Accommodation in Crete

The cost of accommodation in Crete is generally lower than in northern European countries but Crete and Greece have moved away from the era of cheap and very basic 'Rent rooms'. The Euro and high taxation also pushed prices up substantially.

It is quite easy to find accommodation on the spot if you are flexible with your needs, except in the summer months (especially the first half of August) where you will encounter difficulties in some places. At that time it is best to reserve in advance if you can. Reserving in advance will also avoid having to search around for an appropriate place immediately after arriving.somewhere.

Most of the accommodation on Crete consists of hotels of every conceivable size. On the North coast they tend to be larger but in the less developed resorts as well as in the interior they are often very small (a few rooms) family businesses and often quite simple and quirky though they will almost always have attached bathrooms and AC.

You can also find more and more studios and apartments with cooking facilities. Great if you stay a little longer, have children or don't want to have to eat in restaurants all the time.

Nowdays there is quite a wide choice of holiday houses and villas for rent from simple bungalows to large luxury villas. Covid-19 seems to have created an increased demand for them because people want to have more socially distanced family holidays.

All-inclusive hotels are becoming very prominent in the larger tourist resorts.

Airbnb has also grown substantially and in some parts of Crete (for example Chania) it has become quite problematic as it affects the long term rental market and displaces locals.

 

For those who are planning longer stays


It used to be quite easy to rent a house or a flat in Crete but Airbnb has badly affected the long term rental market in some areas so you might struggle to find something at a 'normal' price. The best place to look is in the classified ads of the local papers (for Chania area Xaniotika Nea) but they will be in Greek. Some estate agents will also have a rental section on their websites but apart from charging you a fee they often offer rentals that are overpriced.

Crete photo of the day
Crete Photo of the Day