Monthly Parenting Magazine
READING

Family Friendly Crete: Why you should book a trip ...

Family Friendly Crete: Why you should book a trip to the Greek Island

Family Friendly Crete Cretan Malia Park

Holidays, once you have children, are more about spending quality time together as a family, than hitting OOO and getting to relax. Well at least that’s what I thought – until my husband and I visited the Phaea collection in Crete with our three-year-old in tow. The largest of the Greek islands, Crete is known for its natural beauty – with four breathtaking mountain ranges, two national parks, and miles of golden coastline. The stunning scenery makes the perfect backdrop for the stylish Phaea Cretan Malia resort, a member of Design Hotels, and its elegant sister hotel, Phaea Blue, a member of the Small Luxury Hotels Collection. 

Crete: the perfect Greek Island for a holiday with children

Phaea Cretan Malia

Cretan Malia Park pool, Family friendly Crete

THE RESORT 

Family-owned and run, Phaea Cretan Malia has become a favourite for those with young children. Its warm, eclectic décor blends design-led furniture with curated artworks, appealing to parents who don’t want to give up on style just because they are travelling with kids. With a cosy, boutique vibe, the resort never feels overcrowded. Everything—rooms, restaurants, pools, and beach—is within easy walking distance.

THE ROOM

Our room is cosy and stylish, with Cretan blue tiles and crisp white sheets. There’s a cute day bed set up for our daughter, but of course she wants to sleep in with us, and luckily there’s plenty of space in the double. Overlooking a private garden, the room has everything from eco-friendly toiletries, to easy access to the pool – ideal for nap breaks and sunscreen top-ups.

THINGS TO DO 

The hotel has two heated pools and my husband and I take turns to splash about while the other lounges on the canopied daybeds. At the second pool, my daughter is excited to discover a cute ice cream parlour called ‘The Crush’. The beachfront location offers a private area with loungers, and there’s also a mini spa, and a gym where I enjoy morning yoga.

THE KIDS CLUB 

The Little Explorers club (ages 3–12) offers drop-off care, while Tiny Explorers (ages 0–3) requires parents to stay. It’s like a stylish Montessori nursery, with activities including cooking, dance parties, and movie nights. The best bit is that you can drop your kids off and pick them up any time between 10am – 5pm. This allows my husband and I to get some (rare!) time to ourselves.

Family Friendly Crete, Cretan Malia Park Mouries

THE FOOD 

The hotel has five restaurants, a traditional Cretan coffee shop, and a main bar. The restaurants showcase the very best of Cretan cuisine. Breakfast at Mediterraneo features a family-friendly buffet. At Mouries, Chef Lefteris Iliadis prepares traditional

Cretan dishes with ingredients fresh from the hotel’s organic garden. Other highlights include Levant-inspired sharing plates at poolside Mezze, Chef Athinagoras Kostakos’ authentic Italian cuisine overlooking the sea at Almyra, and cocktails at The Beach Shack. All of the restaurants offer a kids’ menu.

Rooms at Phaea Cretan Malia start at £126 including breakfast if booked through Design Hotels; designhotels.com

Phaea Blue

Family Friendly Crete: PHĀEA Blue

THE RESORT 

Just a short drive west of Phaea Cretan Malia, is Phaea Blue in Elounda. An intimate hideaway, the vibe is understated elegance and quiet luxury, with stylish décor and second-to-none service. The resort is spread out, and we only really see other guests at the restaurants. The hotel has an impressive app, with an online concierge ready to answer your every query day-or-night. We use this to arrange Club Cars to take us from our room to the restaurants, and down to the beach. 

Family Friendly Crete, PHĀEA Blue

THE ROOM

With a private and secluded feel, our palatial Junior Suite is perfect for families. There’s a cosy lounge area set up with a bed for our three-year-old, a main bedroom overlooking the private heated pool, a huge bathroom with a roll-top bath, double sinks, and a double shower, and a separate ensuite. The décor is plush, with lots of extra special touches including a portable B&O Beolit speaker, and the staff deliver traditional Cretan snacks to our door every afternoon.

THINGS TO DO 

With a sweeping mountain backdrop, we could easily relax on the private sunloungers on the beach, or flop by the main pool all day. However, there’s plenty to see and do in the local area. The hotel’s concierge can arrange exclusive experiences – from private wine tasting to lessons in Greek cuisine. One afternoon we enjoy a traditional Caique experience, cruising the turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea. We have a champagne lunch onboard, and swim straight off the boat. There’s also lots of other opportunities for relaxation – including spa treatments, a gym, and a movie area snug.

THE KIDS CLUB 

There’s a small kids club at Phaea Blue with a cute little garden playground. There’s a daily programme of activities, but it’s quiet when we visit in September, so we don’t end up leaving our daughter. It’s great to have the option though if you want some time to relax.

THE FOOD

There’s two main restaurants at Phaea Blue: al-fresco dining at Anthós and the beach-side Blue Door Taverna. A refined approach to traditional Cretan cuisine, we enjoy sharing dishes from award-winning Creative Consultant Chef Athinagoras Kostakos at Anthós. Ingredients are sourced from the resort’s organic kitchen garden, and also from carefully selected regional farms. From breakfast to dinner, the dining experience is extra special,but the staff are so warm we always feel welcome with our three year old. Once an old fisherman’s stone house, you feel like you are dining in a family home at Blue Door Taverna. Delicious dishes are inspired by timeless traditional Cretan cuisine, and the service goes above and beyond.  

A Junior Suite with Pool at Phaea Blue starts at €625 per night; phaeablue.com


Perfect Packing


We rented travel essentials from Tiny Explorers for our trip. The genius service allows parents to borrow items such as the cabin-friendly Stokke Babyzen Yoyo3, the Maxi-Cosi travel car seat, and the inflatable Flyway Kids plane bed. This was a lifesaver and made travelling with a three-year-old much easier.

tinyexplorers.co.uk


For more family travel click here.


RELATED POST

COMMENTS ARE OFF THIS POST