The best family hotels in Greece
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The best family hotels in Europe come with a slightly longer list of requirements than your usual beloved bolthole. Easy to get to, relaxed atmosphere, early dining options, activities on offer, adjoining rooms, and a kid's club are the bare minimum. The list of appealing family perks at these Greek island hotels cover these and then some, from sprawling villa stays that come with hotel services to family cookery classes, tennis academies, and front row seats to some of the best beaches in the Med. For the perfect half-term hideouts, look no further than our pick of the best family hotels in Greece below.
How we choose the best family hotels in Greece
Every hotel on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has stayed at that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider both luxury properties and boutique and lesser-known boltholes that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We’re always looking for beautiful design, a great location and warm service – as well as serious sustainability credentials. We update this list regularly as new hotels open and existing ones evolve. Find out more about our editorial standards and how we review hotels.
Bill & Coo Suites and Lounge, Mykonos
A whole world away from the Mykonos we love (and perhaps want to leave to one side when we have the brood in tow). This is a hotspot to flop, surrounded by creeping bougainvillaea, sky-blue shutters and whiffs of sun-baked rosemary. It’s the inside track for those in the know, and while it might not be an all-singing, all-dancing family resort, Bill & Coo Suites and Lounge will happily scoop little ones up and show them a glorious, easy time. Yes, it’s still Mykonos, so it’s sexy, chic and only a 15-minute stroll from the chaos of Old Town, yet also incredibly laid-back – there is nothing ostentatious about this spot. Rooms are all minimalist and beautiful with varying shades of creamy butter, muted greys and marble and many come with their own pools, but you’ll want one of the slick new family-friendly villas that can be booked individually as a one-bed or as a trio to make a sprawling three-bedroomed residence. All rooms overlook the twinkling Aegean, possibly the most mesmerising views in the whole of the watery world. Spend an entire morning on your terrace, just watching the too-ing and froing of the zig-zagging boats and whooshing windsurfers while the kids splash around and play Uno on the enormous daybeds. The breakfasts – giant, flaky, freshly-baked croissants, creamy Greek yoghurt and platters of sun-ripened fruit, truffle omelettes and smiley-faced pancakes – are a highlight, as is the new fine-dining hotspot YĒVO (fear not, they’ll whip them up mocktails and hearty bowls of pasta). When beachtime thrills beckon, sister hotel Bill & Coo Coast Suites is a quick eight-minute drive away – they’ll sort the transfers – where a private beach and razor-sharp table service await. This is a real lazy-day place to unfurl, switch off and be spoilt. Annabelle Spranklen
INSIDER TIP: Don’t, whatever happens, miss a skin-brightening facial at the Valmont Spa – a cocoon-like escape nestled in the rocks beneath the bar, with its two huge treatment rooms with private hot tubs and steam rooms.
Cretan Malia Park, Crete
The low-rise buildings nestled within tropical gardens of banana trees, palms and cacti set the laidback tone for this bohemian hotel in Crete. The modernist spaces were cleverly designed more than three decades ago – despite having 204 rooms the property never feels overcrowded. Nature envelops it all: the many trees provide shade throughout the grounds and the grassy lawn makes everything smell cool and fresh even in the searing summer heat. Inside, knocked-back tonal textures sit alongside ceramics, wood and stone, nature-inspired jungle green and Aegean blue. Family rooms are well equipped to cater to the whole crew – little ones will love the novelty of having their own kids’ bedroom (with bunk beds and sofa bed) and bathroom – and come with views of either the garden, pool or the sea.
Parents are free to kick back and sunbathe on the private beach while youngsters come out of the kids’ club giggling before splashing into the river-like swimming pool. Teens hang out at The Place, with its hammock-strung outdoor cinema where parents are kindly invited not to come. At Mouries restaurant, the large open kitchen with a huge fireplace hosts cooking lessons using vegetables from the garden during the day and becomes a farm-to-table taverna after sunset.
INSIDER TIP If they're available, book into a deluxe family bungalow, ideal for their built-in bunks and separate bedrooms for the grown-ups.
