The 11 Best Family Resorts in Crete
A villa with its own pool above Mirabello Bay, a beach resort with a crèche from four months or a resort on the edge of Chania: among the family hotels in Crete, our travel advisors personally find the house that suits your family – and check in advance from what age the kids club will look after your children. Through suitespot you also get breakfast for two, a room upgrade subject to availability, hotel credit and VIP service – services worth more than €500.
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Family resorts in Crete at a glance
Planning a family vacation in Crete? Here you can see all eleven houses with a kids club at a glance, with location, suitespot Score and nightly rate. Our tip: St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete for kids aged four to eleven, Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort for babies, and Domes Zeen Chania Crete for short transfers in the west.
| Hotel | Location | suitespot score | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elounda Beach Hotel Crete | Elounda | ★ 4.7/5 | 233 € |
| Elounda Mare Hotel | Community of Elounta | ★ 4.4/5 | 248 € |
| Elounda Gulf Villas Crete | Elounda | ★ 4.2/5 | 230 € |
| Elounda Bay Palace Crete | Crete | ★ 4.1/5 | 173 € |
| St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete | Agios Nikolaos | ★ 4.7/5 | 338 € |
| Phāea Cretan Malia | Community of Malia | ★ 4.2/5 | 187 € |
| Domes of Elounda Crete | Elounda | ★ 4.7/5 | 297 € |
| Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort | Community of Elounta | ★ 4.4/5 | 484 € |
| Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort | Community of Elounta | ★ 4.1/5 | 210 € |
| The Royal Senses Resort Crete | Panormos | ★ 4.2/5 | 265 € |
Family hotels in Crete: your guide to luxury with childcare
St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete · Agios NikolaosWhich house suits you depends mostly on your children’s ages. With kids between four and eleven, we recommend St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete near Agios Nikolaos: its kids club is designed for exactly that age group, and a babysitter can be booked for the evening. If you want space and a pool of your own, stay at Domes of Elounda Crete, with an eco kids club and five outdoor pools. Elounda Beach Hotel Crete in Elounda has villas whose terraces lead straight into the sea. And with a baby, we recommend Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort: its crèche takes children from four months.No booking fee: through suitespot, the same rate costs exactly what it costs direct with the hotel – and the benefits come on top.
Where to stay: family resorts in Crete by region
If you are traveling to Crete with kids, choose the area first: most houses stand on Mirabello Bay in the north-east, a few on the north coast and in the west.
Elounda Beach Hotel Crete · EloundaElounda: On the Elounda waterfront, about nine kilometers from Agios Nikolaos, two sister resorts sit side by side. We recommend Elounda Beach Hotel Crete to families who want to stay right on the water; Elounda Bay Palace Crete has two private sandy beaches and a diving center. On the hillside above Driros beach, facing Spinalonga island, you will find Domes of Elounda Crete.
Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort · Community of ElountaSchisma Elountas: This is home to the three resorts of the Elounda Collection. Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort stands on a small peninsula with a sandy beach, Elounda Mare Hotel in fragrant gardens above its own bay. Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort has its own 9-hole golf course, and boats link the three houses.
Agios Nikolaos and the hills above Elounda: St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete sits on a secluded peninsula about a mile from the center of Agios Nikolaos. Elounda Gulf Villas Crete stands on the hillside above Elounda with views of Spinalonga; a shuttle takes you to its beach club in around 15 minutes.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
No booking fee: you pay the same price for your rate as for the same rate booked direct with the hotel – suitespot adds no mark-up, and the benefits come on top.
North coast and west: Phāea Cretan Malia is right on the beach in Malia, a ten-minute drive from the Minoan palace. The Royal Senses Resort Crete crowns a hilltop above Panormos, 18 kilometers from Rethymno. And Domes Zeen Chania Crete is on the western edge of Chania, about 50 meters from the beach and within walking distance of the Old Town.
Family resorts on other Greek islands are featured in our guide to family hotels in Greece. For an overview of every house on the island, see our guide to luxury hotels in Crete.
