Crete is Greece's largest island, and it feels like one. Stretch a map from the Venetian harbour at Chania to the far eastern coast and you're covering more than 260 kilometres, past snow-streaked mountains, a gorge deep enough to hike for a full day, and the ruins of the Palace of Knossos, legendary home of the Minotaur in Greek mythology and one of Europe's oldest cities. There's a reason travellers come back to Crete for a second and third trip.

There's a base to match whatever you've got planned. Old-town laneways and harbour views if you want to walk everywhere. A private pool and a quiet beach if you'd rather not leave the resort at all. Crete has both, often just a short drive apart.

Where to stay in Crete

• Chania Old Town: Venetian harbour views and laneways too narrow for cars. The best base for wandering on foot and eating well, plus the closest old town to the main airport. See hotels in Chania.
• Rethymno: A smaller, quieter Venetian old town with a long sandy beach right at the edge of it. Good middle ground if you're splitting your trip between Chania and Heraklion. See hotels in Rethymno.
• Heraklion: Crete's capital, and the closest base to the Palace of Knossos. Less picturesque than Chania or Rethymno, but the easiest for getting around, with the busiest airport and ferry port. See hotels in Heraklion.
• Agios Nikolaos: A harbour town wrapped around a small lake, upmarket without trying too hard. Suits couples who want restaurants and boat trips within walking distance. See hotels in Agios Nikolaos.
• Elounda: Quiet, low-rise, and home to some of the island's most private resorts. Most look straight across the bay to Spinalonga island. Best if you're not planning to leave the property much. See hotels around Elounda.
• West Coast (Elafonissi & Falassarna): This is where the pink-sand beach everyone's seen photos of actually is. It's a good two hours from Chania by road, so treat it as a few nights away rather than a day trip. See hotels near the west coast.

How much is Crete accommodation?

Expect to pay around AU$150 a night on average across the island, though where you stay and when you book shift that number a lot. July and August sit well above everything else. May, June, September and October cost noticeably less for the same room.

• Hostels & guesthouses: From AU$45 a night. Dorm beds and simple family-run rooms, mostly clustered around Chania and Rethymno's old towns.
• Budget hotels: From AU$70 a night. Small air-conditioned rooms with breakfast usually included, a short walk from the centre rather than on the water.
• Mid-range hotels & apartments: From AU$150 a night. Self-contained apartments or 3 to 4-star hotels, often with a pool, close to a beach.
• Boutique stays: From AU$220 a night. Restored Venetian townhouses in Chania or Rethymno's old towns. Smaller rooms, a lot more character.
• Luxury resorts: From AU$550 a night. Elounda's private-pool resorts and Chania's high-end adults-only properties sit at this end, usually with a spa and a private beach.

Top-rated hotels in Crete

These five turn up again and again in traveller reviews, and each one owns a different part of the island.

• Domes Noruz Chania, Autograph Collection: an adults-only resort a short drive from Chania town, with private plunge pools in some rooms and a seafood restaurant right on the water.
• GDM Megaron Historical Monument Hotel: a converted historic building on Heraklion's old harbour, an easy walk from the archaeological museum and the ferries out to the other islands.
• Marinos Beach Hotel: right on the sand in Rethymno, close enough to the Venetian old town to walk in for dinner.
• Elounda Mare: low-rise bungalows with their own private pools, set in gardens that run down to the water in Elounda.
• Phaea Blue: faces Spinalonga island directly across the bay, with a private pebble beach and a traditional wooden caique boat laid on for guests.

Tips for finding the perfect accommodation in Crete

• Rent a car if you can manage it. Crete runs about 260 kilometres end to end, and buses thin out fast once you're off the main coast road. A car makes the pink sand at Elafonissi or a day walking the Samaria Gorge realistic without joining a tour bus.
• Base yourself on the Chania side for the Samaria Gorge. It's a full-day, 16-kilometre walk through the White Mountains, and staying in or near Chania the night before and after beats a long drive home on tired legs.
• Old town charm comes with a walk. Chania and Rethymno's best boutique stays sit on laneways too narrow for a car, so check how far it is from the nearest drop-off point if you're travelling with heavy luggage.
• Aim for the shoulder months if your dates are flexible. May, June, September and October give you warm enough water without August's crowds or peak pricing.
• Ask what's on the breakfast table. Cretan olive oil is some of the best in the world, and plenty of family-run stays serve their own, along with local honey and cheese, instead of a standard buffet spread.

Pair your stay with a look at flights to Greece or browse things to do to round out the rest of the trip.