Crete is one of our favourite Greek islands for a family holiday. Crete family holidays combine beautiful sandy beaches with warm, shallow seas, fantastic food, welcoming locals and an incredible choice of family-friendly hotels. Whether you’re travelling with a toddler who’ll happily spend all day in a splash park, energetic primary school children looking for water slides or teenagers who want plenty of activities, there’s a Crete family resort here to suit every family. And we have found the very best family resorts in Crete for you.
What we particularly love about Crete for families is the variety. You can choose a lively Crete all-inclusive resort packed with entertainment, a peaceful village-style hotel where little ones can safely explore, or a luxury beachfront property where everyone gets a chance to properly relax. Family holidays in Crete can be tailored to your every requirement.
We’ve stayed at some of the Crete family hotels featured below ourselves, while others have earned their place thanks to consistently excellent reviews from travelling families and outstanding facilities for children. Whenever we recommend somewhere, we always ask ourselves the same question:
Would we happily book this with our own children?
If the answer isn’t yes, it doesn’t make our list.
Table of Contents
Why trust Family Hotel Expert?
✔ Family travel specialists for over a decade
✔ Personally stayed at selected hotels featured below
✔ Updated for 2026
✔ Chosen with families in mind – not just couples or luxury travellers
Whether you’re looking for an all-inclusive holiday with a waterpark, somewhere perfect for toddlers or a luxury family escape, these are the Crete resorts for families we’d recommend.
👩💻 About the author – Nichola is a family travel expert and has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, LonelyPlanet Magazine, Wanderlust and Family Hotel Expert amongst many others. She’s spent over a decade travelling the world with her children and is passionate about discovering brilliant places to stay that work for both grown-ups and kids. Her hotel and holiday reviews are based on real experiences and thorough research, with a focus on making family holidays smooth, comfortable and full of adventure.
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At a glance: the best family resorts in Crete
| Hotel | Best for | Waterpark | All Inclusive | Family Hotel Expert says… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gouves Waterpark Holiday Resort | Younger children | ✅ | ✅ | Excellent value with brilliant slides. |
| Elounda Residence Hotel & Waterpark | Mixed ages | ✅ | ✅ | Fantastic choice for active families. |
| Arminda Hotel & Spa | Under 10s | ✅ | ✅ | Compact, friendly and easy with little ones. |
| Creta Maris Resort | Luxury family holidays | ✅ | ✅ | One of the best all-round resorts on the island. |
| Village Heights Resort | Self-catering families | ❌ | Optional | One of our favourite places we’ve stayed in Crete. |
| Paradise Island Villas | Space and privacy | Private pools | Self-catering | Perfect if you love villa holidays with hotel facilities. |
| Candia Park Village | Beach holidays | ❌ | Half board available | Beautiful setting with a lovely village feel. |
| Domes of Elounda | Luxury | Splash area | Half board available | Exceptional if you’re celebrating something special. |
Read more: The best Greece family holidays
Our favourite family resorts in Crete
Gouves Waterpark Holiday Resort
Best for: Families with children under 10 looking for great value all-inclusive fun.
If your dream family holiday involves spending most of the day in swimming pools while the children race from one water slide to another, Gouves Waterpark Holiday Resort is one of the best-value resorts in Crete for families.
Located close to the beach in the relaxed resort of Gouves, this Crete hotel has become a firm favourite with British families thanks to its combination of affordable all-inclusive holidays and impressive facilities for children. The waterpark is the obvious highlight, but there are also several swimming pools, splash areas for younger children and plenty of daytime entertainment to keep everyone occupied.
Parents will appreciate that everything is within easy walking distance, making it much easier to supervise younger children without constantly trekking across a huge resort. The beach is only a short stroll away, while the lively resort of Hersonissos is close enough if you fancy an evening out or a change of scenery.
The all-inclusive package offers good value, particularly if you’re travelling during the school holidays when eating out as a family can quickly become expensive. Rooms are spacious enough for families and the children’s club provides organised activities for younger guests, giving parents the opportunity to relax for a while.
Our top tip – If you’re travelling with younger children, request a room away from the main entertainment area. You’ll still be close to all the facilities but evenings tend to be much quieter, making bedtime a little easier after busy days in the pools.
Why families love it
- Fantastic on-site waterpark
- Great value all-inclusive option
- Several pools for different ages
- Easy walk to the beach
- Spacious family rooms
Read more: The best holidays with teenagers
Elounda Residence Hotel & Waterpark
Best for: Families wanting lots of activities without paying luxury prices.
