Minos Beach Art Hotel occupies a private peninsula on Mirabello Bay, Crete's first internationally recognised property when it opened in 1963. The 125 whitewashed bungalows, villas, and suites cluster among gardens, rocky outcrops, and narrow stone-paved paths - so close to the water that some have private plateaus with ladders for swimming access.
Phaea Cretan Malia stretches along a secluded sandy beach in Malia, its low-rise architecture blending into lush Mediterranean gardens. The hotel offers 204 accommodations - rooms, bungalows, and suites - featuring local materials including Cretan marble, chestnut wood, and rattan. Earthy tones, handcrafted furnishings, and botanical artwork by Greek artists
Tella Thera perches on a sun-drenched hillside above Kissamos Bay in western Crete, designed by Stella Pieri of Pieris Architects in a style the studio calls 'future primitivism'. The 21 suites follow the natural slope of the terrain, half-buried in the earth with green roofs planted with olive trees and native Mediterranean flora.
Acro Suites clings to a rocky headland at Agia Pelagia, designed by Afoi Orfanaki and CMH Architecture for two sisters from a local hospitality family. The name derives from the Greek 'akros' (on the edge) - an apt description for a property where builders worked in harnesses during construction.
Amente Mindful Stay sits on Crete's lesser-explored southern coast in Plakias, just 300 metres from the Mediterranean. The contemporary architecture harmonises with the authentic Cretan landscape, creating a sanctuary for those seeking rejuvenation.
