With hundreds of choices as to where to stay on Crete, one of the best ways to choose is to read and compare reviews before booking. Given the swath of worldwide hotels reviewed by TripAdvisor, we thought we’d save readers and potential travelers a bit of time sorting things out for themselves. So, here’s the roundup of the top ten hotels by TA rating on incredible Crete. Our only criteria for including hotels for this roundup is a minimum of 200 reviews, but we also left off mega-resorts and added a great honorable mention in La Maison Ottomane. All the hotels have the highest TA rating of 5-stars.
Porto Veneziano Hotel – On the Harbor in Chania
Porto Veneziano Hotel
The Porto Veneziano Hotel sits in an exclusive spot along the waterfront of the Old Venetian Harbor of Chania. If your idea of ideal is being in the most picturesque and buzzing spot in Crete’s most photographed town, then this hotel is an ideal place of stay. Forgetting the view for a moment, Porto Veneziano guests are smack dab in the middle of Old Town Chania just a stroll away from all the best restaurants, shops, and touristic attractions.
The 51 rooms & 6 suites of the hotel were just refurbished back in 2013. The hotel has a wonderful restaurant, private garden, and a chic bar. All your anticipated amenities are in place, of course. So, free a “Greek Breakfast” buffet, WiFi, and the legendary Cretan hospitality round out the offer. Porto Veneziano Hotel currently has 1,356 stellar reviews.
Casa Delfino Hotel & Spa – Harbor District, Chania
The views from Casa Delfino Hotel & Spa are one differentiator for this accommodation
The former mansion of the Delfino family, Casa Delfino Hotel & Spa is located in what US News & World Reports called a “magical” location by the town’s harbor and old Venetian fortifications. Rated one of the best hotels in all Europe by the magazine, Delfino is an experience in tradition and diversity. No two rooms in the mansion are the same, but the amenities offered are what you would expect from any fine hotel accommodation. And the view of the Venetian harbor from the top of the hotel is incomparable.
Flat-screen TVs with DVD players, marble bathrooms, and minibars, as well as services like free parking and in-room Wi-Fi, go hand in hand with the hotels marvelous indoor and outdoor spaces. There are private hammams in some suites, and the views from the hotel’s top deck are dreamy for sure. A free breakfast buffet is served daily in the courtyard. The hotel currently has 895 reviews.
Ammos Hotel: Agii Apostoli, Chania Prefecture
Ammos Hotel, outside Chania
Situated about 15 minutes west of Chania, the family owned Ammos Hotel is a stylish affair on the beach. Owned by the Tsepetis family since the 70’s, the hotel looks out over a marvelous sandy bay suited to families with young kids. The new design of the area favorite hotel is pure Scandinavian, loaded with chic artwork and ambient furnishings.
This is an unpretentious mini-resort where the family orientation is the big value. The staff of this hotel have been around for many years, and even some of the guests are regulars. Smart design, great location, and all the usual hospitality suspects make the hotel a value. The beach in this area is great too, the lounge, terraces, and pool only serve to add more plusses. Ammos Hotel currently has 685 excellent reviews on TA.
Casa Vitae Hotel – Old Town, Rethymno
The magnificent Casa Vitae in the heart of Rethymno
Situated in a renovated Venetian house, Casa Vitae Hotel was originally built in the 16th century. Once the residence of a local nobleman, the hotel is a classical refuge from the contemporary. Guest here are just a few steps from all Rethymno’s treasures; the museums, the Venetian fortress, the Venetian harbor, the shops, the restaurants, the cafes, and all other entertainment venues.
Casa Vitae Hotel is one of the very few detached buildings in the old town with a Venetian courtyard for the guests to relax in. Guests can enjoy their breakfast or drinks in the beautiful courtyard, and the eight fully renovated luxurious suites maintain the historical Venetian style. All the usual modern amenities apply, but the charm of this place is clearly the bygone era it represents. Casa Vitae Hotel currently has 617 reviews.
Renieris Hotel – Outside Chania at Stalos
Renieris Hotel a few kilometers west of Chania
This wonderful family run hotel overlooks Stalos Bay, affording guests a panoramic view of the Cretan Sea and of the island of St. Theodore. Opened in 2005, the hotel’s best value is the up-close and personable hospitality, followed by the blue flag beach just 200 meters away. A crystal swimming pool, sun loungers, big umbrellas, and manicured gardens add immeasurably as well.
A tranquil place, there’s plenty of exciting things to do including; water sports, kitesurfing, snorkeling and diving. 25 classy rooms all have balconies and the pool snack bar restaurant is set up to provide a varied gastronomy and drinks. An eco-friendly hotel only minutes away from the center of picturesque Chania, Reneiris is also around the corner from countless supermarkets, cafes and restaurants. Free WiFi and the other amenities you’d expect go without saying. Renieris Hotel currently has 602 reviews on TripAdvisor.
