Staying on Crete
Crete has the right accommodation for every budget — from 15€ dorms in Heraklion to 500€ suites in Elounda. The best accommodation strategy depends on what you want to see. Here is an overview by region and budget.
Budget (under 60€/night)€
Hostels
Intra Muros Hostel · Heraklion Old Town
Crete's best hostel: clean, sociable, central. Dorm from 16€, private room from 40€. Rooftop terrace with a view of the Koules Fortress. Good communal kitchen.
Cocoon City Hostel · Chania, Splantzia
Stylish hostel in the most beautiful district. Dorm from 18€, double room from 45€. Bar and communal area in the courtyard. Perfect location.
Apartments & Studios
The best budget option on Crete are self-catering apartments. On Booking.com and Airbnb, you can find studios with kitchens in almost every village. Shop at the market, Cretan olive oil, tomatoes, bread, and feta — a wonderful breakfast for 3€ instead of 15€ in a hotel.
Typical prices: Studio in Rethymno from 35€/night, 2-room apartment in Plakias from 45€/night, holiday apartment in a mountain village from 30€/night.
Camping
Camping Mithimna (Rethymno) and Camping Paleochora (southwest Crete) are the two best campsites. From 10€ for tent + person. Wild camping (outside the sites) is officially prohibited, but tolerated on remote beaches of the south coast.
Mid-range (60–150€/night)€€
Boutique Hotels in the Old Towns
The old towns of Chania and Rethymno are full of charming boutique hotels in restored Venetian houses. The value for money is excellent: double room with character and breakfast from 70–100€.
Casa Delfino · Chania — Venetian palazzo, double room from 90€ (see Chania chapter)
Avli Lounge Apartments · Rethymno, Radamanthyos 22
Beautiful suites in a Venetian townhouse with a courtyard restaurant (one of the best in Rethymno). Suite from 100€.
Apartments with Sea View
Along the north coast, you will find hundreds of apartments and small hotels with sea views. Particularly good areas: Almyrida (near Chania, quiet seaside resort), Panormo (near Rethymno, authentic fishing village), Malia Old Town (near Heraklion, not the party strip).
Agrotourism
In the hinterland, more and more agrotourism accommodations are emerging: restored stone houses in mountain villages, sometimes with a pool, olive groves, and farm animals. Beautiful and quiet. Car rental needed. From 60–80€/night. Search on Booking for "farmstay Crete" or "agrotourism".
Luxury (150€+/night)€€€
★★★ Elounda — Crete's Luxury Hotspot
The small bay of Elounda (10 km north of Agios Nikolaos) is the epicenter of luxury tourism on Crete — and one of the most exclusive destinations in the entire Mediterranean. Some of Europe's most expensive and best hotels are hidden here in a spectacular coastal landscape overlooking the island of Spinalonga.
Blue Palace Elounda · Plaka, Elounda
Expansive luxury resort on a private peninsula. Infinity pool with Spinalonga view, private beach, spa, 5 restaurants. Rooms with private pool from 250€/night. Suite from 500€. Breathtaking location.
250–800€/night · ★★★
Elounda Beach Hotel · Elounda
The original: since 1973 the flagship of Elounda hotels. Own golf course, marina, 4 restaurants, enormous spa area. Private bungalow with pool from 400€/night.
300–1,000€/night · ★★★
Domes of Elounda · Elounda
Modern design hotel, Autograph Collection (Marriott). Minimalist-luxurious suites, all with sea view, many with private pool. Excellent restaurant. Family-friendly with kids club. Suite from 200€/night.
200–600€/night · ★★
Chania & Rethymno Luxury
Ambassadors Residence · Chania — Right by the harbor, suite from 180€ (see Chania chapter)
Rimondi Boutique Hotel · Rethymno, Xanthoudidou 21
Exquisite Venetian palazzo with plunge pool in the courtyard. Only 20 rooms, each unique. Double room from 150€.
South Coast Retreats
For total peace and seclusion: small hotels and villas on the south coast (Paleochora, Loutro, Plakias). Not luxury in the star-rated sense, but luxury in terms of tranquility, nature, and authenticity.