Georg Roske Creative lead & concept by Lambs & Lions Berlin (https://lambsandlions.com)Domes Zeen Chania, Crete
A new breed of family-friendly hotels in Greece is being born. Spaces where the design is as exciting as the children’s activities; where parents can pretend – if they ignore their offspring instigating a water fight in the sleek, black-tiled pool – they’re still the kind of people who hang out at beach clubs. Domes Zeen, which originally opened as Casa Cook Chania a few summers ago, is one such spot. Concrete villas spill down the hillside from a modernist reception that wouldn’t look out of place in Palm Springs, the work of those in-demand Athenian architects K-Studio (of hit Mykonos beach bar Scorpios). At its foot, life centres around the pool: families camped out on one side, nearest to the kids’ club; couples opposite dozing under thatched parasols, the pebbly beach just beyond. The fashionable crowd is instantly recognisable: toddlers in Liewood leopard-print swimsuits and mothers with Isabel Marant beach bags stuffed with toys; Dutch parents in power linen who crack open the rosé as soon as nap time rolls around; bleary-eyed Berliners on baby’s first holiday ordering purées with their poolside poké bowls. There are rooms with a window seat that cleverly turns into a third bed, and multi-roomed villas, all with private or shared pools. Interiors include muted textiles and rattan touches that are both covetable and child-proof in one.
The club is just as considered, and has an environmentally conscious, Montessori-led, creativity-inspiring ethos. This translates as sessions crafting tic-tac-toe sets from painted rocks and castles out of cardboard; decorating photo frames with shells; cookie baking and yoga. Families reconvene for outings into Chania with mapped-out recommendations such as coffee roastery Kross and restaurant/shop Ginger Concept, or a boat trip to Loutro, a tiny, whitewashed village on a turquoise bay further south. Back at the hotel, the all-day Beach House turns out healthy food with Cretan flavours, from breakfasts of DIY grain bowls and local cheeses and pastries to hearty, slow-cooked pork belly and homemade kalitsounia pie for supper. New this year is the smaller, splashier Estia restaurant and an Elemis-backed spa. Greece has long nailed family holidays, and this stay marks the next generation.
INSIDER TIP Rooms – except for the top villa – don’t have baths, so request a baby one (and other kit to save on packing space) before you arrive.
The Peligoni Club, Zakynthos
Zakynthos, Greece
You’d have heard the whispers from well-heeled SW families, the fact that a holiday with children can actually be fun and relaxing at The Peligoni Club. It’s because this place has everything you’d ever want for a multi-generational family trip - sprawling, souped-up villas where everyone can have their own rooms, with space to waft and throng around the pool, no set times for breakfast and dinner (you’ll want Villa Kyanos, a five-bedroomed linen-draped, driftwood-bedecked vision of muted, soothing tones with a view so mesmerising, it feels as if it floats above the water). Then there’s the actual club, wrapped in cypress and ancient olives with a laidback, easy-come-easy-go vibe that will see you and your gang realising this is the best break you’ve had in a long time, the little ones doing Nasa obstacle courses at the crèche and teens busily competing on the water and flirting on the pontoon, while you flop on a supersized sunlounger, toes tickling the turquoise Ionian as you peer over your paperback with a glass of the crispest Rosé de Léoube. It’s all so deliciously chilled, with sun-kissed staff catering to your every whim - but do head out to explore the famous shipwreck and eat in local tavernas such as La Storia in the port overlooking the sea, and the club’s sister restaurant, Mikro Nisi, a 15-minute salty-sea-in-the-hair boat ride away, which serves some of the freshest grilled octopus and prawns you’ll ever eat. Annabelle Spranklen
Price: Membership from £185 per person in low season to £525 in high season. Accommodation rates vary, from £620 per week (Mimi’s B&B) to £14,500 per week at villa Figari.