Our travel advisors’ insider tip
With small children, every minute of transfer counts. Domes Zeen Chania Crete is only 23 kilometers from Chania airport. From Heraklion airport to Elounda, by contrast, the drive takes about an hour; Elounda Gulf Villas Crete is 65 kilometers away and can arrange a helicopter transfer on request. The Royal Senses Resort Crete is 58 kilometers from Heraklion, also about an hour. For a short trip, Chania is the easy choice; for a full week, the longer drive to Mirabello Bay pays off.
Kids clubs and babysitting: childcare at the family hotels in Crete
For families with a baby, we recommend the Elounda Collection. At Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort, the crèche looks after children from four months to four years, the junior club takes five- to twelve-year-olds, and teens have their own program; a babysitter can be booked for the evening. The same age groups apply at Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort, home of the Kids’ Ark with its water slides. Guests of Elounda Mare Hotel use it too.
Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort · Community of ElountaIf you are traveling with a toddler, Phāea Cretan Malia is a good fit: in the Tiny Explorers’ Club, children up to three play together with their parents from 10 am to 5 pm. The Little Explorers Kids’ Club looks after three- to twelve-year-olds from 10 am to 6 pm, and teens meet at The Place. Elounda Gulf Villas Crete splits its club into two groups, for ages one to three and four to eleven. Both houses offer babysitting.
At St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete, the club is designed for children aged four to eleven, and babysitting is available here too. Domes Zeen Chania Crete runs a Montessori kids club, Domes of Elounda Crete an eco kids club.
For your family vacation in Crete, a quick check before booking is worthwhile: for the other houses, our travel advisors confirm with the hotel from what age your child can join the club and when it is open. Keep the season in mind as well: most resorts open in spring and close at the end of October; Elounda Mare Hotel, for example, is closed from October 27, 2026 to May 5, 2027.
Pools, suites and villas: room for the whole family at the family resorts in Crete
For water-loving families, we recommend The Royal Senses Resort Crete: six outdoor pools plus an aqua park with slides, one freshwater pool for small children and a seawater pool for teens. A 100-meter cable railway links the levels of the hillside resort. At Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort, kids have their own 80 m² pool with a beach-style entry; the seafront pool measures 420 m² and can be heated to 27 °C.
The Royal Senses Resort Crete · PanormosAt Phāea Cretan Malia, the sandy beach slopes gently, ideal for small children. There is also a heated main pool, a calm river pool with bungalows right on the water and a paddling pool. At St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete, a seawater paddling pool sits next to the large outdoor pool.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
Villas with their own pool offer more privacy. At Elounda Gulf Villas Crete, each of the 18 villas has a private infinity pool with Jacuzzi above the Gulf of Mirabello. At Domes of Elounda Crete, most suites, residences and villas have a private pool or Jacuzzi. And at Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort, families stay in suites and villas with heated seawater pools; by the beach there is a heated 80 m² children’s pool.
Quiet zones for parents
Not every area is open to kids. At The Royal Senses Resort Crete, a relax pool is reserved for guests aged 16 and over, and at Domes of Elounda Crete the Chora wing, opened in 2025 with 17 suites and its own pool, is for adults only. As a family, book the suites in the main resort there. At Domes Zeen Chania Crete, the two outdoor pools have separate areas for adults and families.
Dining with kids: restaurants at the family hotels in Crete
Families eat easily at Domes of Elounda Crete: Antonino’s by the pool serves handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza, and in the evening the CORE food plaza has deli stalls and food trucks. At Phāea Cretan Malia, lunch is beach food at The Beach Shack; in the evening Mouries cooks Cretan dishes curated by Athinagoras Kostakos, with produce from the resort’s organic kitchen garden.
Domes of Elounda Crete · EloundaFor hearty Greek food, head to Elounda Beach Hotel Crete: at the Kafenion on the resort’s village square you eat from noon to 11 pm under olive and carob trees. At St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete, Giorgos Zaranis grills the catch of the day from the bay at the Greek Kafenion near the beach, with live music.
No booking fee: you pay the same price for your rate as for the same rate booked direct with the hotel – suitespot adds no mark-up, and the benefits come on top.
For an evening for two: at Elounda Mare Hotel, Stavros Kokkinakis cooks at the Old Mill around an ancient millstone, awarded the Toque d’Or. At Domes of Elounda Crete, chef patron Petros Dimas serves a tasting menu at Makris with Greek and Cretan wines. The menu at Cretamos at The Royal Senses Resort Crete is by Pavlos Kyriakis; book ahead here.
