has a private sandy beach with a gentle slope into the water. Perfect for a vacation with kids in Crete.
The rooms have a modern, minimalist design. In the off-season you can score a real bargain here — with two kids you’ll pay no more than 200 euros.
Note: The property consists of two hotels; the water park is on the side of the more expensive 5-star Stella Palace Aqua Park Resort. However, you’re free to use the water park at no extra charge.
Book the Stella Village Seaside Hotel
Grecotel Marine Palace & Aqua Park
- Childcare: Baby care, kids’ club for ages 4 to 12, teens’ club for ages 13 to 16
- Travel time from the airport: 1 hour from Heraklion, 1 hour 20 minutes from Chania
- Bed types for kids: Single beds or sofa beds
- Meal plan: All-inclusive
- Pool: 1 heated pool, 1 family pool, 1 children’s pool, several private pools
Looking for a family hotel in Crete with a water park in a truly great location? We recommend the Grecotel Marine Palace & Aqua Park.
The Grecotel is an incredibly popular hotel in Crete for families and is very kid-friendly. In addition to the aqua park, there are multiple pools, playgrounds, a baby area, and a great animation program.
The food in the all-inclusive package tastes really good too. Even though you probably won’t want to leave the property, the location east of Rethymnon is perfect for exploring some of Crete’s most beautiful sights.
You’ll stay in one of the stylish and bright family rooms or in one of the cozy bungalows. Some accommodations even feature separate rooms and private pools — really great.
Book the Grecotel Marine Palace
5-Star Luxury Family Hotels in Crete
No list of the best family hotels in Crete would be complete without the luxury options. When you vacation here with your kids, you won’t have to worry about a thing.
Our three recommendations are what we consider the best 5-star family hotels in Crete. While your kids are fully taken care of, you can sit back and completely relax.
Lyttos Beach
- Childcare: Baby care, kids’ club for ages 4 to 13
- Travel time from the airport: 25 minutes from Heraklion, 2.5 hours from Chania
- Bed types for kids: Single and double beds or sofa beds
- Meal plan: All-inclusive
- Pool: Several outdoor pools, children’s pool, and an indoor pool
An awesome water park combined with real luxury — that’s Lyttos Beach, one of the top family hotels in Crete. This hotel truly leaves nothing to be desired.
There are two areas with cool water slides — one for slightly older kids and one for toddlers. All around them are plenty of beautiful pools for relaxing.
Of course, it’s all-inclusive — with genuinely fresh and delicious food, a selection of vegan dishes, and fun kids’ mocktails.
The rooms are modern and minimalist in style. Often there are two rooms separated by a sliding door. One heads-up though: you’ll occasionally hear some aircraft noise.
Euphoria Resort
- Childcare: Baby care, kids’ club for ages 4 to 12, teens’ club for ages 13 and up
- Travel time from the airport: 45 minutes from Chania, 2 hours from Heraklion
- Bed types for kids: Sofa beds
- Meal plan: All-inclusive
- Pool: 2 outdoor pools, children’s pool in a small water park with a lifeguard
A seriously luxurious 5-star kids’ hotel in Crete is the Euphoria Resort, with a really great location in the northwest of the island, west of Chania.
Here you’ll enjoy a truly relaxed family vacation with a sliding door in your suite, a cool kids’ club, yoga and Pilates classes, and a varied evening program.
This is especially perfect for families with young children. You really don’t have to worry about a thing — you can even borrow a stroller for day trips.
The hotel sits right on the beach. The only downside: it’s a pebble beach. To make up for it, you can borrow SUP boards or kayaks free of charge.
Creta Maris Resort
- Childcare: Baby care, kids’ club for ages 4 to 12, teens’ club for ages 13 to 17 (July and August only)
- Travel time from the airport: 25 minutes from Heraklion, 2.5 hours from Chania
- Bed types for kids: Single beds or sofa beds
- Meal plan: All-inclusive
- Pool: 16 pools, including 6 for children, small water park
Vacationing in Crete with kids who are elementary school age or older? Then the Creta Maris Resort is worth a serious look if you want a luxury family hotel in Crete.
For kids, the Creta Maris is a true paradise. There are water slides, a game hall, a fantastic kids’ program, and exciting evening shows — including a Disney show.
We also really love the all-inclusive offering here. The evening food is absolutely delicious, and for a snack in between there’s gyros or freshly squeezed juices.
The rooms are bright and spacious but don’t have a particularly distinctive design. Everything else here is truly exceptional, though. Personally, we’d find this luxury family hotel in Crete a bit on the pricey side — but we think it’s worth it.