Harlen Bodhi WhiteAndronis Arcadia, Santorini
Much of the whitewashed hotels on Santorini are confined to honeymoon-worthy adult-only stays, which is why Andronis Arcadia – one of five Andronis properties on the island – is a real find for families. There's no scrimping regarding swoon-worthy good looks – suites here retain the island's authenticity, with bright-white-meets-earthy-neutral interiors composed as if they've been carved out of the rock itself. With only suites and villas, there's room for the whole crew – the largest villa sleeps up to 12. All open out onto private infinity pools. There are three more sweeping pools on the property (including one for kids) to choose from, each cascading down the caldera and offering a unique perspective. Activities for tinies are in keeping with the hotel's nature-loving ethos – yoga, family cooking classes and a kid's club with a considered focus on holistic learning. Dining options include the Pacman Sunset Restaurant, where the sushi menu is a standout, and the Beef Bar, which, as the name suggests, specialises in carnivorous street food, plus a decent selection of vegetarian options. The staff here are what really brings the magic to life, though. Ever accommodating, especially to our son, knowledgeable and passionate about making your stay peaceful and personal. Tanya Fernandes
St Nicolas Bay, Crete
In the unspoilt eastern side of the island – between the town of Agios Nikolaos and the fishing village of Elounda, where local fishing boats pootle about the marina – life at St Nicolas Bay Resort feels simple. Hidden far from the madding crowds, there are twinkly sea views in every direction, teamed with a comforting, relaxed vibe that will see you and your brood scooped up, set down and looked after. Families can’t get enough of the chic new Olives & Sea suites, with separate bedrooms for the sprogs, private terraces and a pool so you can do laps and drink rosé, gazing across the spectacular Mirabello Bay, while they nap peacefully inside. The hotel is scattered across six acres, with a rustic, authentically Grecian style; all-white stone walls fringed by blossoming pink oleanders and olive trees, with its own sandy beach and oodles of tucked-away spots; under the fragrant bougainvillaea or beside the ancient church, ideal for diving, nose-deep into a book. There’s a brilliant kids’ club run by the kind-hearted Roula, a baby and Olympic-sized infinity pool and no shortage of tempting food – from the Greek Kafeneion where a bouzouki band serenades as you tuck into wood-fired souvlaki, to the fine-dining Minotaur and its famed sushi. However, this place is all about the people. There’s Eleni, who remembers every child by name with a high-five, Nikos who happily picks up a tantrum-ing toddler for a whirl around in his hotel buggy, and manager Alex who treats every family coming here like his own. So very different from the run-of-the-mill resorts that Greece has become synonymous with, you’ll feel clever for finding this spot. Annabelle Spranklen
Nick Kontostavlakis/Globe & TrotterThe Royal Senses Resort & Spa, Crete
If there’s one thing my two-year-old remembers about our stay at this Curio collection property, it’s what he refers to as the ‘baby train’ – a sleek funicular that rides up and down the steep hillside location of this new Crete hotel. Indeed, this little ride alone is a fun way to start each day and makes parents’ lives much more manageable when trying to herd tiny legs from one place to another. Older kids won’t need much coaxing – the waterpark is impressive, with a host of slides and pools designed for little and big kids, plus a bar and sun loungers so parents can oversee the action with a beverage. There are more loungers lining the palm tree-flanked pool area and a heated paddle pool that toddlers can easily wander around in. Young guests can be dropped off at the shiny new kid’s club while parents head to the adult-only pool and spa – the largest in Crete. Even the shyest little ones will be keen to explore the large astroturf outdoor play area, plus there are rooms hosting arts and crafts, books and toys.
All rooms at the hotel have private seating areas that overlook the sea. For the best set up, book into one of the family suites with two sofa beds in the separate living room and a grass terrace. Private pools are also an option, with the two-storey grand villas offering families even more space, plus incredible sea views. Note that if you’re travelling with toddlers, none of the rooms have baths.