Would you rather have a pool all to yourselves in Greece? Our guide to luxury hotels with private pools in Greece features villas and suites where the pool is yours alone. Looking for another destination for a family vacation? Our guides to family resorts in Mallorca and family resorts in Portugal compare kids clubs and age rules.
One resort, several menus
If you stay a week, you don’t have to eat at the same restaurant every night. Guests of Elounda Bay Palace Crete can also book Dionysos, Argonaut and Blue Lagoon at sister resort Elounda Beach through the concierge. And at Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort, boats take you to the restaurants of the other two Elounda Collection resorts.
What a family hotel in Crete costs: rates and suitespot benefits
In this selection, a luxury family hotel in Crete starts at 173 € a night at Elounda Bay Palace Crete and goes up to 484 € at Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort. Next to rates and benefits, the table shows which ages each kids club is designed for. You will find all houses with live availability in the hotel list below.
| Hotel | Rate from | Kids club | suitespot benefits (selection) | suitespot score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elounda Bay Palace Crete | 173 € | Kids club | Dinner for two, upgrade on arrival (subject to availability) | ★ 4.1/5 |
| Phāea Cretan Malia | 187 € | 0–3 (with parents), 3–12, teens | 100 EUR spa credit or welcome basket with Cretan wine (suites) | ★ 4.2/5 |
| Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort | 210 € | 4 months to 12 years | 100 EUR food & beverage credit (from five nights), welcome gift | ★ 4.1/5 |
| Elounda Gulf Villas Crete | 229 € | 1–3 and 4–11 years | 100 USD hotel credit, upgrade on arrival (not from suite to villa, subject to availability) | ★ 4.2/5 |
| Elounda Beach Hotel Crete | 233 € | Kids club | 100 USD spa credit, welcome gift | ★ 4.7/5 |
| Elounda Mare Hotel | 248 € | 4 months to 12 years (Kids’ Ark at sister resort) | 100 EUR food & beverage credit (from five nights), welcome gift | ★ 4.4/5 |
| The Royal Senses Resort Crete | 265 € | Kids club | 100 USD hotel credit, upgrade on arrival (subject to availability) | ★ 4.2/5 |
| Domes of Elounda Crete | 297 € | Eco kids club | 100 USD credit for food & beverage or the spa, welcome gift | ★ 4.7/5 |
| Domes Zeen Chania Crete | 316 € | Montessori kids club | 100 USD hotel credit, welcome gift | ★ 4.4/5 |
| St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete | 338 € | 4–11 years | 50 USD hotel credit, upgrade on arrival (subject to availability) | ★ 4.7/5 |
| Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort | 484 € | 4 months to 12 years, teens | 100 EUR food & beverage credit (from five nights), welcome gift | ★ 4.4/5 |
On top with suitespot: at ten of the eleven houses, daily breakfast for two is included; at The Royal Senses Resort Crete this does not apply to every rate. Everywhere you also get an upgrade on arrival, plus early check-in and late check-out, all subject to availability. At Elounda Bay Palace Crete, dinner for two is included as well. Only St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete has a minimum stay of two nights.
Personal luxury travel adviceOur travel advisors personally accompany your booking – 365 days a year, from the first offer to late check-out. Reach the suitespot VIP service via email or WhatsApp.Phone: +49 30 81452346 · hotel@suitespot.comCredits and extras: five houses add a credit of 100 US dollars; at Elounda Beach Hotel Crete it is for the spa. At the three Elounda Collection resorts, stays of five nights or more come with 100 euros for food and beverages. At Elounda Gulf Villas Crete, from the One Bedroom Junior Pool Suite and two nights, a further 100 US dollars for food and beverages is added, not combinable with promotions.
Elounda Bay Palace Crete · CretePoints and status: Marriott Bonvoy applies at Domes of Elounda Crete, Domes Zeen Chania Crete and Phāea Cretan Malia. Add Hilton Honors at The Royal Senses and the Leaders Club at Elounda Beach Hotel and Elounda Bay Palace.