If you’re looking for a hotel that offers plenty to keep every member of the family entertained, Elounda Residence Hotel & Waterpark is a brilliant choice.
One of the things we like most about this resort is that it caters well for children of different ages. Younger children have their own splash areas and shallow pools, while older kids will make a beeline for the larger slides. There are also dedicated kids’ clubs with age-appropriate activities, so everyone gets to join in without feeling they’re doing the same thing all day.
Outside the pools, families can enjoy mini golf, tennis, outdoor play areas and sports activities, meaning there’s always something happening even if the weather is too warm to spend the entire day by the pool.
The setting above the beautiful resort of Elounda also gives the hotel a slightly more peaceful atmosphere than some of the larger all-inclusive complexes elsewhere on the island. It’s a lovely base if you want the option of exploring traditional villages, taking a boat trip to Spinalonga Island or simply enjoying some of the prettiest coastline in Crete.
The all-inclusive package represents excellent value and makes budgeting much easier, especially if you’re travelling with older children or teenagers who always seem to be hungry.
Our top tip
Hire a car for a day if your budget allows. The surrounding area is one of the prettiest parts of Crete, and it’s well worth exploring nearby Agios Nikolaos and the beautiful Mirabello Bay while you’re there.
Why families love it
- Waterpark with slides for different ages
- Kids’ clubs covering a wide age range
- Beautiful location near Elounda
- Excellent value all-inclusive holidays
- Plenty of activities beyond the swimming pools
Elounda Residence Hotel and Waterpark
Elounda Residence Hotel and Waterpark is a fantastic eco-friendly hotel which all the family will love. Kids of all ages will adore the swimming pools and waterslides and for younger children there’s a brilliant splash park. This is a really great value holiday which is all inclusive. There are two kids clubs for different ages, the older of which goes up to 18 years old so is fantastic for teenagers. With an outdoor play area, tennis, yoga and mini-golf amongst many other activities there’s so much here for all the family to enjoy.
Arminda Hotel & Spa
This is a fantastic all inclusive holiday in Crete for families. There are two children’s swimming pools and a fun aquapark. There is a kid’s club (from ages 4-12) and a fun splash park. Hersonissos is close by which is full of activities, shops and a great beach. This is a really friendly resort and perfect for families looking for a break away in the sun.
Creta Maris Beach Resort
The Creta Maris Beach Resort is in a beautiful location, set on a quiet beach in Hersonissos. The complex has a traditional Greek feel with white washed buildings in a village set up. There’s plenty going on here with lots of outdoor pools including a brilliant water park. There’s an outdoor cinema and a kid’s club for ages 4-11 and another club for 12-15 year olds making it great for teens. There’s also a baby room for babies up to age 5 with lots of toys. You can stay here on an all inclusive basis making it perfect for those looking for a luxury family holiday to Crete.
Read more: The best toddler holidays
The best resorts in Crete for families – when you’re booking your own flights
Village Heights Resort
✅ – Family Hotel Expert stayed and loved
If you’re looking for a fantastic family resort in Crete then Village Heights Resort is for you. This wonderful hotel is located just outside of Heronissos and has its own beach area too. With tennis, mini golf, basketball, two outdoor swimming pools and one indoor pool on offer this is a great place to stay with kids in Crete. The apartments and villas have everything you need to go self catering but there are also two restaurants on site. The grounds here are beautiful and perfect for walking through. They have a great kid’s club, a small playground and staff that will make you feel like family.
Read more: Our review of a stay at Village Heights Golf Resort
Paradise Island Villas Crete
✅ – Family Hotel Expert stayed and loved
Paradise Island Villas are the best of both worlds, combining all the facilities and benefits of both a hotel and a villa. Set near to the town of Agkisaras, just outside of Hersonissos and 20 miles from Heraklion, they are an oasis of calm and tranquillity. The villas come in various sizes with enough space for all the family. Each villa has its own pool and all the space and facilities to have an entirely self catering stay. There is also a main resort building, a restaurant, bar, two wonderful swimming pools and a tennis courts in the grounds which the 12 villas share. Set in grounds filled with olive trees and colourful flowers you will be greeted here as family and will want to return year after year. A wonderful family hotel in Crete.
Read our full Paradise Island Villas Crete review here
Candia Park village
Situated in the fabulous Agios Nikolaos, Candia Park Village is a gorgeous collection of family accommodation which looks like you’ve sumbled upon an old Cretan village. Here there’s a kids club for ages 4-12 and the hotel has its own private beach. This is a very eco-friendly hotel on Crete and as such they organise specific environmental activities for all the family to take part in. With family suites that can accommodate up to six and as the resort has multiple swimming pools, basketball and tennis on offer alongside windsurfing, scuba diving and sailing there’s enough to keep every member of the family happy. One of the best family hotels Crete has.