INSIDER TIP: Don’t miss supper at the a la carte Mitato, where at the centre of the olive branch-adorned restaurant is lamb cooking Antikristo style – a traditional Cretan technique of slow cooking around a fire. Meat lovers will naturally love the menu (the pork is another stand-out), while a dedicated vegan and kid’s menu will keep the whole crew happy. Lauren Burvill
Philip Lee Harvey for Sani ResortPorto Sani, Halkidiki
I noticed it on day one: strangely mellow parents in pleasant trances. I arrived frazzled with my partner and two-year-old daughter, Romy, after a packed four-hour flight, but quickly began to understand. Every detail here has been designed to take the heat off baby and toddler parents. If the village-like tendrils of Sani Resort’s five hotels on Greece’s northwestern Aegean coast are the members of a family, then Porto Sani – renovated last year, sleek yet child-friendly – is the immaculate aunt who slips sweets from her Chanel bag. All the Sani resorts welcome children, but this one is well equipped with a splash pool, kids’ club and friendly staff who’ll play peekaboo with the baby. Each spacious room has its own sunbeds, so we lounged while my daughter napped. The dine-around programme meant that she feasted on nutritionist Annabel Karmel’s guilt-free kids’ menu (the beetroot brownies were a hit) before being tucked up with a babysitter while we enjoyed a Peruvian feast and a Pisco Sour at new restaurant Lima. The hotel provides buckets and spades on the beach and a white-noise machine in the cot. Then there’s the crèche (for children aged from four months to four years); baby consultant Carol Mae on hand with tips; and the Babewatch service, which provides 30 minutes of free childcare per day (cue glorious solo dips). Swimming lessons and family bike rides through the nature reserve distracted our baby, and the indoor pool and crèche brought entertainment and affection, especially on rainy days. We left feeling like we could have stayed for a month, and Romy asked for brownies all the way home. Florrie Thomas
Sakis PapadopoulosPorto Zante, Zakynthos
This private hideaway on the Ionian island of Zakynthos has nailed the Greek Islands villa vibe but with all the services of a full-throttle hotel: two beachfront restaurants (Greek and Mediterranean flavours and Asian Fusion Cuisine), an incredibly comprehensive spa, a chill-out bar and 24-hour room service. Porto Zante's nine villas, which are built into the rocks overlooking a secluded, sandy beach, are smart but not unnervingly so.
There are Armani Casa sofas and lamps, mythological paintings by prominent Greek artist Alekos Fassianos, some of the whizziest gadgets from Bang & Olufsen, Bernardaud porcelain and Bulgari lotions and potions in the bathrooms, but sticky fingers are certainly not frowned upon (maybe steer them away from the Christofle wine glasses though). Pre-order cots and high chairs (and some plastic plates and cups too).
Once here, babysitting and daily activities can be organised in a jiffy, and the pool filled with toys. There's a sweet little playground and mini-golf, table tennis and pony riding from the nearby stables. Just in front of the villas, down the stone steps straight into the water, there is excellent snorkelling, jet- and water-skiing, wakeboarding, and banana and donut rides in the next bay.
INSIDER TIP Break out of the bubble and visit Marathonisi island to see loggerhead sea turtles – the largest hard-shelled turtle in the world. Charter the speedboat for the day or go at an easier pace on the sailing yacht, discovering hidden coves on the way to Navagio Beach, with its crystal-clear waters and the rusting wreck of a Greek freight ship.
Joanna YeeCosta Navarino, Peloponnese
Vassilis Constantakopoulos, aka The Captain, was a man with a vision. Having made his billions in shipping, he dedicated his life to regenerating Messinia, the Peloponnese peninsula where he grew up, and the result was this estate of hotels and villas, golf courses and restaurants, all with a committed eco punch. It sounds vast and unwieldy, but the design is clever, the landscape swallows up the buildings, the stone echoes the surrounding villages, and the dunes still have a feeling of wildness. Environmental awareness and conservation are all encompassing – rainwater reservoirs keep the rolling fourways a vibrant green, waste water irrigates plants and the beaches are protected because of the sea turtles who lay their eggs there (the Barbouni beach club even closes at 5pm so as not to disturb them).
Pick between the Romanos and Westin hotels. The former is more reserved, the latter more obviously family friendly, though they share everything – the restaurants, sunbeds on the beaches, swimming pools and spas. Two kids’ clubs come with an army of dedicated local teachers to entertain their charges, and a long-as-your-arm menu of activities including Young Gardeners, which takes them out to the hotels’ vegetable patch to sow and harvest. After a busy morning of gardening, children squeeze onto benches under an ancient olive tree to tuck into Greek salad drizzled with local olive oil. Older children can launch themselves at the climbing wall, bowling alley, tennis courts, water slides or cinema, or sign up for football coaching, while parents munch on Kalamata olives and taste wine from the hotel vineyards. For more adventurous guests, or those revising for an Ancient History GCSE, there are 10 major sites on the doorstep, including the Palace of Nestor, which was, fittingly, renowned for its hospitality.