The hotels in Crete at a glance
What sets the hotels in Crete apart – from their opening year to the spa:
| Hotel | Opened | Renovated | Pool | Spa | Kids club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elounda Beach Hotel Crete | 1971 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Elounda Mare Hotel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Elounda Gulf Villas Crete | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Elounda Bay Palace Crete | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Phāea Cretan Malia | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Domes of Elounda Crete | 2025 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort | 2025 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort | 2026 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| The Royal Senses Resort Crete | 2020 | 2021 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Domes Zeen Chania Crete | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Earn points & use your status in Crete
Six of the eleven houses belong to a loyalty program: Marriott Bonvoy at Domes of Elounda Crete, Domes Zeen Chania Crete and Phāea Cretan Malia, Hilton Honors at The Royal Senses Resort Crete and the Leaders Club at Elounda Beach Hotel Crete and Elounda Bay Palace Crete. You earn points and status benefits as usual, and the suitespot benefits come on top.
| Program | Hotels | Examples in Crete |
|---|---|---|
| Marriott Bonvoy | 3 hotels | Phāea Cretan Malia, Domes of Elounda Crete, Domes Zeen Chania Crete |
| Leaders Club | 2 hotels | Elounda Beach Hotel Crete, Elounda Bay Palace Crete |
| Hilton Honors | 1 hotel | The Royal Senses Resort Crete |
More luxury destinations in Greece
Explore all luxury hotels in Greece or browse nearby destinations:
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FAQ: family holidays in Crete
How much does a family hotel in Crete cost?
In this selection, rates start at 173 € a night at Elounda Bay Palace Crete and go up to 484 € at Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort. Booking through suitespot, daily breakfast for two is included at ten of the eleven houses, plus an upgrade on arrival subject to availability. Only St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete has a two-night minimum stay.
From what age do the kids clubs at the family hotels in Crete take children?
At Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort and Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort, the crèche takes children from four months and the junior club looks after five- to twelve-year-olds. At Phāea Cretan Malia, children up to three play together with their parents, and the kids’ club is for ages three to twelve. At St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete, the club is designed for ages four to eleven. For the other houses, our travel advisors confirm the ages before you book.
Which family resorts in Crete offer babysitting?
Babysitting is available at St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete, Elounda Gulf Villas Crete, Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort and Phāea Cretan Malia. That leaves room for an evening for two, for example at one of the hotel’s restaurants. For the other houses, our travel advisors are happy to ask.
Which house suits a vacation with a baby or toddler?
Our pick is Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort: the crèche looks after children from four months, a babysitter can be booked for the evening, and there is a heated children’s pool by the beach. At Phāea Cretan Malia, little ones up to three play together with their parents, and the sandy beach slopes gently. Elounda Gulf Villas Crete has its own group for children aged one to three.
Which family hotels in Crete have water slides or a kids' pool?
At The Royal Senses Resort Crete there is an aqua park with slides, separate for small children and teens. Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort has an 80 m² kids’ pool with a beach-style entry and the Kids’ Ark pool with two water slides. At St Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel Crete, a seawater paddling pool sits next to the large outdoor pool.
Can I earn points at the family hotels in Crete?
Yes, at six of the eleven houses. Marriott Bonvoy applies at Domes of Elounda Crete, Domes Zeen Chania Crete and Phāea Cretan Malia, Hilton Honors at The Royal Senses Resort Crete and the Leaders Club at Elounda Beach Hotel Crete and Elounda Bay Palace. You earn points and status benefits as usual, and the suitespot benefits come on top.
Which family hotel in Crete is closest to an airport?
The quickest to reach is Domes Zeen Chania Crete: Chania airport is 23 kilometers away, and you can walk to the Old Town. From Heraklion airport to Elounda the drive takes about an hour, as it does to The Royal Senses Resort Crete near Panormos.
Are there family resorts in Crete with a villa and private pool?
Yes. At Elounda Gulf Villas Crete, each of the 18 villas has a private infinity pool with Jacuzzi. At Domes of Elounda Crete, most suites, residences and villas have a private pool or Jacuzzi; at Elounda Peninsula Luxury Resort they are heated seawater pools.
Are the family hotels in Crete open in winter?
Most houses open only from spring to around the end of October. Domes of Elounda Crete welcomes guests from late March to early November, Elounda Gulf Villas Crete closes from November to March, and Elounda Mare Hotel is closed from October 27, 2026 to May 5, 2027. For fall break trips, our travel advisors check which houses are still open.
