Beautiful beaches, interesting ancient history, charming towns and delicious fresh food - it is little wonder that Greece is a much coveted and very memorable family holiday destination.
For those wondering “But where should we stay?” Condé Nast Traveller has put together a list of their top picks of hotels in Greece for the whole family.
“Easy to get to, relaxed atmosphere, early dining options, organised activities, adjoining rooms and a kid’s club,” were amongst the criteria used by Condé Nast in deciding which hotels would make the family-friendly cut.
“The list of appealing family perks at these Greek island hotels cover these and some,” says Conde Nast, “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.”
Let’s take a look at the list of ten of the best family hotels in Greece, as chosen by Condé Nast Traveller for 2022.
Porto Zante, Zakynthos
A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Porto Zante Villas & Spas is a private hideaway standing majestically on a private sandy beach of a secluded bay on the Ionian island of Zakynthos. Porte Zante offers all of the authentic Greek Islands villa vibes but accompanied by all the services of a luxury hotel including amazing restaurants, an incredible waterfront spa sanctuary, a chill-out bar, 24-hour five-star hotel services and an array of unique activities and experiences for both families and couples.
Nestled between lush gardens, the beachfront luxury villas at Porto Zante are decorated and furnished with selected pieces of Armani Casa & Gervasoni, paintings by prominent Greek artists and equipped with exclusive amenities including Bang & Olufsen Entertainment systems, BVLGARI guest amenities, although you may want to steer little fingers away from the Christofle Paris glasses and Bernardaud design porcelain,
Kids entertainment services and provided at the Porto Zante Kids’ Club including snorkelling and watersport activities, beach and pool toys and a specially designed Kid’s Menu. Babysitting services are also available at the resort which provides baby equipment (baby cots, strollers, safety stairgates and so on) complimentary upon request.
In addition to catering for smaller children, teenagers can also choose from a variety of watersports, sunbathing at the sandy private beach of the resort, table tennis, horse riding or a PlayStation 4 game during their stay.
Porte Zante has a playground and the family can also be entertained with 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.
Those wanting to explore can visit Marathonisi island to see loggerhead sea turtles – the largest hard-shelled turtle in the world. Charter a speedboat or a sailing yacht for the day, discovering hidden coves on the way to Navagio Beach where you can see the world’s most famous shipwreck.
Domes Zeen Chania, Crete
Beautifully designed by Athenian architects K-Studio, of the famous Mykonos beach bar Scorpios, the award winning aesthetic of Domes Zeen in Chania, Crete, features modernist concrete villas that cascade down the hillside and a sleek, black-tiled pool – the centre of life at the hotel for its fashionable patrons.
Two restaurants and a beach bar fuse organic local with timeless recipes whilst Bedouin inspired tepees make their appearance among the folliage of a treehouse Neverland, the hotel’s Montessori inspired Kids zone.
Whilst the kids are busily occupied there’s the Jungle Spa, an open-air temple of wellness, plus a fully equipped gym waiting for parents who are keen to make the most of their time while the children are occupied.
Families can venture out into Chania with recommendations mapped out by the hotel including coffee roastery Kross and restaurant/shop Ginger Concept, or a boat trip to Loutro, a tiny remote seaside village in the south of Crete that sparkles white next to a turquoise green and blue bay.
Family excursions are easily made from the hotel to nearby Minoan s World 3D Museum, The Botanical Gardens of Crete, and Akrotiri Peninsula, with its picturesque sandy beaches, centuries-old monasteries and churches, impressive caves with rich archaeological interest, and historical monuments.
Beach House, Antiparos
Beach House, Antiparos is hidden away in a sandy cove of Apantima, the island’s most sheltered beach, and the perfect family all-day summer hangout.
The hotel consists of eight simple and comfortable rooms, including three family suites, featuring blue shutters and bougainvillaea-framed terraces.
Here at Beach House, fresh authentic Greek fare is a focal point, the hotel providing dining by the sea on beautifully simple wooden chairs and tables for breakfast lunch and all day snacks. The hotel’s chef prepares authentic Greek island cuisine with a contemporary touch using fresh and local ingredients including favourites such as spanakopita, catch of the day, octopus risotto, seafood spaghetti, plus a children’s menu.
Yoga sessions and boat rides are available while the clear sea is great for swimming and snorkelling at this low key hotel.
https://beachhouseantiparos.com
Costa Navarino, Peloponnese
Located in Messinia, southwest Peloponnese, Costa Navario is one of the most unspoiled and breathtaking landscapes in the Mediterranean.
The story of Costa Navarino is as old as Greece itself. It was wise King Nestor, legendary ruler of ancient Pylos, who first gave meaning to the word ‘philoxenia’ (Greek hospitality) when he befriended complete strangers. A place where friendship can always be found, where happiness is measured by footsteps in the sand, it only makes sense that two Costa Navarino hotels can be found on the list of best family hotels in Greece.