INSIDER TIP Book one of the sailing boats for a voyage to Proti Island, which lurks crocodile-like in the Ionian. Sail into the natural harbour and see the messages scratched into the walls by sailors to warn others of the local pirates.
Santa Marina, Mykonos
Forget about nightclubs and the hedonistic party vibe. The Greek island of Mykonos has, just like Ibiza, a calmer family-friendly side. Although this hotel isn't suitable for those with toddlers – there are far too many low walls and unnerving drops – for children just that little bit older it's bliss: close to the airport, with super-friendly staff, and gorgeous views. Whether you're staring out to Ornos Bay with its bobbing boats and backdrop of sugar-cube houses, or out the other way over the turquoise sea, with the hazy outline of Paros and Naxos in the distance – you'll be serenely happy.
Even more so, perhaps, on discovering the kids' club, set right next to the main pool and free for those aged between two and 12. There are stacks of games and cheery English-speaking staff, so they probably won't even notice you're gone. Add to this a tennis court with resident coach, a brilliant playground and a pretty beach. If you want to avoid steep steps, of which there are many, plump for connecting rooms rather than the villas at the top of the hill. The groovy little spa has a host of Ila treatments. And as night falls, the Buddha-Bar Beach restaurant and bar does all it can to make parents feel cool again, with front-row seats looking over the Aegean Sea and a resident DJ. You may not be dancing till dawn, but you've still made it to Mykonos.
Skiathos Princess, Skiathos
This is a family affair, with owner Vicky Santikos bringing in daughter Katerina and son Konstantinos to help run the show. Along with creating a series of Californian-style, calorie-controlled meal plans, Katerina has injected the place with boho-glamour. But while rooms are spacious and comfortable, air conditioning units are prone to drips and TV channels are fuzzy (forget CBeebies). On the plus side, many of them have spectacular views across the hotel's grassy lawns that lead directly to the beach. And what a beach. Agia Paraskevi is one of the best on the island. It's a spotless crescent of golden sand sprinkled with rustic straw shades, and has exceptionally safe swimming. Wade 15 metres out and the tide line will only be nudging your hips, and there's nothing but gently rippling sand underfoot. The island of Skiathos is small and intensely green. A network of hiking trails crisscross the shoreline and excursions to an inland dog shelter can be arranged, where children can take puppies for walks. Older kids can enjoy the inflatables and motorised watersports for hire at the public end of the beach. And little adventurers aged seven-plus can try their hand at the new craze, YogAqua.
Chatziaslanis YiannisBeach House, Antiparos
Greece is a shoo-in when it comes to a sure-fire, happiness-through-the-ranks holiday. Turbo hotels, with kids’ clubs, a clutch of restaurants and private beaches, are dotted across the direct-flight islands and throughout Halkidiki on the mainland; unsurprisingly they come with crowds of repeat guests. For those seeking a slower pace, a simpler barefoot offering in the harder-to-reach parts of the Aegean scratches a more adventurous itch. Antiparos is barely more than a dusty islet, half an hour by ferry from Paros. It’s the antithesis of Crete’s package trips, Mykonos’s party-hard beach clubs, or the teenage rite-of-passage scene in Corfu’s Kassiopi. In fact, there’s very little going on. Opened six years ago, Beach House is a Cycladic villa right on a sheltered bay on the south-east coast – a rustic set-up where good vibes rule. The nine rooms are simple, with blue shutters and bougainvillaea-framed terraces, and the three family suites are the ones to book. Mornings on the beach are especially lovely. Breakfast on wooden tables, cats weaving in and out of chair legs, is a feast of any-way eggs, thick yogurt, honey and spanakopita. Kids can mess about in the playground, where activities are laid on during most of July and August, while grown-ups stay horizontal on sunbeds. The beachfront bar plays trip hop, and the rosé is ice cold. Lunches and suppers showcase authentic food with a deft hand: catch of the day, octopus risotto, seafood spaghetti, plus a marginally less fishy children’s menu. Yoga sessions and boat rides are available; the clear sea is great for swimming and snorkelling (there’s no pool). It feels like a mini Formentera. Supremely low-key but nails all you really need: good food and good wine, lots of fussing over the children, charming staff and comfortable beds.
