Crete is big, and where you sleep shapes your whole trip. Most first-time visitors are best served by splitting their stay between the island’s two cities: Heraklion for the Minoan sites, the great museum and an easy hub for the centre and south, and Chania for the most beautiful old town on the island and the west. Here is how to choose, with five hotels we recommend.
Heraklion: the practical base
The capital is a working city rather than a postcard, but it is the right place to stay for Knossos, the Archaeological Museum, Phaistos and the food tours, and its airport and ferry port make arrivals easy. Stay in the historic centre between the old harbour, Lions Square and the museum, where everything is walkable and the evening streets are full of locals. Its city hotels mostly stay open all year, which matters in the off-season.
The splurge in Heraklion
GDM Megaron is the city’s top hotel, a five-star listed building from the 1920s facing the old harbour, with balconies on every room, a health club with a hammam and free on-site parking. Its rooftop pool and bar are open from May to October, so in winter the appeal is the comfort, the views and the service.
Mid-range by the harbour
Lato Boutique Hotel sits on the slope above the Venetian port with sea-view rooms facing Koules Fortress and a rooftop restaurant. It operates all year round and has family rooms and suites, which makes it our first choice for most travellers in Heraklion.
Budget near the museums
Kastro Hotel is a renovated three-star on a quiet street in the historic centre, five minutes from the Archaeological Museum, with balconies, triple rooms and a well-liked breakfast. It is simple, but it frees up money for tours and tavernas.
Chania: the beautiful base
Two and a half hours west, Chania is where most people fall for Crete. Stay in or right beside the old town so you can walk the Venetian harbour early in the morning and late at night, when the day visitors have gone. The lanes are pedestrian, so check how you will reach your hotel with luggage, and ask about parking if you are driving.
The romantic splurge in Chania
Casa Delfino is a seventeenth-century Venetian mansion in Topanas, a couple of minutes from the harbour, with a pebbled courtyard for breakfast, a rooftop terrace over the water and a small spa. It is our featured pick for couples and history lovers.
Good value on the water
Porto Veneziano stands on the waterfront at the quieter eastern end of the harbour, with sea and mountain views, breakfast on many rates and limited free parking. It is the easiest old-town base for drivers and families.
How to split your nights
For five nights, try two or three in Heraklion and two or three in Chania, flying in to one city and out of the other. If you can only choose one base, pick Heraklion for archaeology and Chania for atmosphere. Whatever the season, check that your hotel is open on your dates, because many beach resorts close from November to spring while city hotels carry on.