The Romanos
Messinia is a ravishingly remote corner of the southwest Peloponnese that’s a four-hour drive from Athens (or one hour from tiny Kalamata airport). It was well under the radar until the advent of Navarino Dunes, a 320-acre Mediterranean-hugging resort that’s part of the ambitious Costa Navarino development—a modern take on a classic agora of shops, restaurants, cafés, and a cavernous spa flanked by two hotels.
The 321-room Romanos is a Luxury Collection Resort, with low-slung buildings wrapped around a series of seductively lit lagoons. It’s aimed squarely at couples, with poolside cabanas and plunge pools in nearly all its ground-floor rooms. Dark wood and polished marble interiors are quietly understated relative to the glitzy clientele.
At the Romanos, you can also offer your children the healthful benefits at the hotel’s luxury Anazoe Spa, which offers therapies especially designed just for them if accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The Westin Resort
Also located in Messinia, the family-friendly Westin Resort is livelier and more laid-back than the more exclusive Romanos, its 445 rooms fitted out in pale wood and exposed stone, with blissful tubs positioned to make the most of pool, golf, or sea views. Frazzled parents have the opportunity to unwind at the swim-up bar, while the little ones run amok in the amazing waterpark, bowling alley, and giant sand castle equipped for sleep-overs.
The range of activities at both properties is exhaustive, but the main attractions are the half-mile sandy beach and 18-hole golf course.
Food at the various multi-ethnic restaurants (which include Greek, Italian, and even American diner fare) is delicious with breakfasts making a bigger impression – a smorgasbord of local produce, perfect cappuccinos, and eggs any way you’d like.
Santa Marina, Mykonos
If you’re looking for a respite from Mykonos’s party-till-dawn ethos, bed down at Santa Marina, which is set on Ornos Bay and offers everything from partial-sea-view suites to 7,578-square-foot family villas.
Sporting the island’s only private sandy beach, Santa Marina also has an infinity pool with panoramic views of the Aegean Sea, which means no one will fault you for sticking close to home base.
Although the number of low walls and unnerving drops make this hotel unsuitable for those with toddlers, for families with children a little bit older it's heavenly: just ten minutes from Mykonos airport and Chora, with super-friendly staff, and gorgeous views.
In addition to its super-chic adults only Oasis Pool, Santa Marina offers the infinity-edge Mykonos Social Pool, expansive in size and featuring a nearby heated whirlpool. Perfect for children, the pool provides a safe place for youngsters to splash and play.
Ideally located right next to the main pool is the kids' club, free for those aged between two and 12.
The hotel also offers a tennis court and a specially designed playground four children aged three and older. Shaded from the sun the ocean view facility provides fun equipment including a slice, swings and a playhouse.
Children can also swim in the family friendly Colonial pool or in the shallow waters of the resort’s own private beach – the island’s only private beach.
From these laid-back, sundrenched luxury surrounds you can even take a private helicopter tour of the Cyclades, or explore nearby islands with a speedboat rental from the hotel, making a stay at Santa Marina the most glamourous of family friendly holidays.
The Peligoni Club, Zakynthos
The Peligoni Club is a family-run beach club in the secluded north of Zakynthos.
The rustic, open-air club with driftwood signposting and white-painted furniture is surrounded by olive trees with a two-room spa, swimming pool and bamboo-shaded restaurant where everyone gathers for raucous games of tavli.
Unlike a standard hotel or resort, the Peligoni Club doesn’t have accommodation on site. Instead, guests of the Club are booked into a carefully selected range of private villas, cottages and B&Bs located close by.
With accommodation nestling either in the nearby hills or by the sea of beautiful north Zakynthos, the club and its grounds which are located on the absolute seafront provide a home away from home and a base for food, activity and lifestyle for the club’s guests.
At the Club you can buy a watersports package, which includes unlimited tuition for sailing and windsurfing, with motorised sports an optional extra. Land-based activities include making pizzas in the outdoor oven, tennis tournaments or even a three-hour, parent-free boat trip to Alykes village to spend pocket-money on a costume for the weekly fancy-dress party night.
Twice a weekly the Peligion Club puts on a hog roast and a BBQ where the parents all sit together and children are divided into groups with their friends according to age.
Skiathos Princess, Skiathos
Skiathos Princess is owned by Vicky Santikos along with her daughter Katerina and son Konstantinos who help her run this beautiful Skiathos island retreat.
The hotel is perfectly located in the bay of Agia Paraskevi where the clear blue sea is complimented by striking sandy beaches, and exotic gardens. The main town centre is just moments away and reliable, convenient transport links make getting around easy.