INSIDER TIP The season is short. The hotel stays open until October, but even early September can start to feel a bit shuttered up. Those not constrained by school holidays should come in June.
Sani Resort, Halkidiki
Here in a vast eco reserve is a gloriously chic, purpose-built Greek village. There's the obligatory quayside with a flotilla of boats, smart restaurants and simple tavernas (most of which cater for children), plus a clutch of hotels (all part of the Sani Resort) to choose from. If privacy and space are paramount, go for Asterias Suites. A string of spacious, light-flooded suites dotted along a private stretch of beach, they are formal but comfortably elegant, with floaty sheer curtains and cool stone underfoot (book a two-bedroom beachfront family suite for direct access to the sand).
It's the little things that count: the swim nappies and sterilising equipment set up on arrival; the world-class chefs on tap; the attentive, but never intrusive, service. There's an outstanding crèche and an award-winning children's club, all run by the Worldwide Kids Company. Then there's the genius of Babe Watch. Dig holes and dip toes together, then wave to a nanny and hand over the bucket and spade. It's instant babysitting, so you can take a lazy lap of the cerulean waters, or just lie back and close your eyes for a minute. Away from the water, there are bikes to rent and forest trails to follow. Later, catch a film together at the open-air cinema, or let them splash around in the pool while you watch the boats return to their moorings at sunset with a mojito at the Water Bar.
Daios Cove, Crete
A balm for overworked, whacked-out parents, with stone-built villas dotted around an olive-tree-covered cove. It may be big – there are 300 rooms and 39 villas – but service is as smooth and polished as the marble floors, with fragrant hand towels, iced water and electric buggies to glide you noiselessly to your door. Villas are split over two storeys, with sitting rooms leading out to the infinity pool and terrace, and the master suite and balcony below. Children can sleep on a sofa bed in the top half, with their own bathroom – an arrangement that works surprisingly well. What the rooms may lack in character they make up for in quality and extravagant extras: lengthy pillow menus, iPod docking stations, a choice of mango, vanilla or violet fragrances to be fed into the air-conditioning, and Château Margaux (at €1,800) on the room-service menu. Whenever you return, a little treat is waiting: pastel- coloured macaroons, giant cupcakes or feta muffins. Bars, restaurants and the swimming pool area are all on different levels up the rocky sides of the bay, accessed by a funicular rail car. And though it feels rather resorty, the Crete hotel's eco credentials are impeccable, with water recycling and heat-recovery systems all working behind the scenes. Evenings are low-key and family-friendly with help-yourself buffets that major on Greek classics, from souvlaki and dolmades to filo-wrapped prunes. There's also, of course, a kids' club, with mini discos, the occasional games night and babysitting. At the beach, the sea is shallow and shelves some 15 metres out, making for child-friendly rippling waves. Children can while away the time with their complimentary buckets and spades.
Nick Kontostavlakis/Globe & TrotterThe Royal Blue Resort, Crete
The set-up at this Cretan hotel lends itself to a meaningful baby’s first holiday. Sweeping along a stretch of coastline on the island’s north, the grounds are set up to resemble a honey-hued Cretan village, all appealingly connected with buggy-friendly ramps. You can even wheel little ones down to the beach, where a man-made cove has created gentle paddling conditions, and drinks and nibbles can be delivered direct to sun loungers. Suites cater perfectly to tiny demanding guests, with tubs in the bathroom, a separate lounge area that can be closed off from the bedroom, and an outdoor terrace so parents can sunbathe while kids nap. For bigger youngsters, two-storey family suites with private pools are also available.
INSIDER TIP The spa here welcomes all guests, big and small. There’s a cute kid’s spa menu, a salt cave for adults, plus you can book a family session in the thalassotherapy pool.