Samaria Hotel – Chania Commercial Center
Executive Suite balcony, Samaria Hotel
This four-and-a-half star hotel can only be described by telling new guests of the pure aesthetics the owners have infused into the accomodation. Just recently renovated, the design of Samaria flawless. Situated on 1866 Square in the heart of Chania, the hotel offers an advantageous location right in the town’s commercial center, and a short distance from Old Town and the Venetian Harbour. This is upscale Cretan hospitality sure to provide a memorable stay.
Features include; a pool, fitness area, fabulous gastronomy at the brand new restaurant next to the pool, and minimalist but luxurious rooms and suites. To get an idea of Samaria’s offer, the executive suites have a private balcony (above), a separate sitting area, a large smart HD TV, two desks, two telephone lines with conference option, and a marvelous marble bathroom with a marble bathtub, rain shower with chromotherapy function and music. Samaria Hotel currently has 582 reviews on TripAdvisor.
Avli Lounge Apartments – Old Town, Rethymno
The stylish Avli Lounge Apartments in the heart of Rethymno, Crete
Just a few steps away from the picturesque Fortezza Castle in the center of Rethymno’s pedestrian-only zone, the Avli Lounge Apartments put the guest in the heart of everything beautiful in one of Crete’s most interesting seaside towns. Nearby you’ll find Rimondi Fountain, Neratze Mosque and Minaret and Venetian Loggia. Each apartment/guestroom of the hotel comes with a comfy pillowtop bed comes and down comforters, Egyptian cotton sheets, both wired and wireless Internet access, a flat-screen TV, and designer baths.
Other features include a rooftop terrace and garden, 2 restaurants, 2 coffee shops. and 3 bar/lounges. There’s also a business center, express check-in, and roundtrip airport shuttle is available for a surcharge. The beautiful Avli Lounge Apartments currently has 573 reviews.
Eleonas Country Village – Zaros, Crete
Eleonas Country Village
An agro-tourism settlement perched in the mountains of southern Crete, Eleonas resort consists of 20 rustic cottages, a tranquil pool, and a great traditional taverna. For those unaware, “eleonas” means “olive grove” in Greek. So the resort’s location in the middle of a fruit and olive estate absolutely makes sense. This part of Crete can be particularly dramatic as the backdrop of pristine Mt. Psiloritis, and legendary mountains where mighty Zeus grew up provide the perfect ambiance for such a resort.
The rustic/contemporary stone cottages, the lovely pool and taverna provide the core value of the stay, but the traditional cuisine, the Crete village character and hospitality, these elements the typical Crete visitor will remember for a lifetime. Eleonas is also a working farm where fruits and vegetables, olive oil, and goats and chickens are raised in a natural environment. This is a superb escape into what it really means to be Cretan, a fantastic place for families to share the legendary lifestyle of this magnificent island. Guests can also expect four-star modern amenities here. Eleonas Country Village currently has 532 reviews on TA.
Elounda Heights – Overlooking Mirabello Bay
Elounda Heights, overlooking Mirabello Bay
This delightful family studio complex is situated perched on a hill overlooking beautiful Mirabello Bay and the Venetian castle on Spinalonga Island. Just a short stroll from the village of Elounda, the property is surrounded by beautiful gardens and complemented by Greek statues as this is the theme of the complex. Elounda Heights has also been listed as one of the top hotels in the area for over a decade.
The value of this apartment hotel stay lies in the economy and simplicity of the operation. The friendly family-run Hotel offers minimal amenities like the crystal small swimming Pool and a nice Restaurant presenting local cuisine. No doubt the rare reviews on TA here represent voted for the typical unpretentious lifestyle combined with fantastic views. Elounda Heights currently has 519 reviews on TA.
La Maison Ottomane – Historic District, Chania
La Maison Ottomane
La Maison Ottomane is a luxurious boutique hotel with an informal attitude. Inspired by the opulent Ottoman period of Crete, the classy hotel features choice antiques and accouterments of the period. Carpets to porcelain, scents from Marrakech, silks and sweet delicacies from Istanbul, this is truly one of Crete’s most fascinating accommodations. The hotel is a period masterpiece.
Guests can expect all usual luxury suspects, high-speed wifi, complimentary use of tablet computers, wireless printing and even private parking, a Chania rarity worth its weight in gold. Guests of the hotel also get breakfast, refreshments, fine wines and spirits served in the hotel’s private garden. La Maison Ottomane currently has 287 TripAdvisor reviews.