There is always something to do for those hotel guests who desire to do more than just relax in and around the hotel. This family-friendly resort offers family experiences, from complimentary kids clubs, to creative activities, spa services and treatments with luxury accommodation in a range of categories.
Low-key and relaxed, Skiathos Princess is dedicated to creating a child-friendly vacation, offering a number of kid’s clubs, believing that the key to a great family holiday is ensuring the children are happy. At Skiathos Princess the children’s facilities include the Little Seals Creche available for children from 6 months up to 4 years; and Kids Club for children aged 4 to 12 years; featuring a weekly programme of face painting, movie time and fully supervised activities for kids of all ages by the fully qualified staff with current CRB checks meeting OFSTED standards.
Babysitting is also available and can be arranged at the resort.
Sani Resort, Halkidiki
A luxurious landscape stretching across fragrant pine forests, golden sands and crystal clear waters provides the awe-inspiring thousand-acre natural backdrop to Sani Resort, home to five multiple-awarded 5-star hotels recognised around the globe by leading travel organisations.
On a 400-hectare estate along the Aegean Sea, this upscale seasonal resort with 5 hotels is 5 km from Roman ruins in Megali Kypsa and 71 km from Thessaloniki Airport.
Each property has its own unique personality; the vibrant Sani Beach, the refined Sani Club, the relaxed elegance of Porto Sani, the exclusive and intimate Sani Asterias and the grown-up ambience of Sani Dunes.
The five stunning properties all within walking distance of each other, yet far enough away to create a real sense of individuality, while the beating heart of Sani is the vibrant, glamorous Marina with its sumptuous restaurants, bars and boutiques.
And at three of these magnificent properties CHILDREN STAY FREE! Yes, you read that right. Sani Resort offers free stays for kids under twelve years of age at Porto Sani, Sani Beach and Sani Club.
Flouting the mantra, “At Sani, even the smallest guests are VIPs”, Sani Resort features restaurants with child-friendly menus and a large heated lagoon-style pool for all to splash around in, as well as an exquisite white sand beach.
Designed to ensure the entire family has the holiday they need: you can spend quality time with your loved ones, but also indulge in a little time out, with Kids Club and the Spa.
From private nanny services, creches, kids club and beachside babysitting, to complimentary premium products and adventurous activities, Sani Resort provides all that is needed to keep kids happy and entertained.
Teenagers also have their own dedicated space at Sani Marina. ‘Ozone’ has been exclusively designed for teens to make friends and try new including scuba-diving, canoeing, cooking, dance as well as unique programmes for all ages at the Sai Resort’s range of academies, from developing skills in a specific sport to learning survival techniques at the Bear Grylls Academy.
Daios Cove, Crete
Located in the privacy of a secluded cove in Vathi, Daios Cove Luxury Resort and Villas in Crete is the hotel of choice for families seeking 5-star luxury accommodation in Agios Nikolaos.
The resort’s exclusive location, along with its impressive architecture seamlessly blending in with the rugged surroundings creates a natural hub of beauty and serenity to be explored.
With stone-built villas dotted around an olive-tree-covered cove, Daios Cove spoils its guests with extravagant extras such as lengthy pillow menus, iPod docking stations, a choice of mango, vanilla or violet fragrances for the air-conditioning, and Château Margaux (at €1,800) on the room-service menu. Whenever guests return to their room they are surprised with a little treat waiting whether they be pastel- coloured macaroons, giant cupcakes or feta muffins.
Relax at the resort’s exclusive sandy beach, where the sea is shallow and shelves some 15 metres out, making for child-friendly rippling waves. Sun beds, umbrellas, a towel service and beach bar are available so you can enjoy a day by the sea while tasting delicious cocktails and snacks whilst the children make sandcastles with the complimentary buckets and spades. Alternatively, dive into the infinity heated sea water swimming pool with amazing views of the private cove, part of which is reserved for children. There are also two sea water indoor pools housed in the hotel’s state-of-the-art Spa.
Childcare is an important part of the Daios family holiday experience: parents can escape for a little bit of ‘us’ time, whilst their children are being looked after by a dedicated team of childcare specialists.
Babies and toddlers are supervised in the Crèche Club by UK childcare experts Worldwide Kids Co, with qualified nursery staff meeting UK standards and regulations. Meanwhile, older kids can check in for fun at the well-equipped Children’s Club where friendly, highly trained multilingual staff will make them feel at home and provide games and activities.
Daios Cove in Crete also offers a Games Room where children, teens and adults alike can enjoy playing a variety of classic team games such as table tennis and pool billiards. The games room also features a large selection of video games on platforms ranging from the Wii Mini to PS4 VR.
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