There is no doubt that Crete is one of the most beautiful islands in Greece (and in the world). There is so much history, an incredible landscape to explore, and some stunning beaches and great food. However, there are many Crete resorts to avoid as they do not offer the level of experience or service that a traveller would require nowadays or the area they are in is not good.
It’s either the location, the vibes, the services or even the facilities that make the following areas not ideal for many people and it’d be better if they will be avoided.
Get my secrets for Greece and Crete in your email !
Obviously, many people would think that there is no bad resort or area; there are just low prices. And this can actually be true because usually, you get what you pay for. But in many cases, there are some resorts that can definitely be avoided in Crete and I am explaining below why.
Keep reading…
READ ALSO:
Where to Stay in Crete
Best Villas in Crete
Best Hotels in Chania
Best Hotels in Rethymno
Best Chania Beaches
VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW:
- Best Hotel in Crete: Domes Noruz Chania Hotel
- Best Villa in Chania Crete: Winehill Villa
- Best Family Hotel in Crete: Creta Maris Beach Resort
- Where to Stay in Crete: Unless you are staying in an all-inclusive resort or at a unique villa, then you would definitely need a car on the island and more than 5 days in total. The best area to stay in Crete is the western part of the island or the “Chania prefecture”, as it has the most picturesque villages, the gorgeous Samaria Gorge, the beautiful beaches of Balos, Falassarna, Platanias, Elafonissi and obviously the most picturesque town of Crete which is Chania old town
- Where Are the Best Hotels in Crete: the best hotels in Crete are scattered everywhere on the island but mostly the Elounda beach area and the beachfront towns of Heraklion perfecture have the most impressive resorts.
- Crete Resorts to Avoid: I don’t want to name and shame hotels in this post but rather areas and towns.
RECOMMENDED WEBSITES FOR GREECE:
🛏️ Booking.com is the website with the most available rooms and Private Villas in Athens, Santorini , Mykonos & Crete (more than Airbnb!)
⛴️ Ferryhopper is the best website to book your ferry tickets or check the timetables for Santorini, Mykonos , Crete & all greek islands
🏺 Get Your Guide has the best and largest variety of Tours in Athens and the greek islands (Santorini, Mykonos, Crete etc)
🚙 Rentalcars is the easiest way to rent a car or a quad for Greece with thousands of available options
✈️ Booking.com Flights has all the available flights to and from the greek islands
🚕 Book Your Driver (Taxi) directly with booking.com’s large and safe platform of available certified drivers
So…without further ado, let’s see the Crete Resorts to Avoid:
1. Malia
Malia is a lovely resort town just outside of Heraklion that used to be a small fishing village with a nice sandy beach. Back in the early 90’s some UK tour operators started advertising Malia as the new hot spot for teenagers. They started offering very cheap holiday packages with the promise of unlimited booze, incredible nightlife and sunny weather. I am not going to lie to you: if I was a middle or lower-class 18 year old girl from Norwich, then that would be the perfect holiday. But let’s be honest: this kind of tourism has ruined not only the local economy of Malia but also…the stomachs of all those kids who have visited Malia for the last 3 decades. So, yes, Malia is a Crete resort to avoid if possible.
2. Hersonissos
Hersonissos is a resort town that you should really avoid. It is a very popular town with a lovely beach but again it’s full of teenagers (from the UK mainly) looking to get cheap drinks and get wasted. If that’s your thing, then go for it…! But I would rather consider Hersonaissos another Crete resort to avoid as there are also lots of nasty hotels in the area.
Where to Stay in Crete (read my detailed guide)
CONCLUSION
I believe that there is no Crete resort to avoid but it’s just some areas that are not for everyone. Crete is a lovely greek island but modern tourism has recently destroyed many areas providing cheap drinking with dodgy accommodation
We as a couple wish to visit Crete next year but don’t want a long coach journey to resort from airport could you recommend a nice resort not to quiet but nothing like Malia