Miramare Resort & Spa
This resort in Agios Nikolaos is well priced for all it offers and great for families. There’s a hotel, bungalows and villas available to rent depending on the type of accommodation that will suit your family. There’s some wonderful pools, a tennis court, games room and a kids club. There are a number of different restaurant options including a great buffet restaurant that might suit younger families. One of those family resorts Crete does so well.
Domes of Elounda
This is a fabulous family friendly resort in the absolutely beautiful town of Elounda and perfect for family holidays in Crete. There are family suites available, some with their own private pools as well as individual properties (up to four bedrooms) in the grounds for even more seclusion. They have a kids club and eco-friendly activities – choose from cookery classes, family yoga, cinema nights and much more. The restaurants have amazing menus especially designed for children and all this is the most breathtaking setting. One of the best luxury family hotels Crete has.
Theartemis Palace Hotel
Located in pretty Rethymno the Theartemis Palace Hotel is a great all inclusive resort for families in Crete. With family rooms that are interconnecting this is a great way to stay. Close to the sandy beach and to the beautiful old town of Rethymno there is also a great pool with a children’s section within it. One of the great family friendly hotels Crete has on offer.
Kokalas Resort Georgioupoli
Situated in the village of Georgioupolis in northern Crete this resort is budget in price but full of great facilities. A collection of 20 apartments and studios Kokalas is just 150 metres from a stunning beach. There are family rooms available and an onsite restaurant, perfect for visiting with kids. There’s a great swimming pool and a toddler pool for younger children. One of the great family hotels in Crete.
Minoa Palace Resort and Spa
This is a wonderful resort in the picturesque town of Chania and right on the beach. There’s plenty here to keep families occupied from tennis to cooking lessons. This is a really upmarket resort with specific family accommodation. With a kids club and an outdoor playground as well as a separate kids pool this is a luxury resort all the family will love. Certainly one of the best luxury family hotels in Crete.
Primavera Beach Studios & Apartments
Situated in lively Malia this is budget family accommodation that packs a massive punch and is very highly rated by families. They have 27 studios and apartments which feature kitchenettes and an outdoor pool to enjoy on downtime. It’s a two minute walk to the beach and all the fun of Malia. This is a busy resort town so that’s worth bearing in mind as it’s not the most tranquil place on the island but if you’re looking for an active, fun holiday at unbelievably good prices then Primavera Beach Studios and Apartments will be for you.
Frequently asked questions about travelling to Crete with kids
Is Crete child friendly?
Crete is perfect for a child friendly break away – there are beautiful beaches, a calm sea and so many great resorts to stay in, as our list above shows. The Greeks are naturally very welcoming of families and kids of all ages.
Which part of Crete is best for families?
Chania and Rethymno are beautiful towns full of things to do. The east of the island includes lively Hersonissos and many other more upmarket areas (like gorgeous Elounda). Our list of reviews gives a great selection across the island.
Is Crete a good family holiday?
Crete is perfect for a family holiday, there are lovely areas to stay in, great activities for all ages and a welcoming local population. If you’re looking for a relaxing holiday with kids then Crete more than delivers as all the resorts mentioned here has hopefully shown.
Is Crete the best Greek island for a family holiday?
Crete is a wonderful island for a family holiday. Packed full of great resorts, activities and culture. See our feature on the best Greek island for families.
Your resorts in Crete for families & holiday checklist
- ✈️ Find great flights to Greece with Opodo
- 🏥 Get the travel insurance we use at CoverForYou
- 🅿️ Book your airport parking at a fantastic rate here with Holiday Extras
- 💳 Get a Currensea Card to easily pay for purchases when you’re in Greece
- ℹ️ Why not hire a guide or book local excursions through the brilliant Get Your Guide.
- 📚 Get planning your trip with the Lonely Planet guide to Greece.
- 🍝 Foods to try in Greece – loukoumades – delicious honey drenched doughnuts and spanikopita (spinach and cheese pie).
- 🌍 Useful phrases – γεια (Ya) for hello, ευχαριστώ (Efharistó) for thank you.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our round up of the best resorts in Crete for families. Do let us know if you have any questions or if you book a stay at any of these hotels and how it goes. Why not check out our guide to the best Rhodes family holidays or the best family holidays in Cyprus for more from Greece. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to to be the first to hear about great offers and deals.