The best family hotels in Greece
Forget the old saw ‘children should be seen but not heard’ – in Greece love of little ones is a given, and most staff in the country’s (extremely) family-friendly hotels will effortlessly go that extra mile to make sure that you and your brood have an enjoyable holiday. The best hotels have clubs catering for toddlers or teens, rosters teeming with child-friendly activities and sand-swathed beaches or sparkling pools. Parents can relax in cocooning spas or adults-only pools while their young ones let off steam. Whether you’re seeking a secret beach haven, want a stylish hideaway or prefer a lively all-inclusive resort, these are the best family hotels in Greece.
How we review
Every hotel in this curated list has been visited by one of our expert reviewers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis. They stay for a minimum of one night, test at least one meal and trial other experiences that the hotel might have to offer.
At a glance, the best family hotels in Greece
Best family hotel brand in Greece overall – Ikos Resorts
Best family hotel in Greece with a water park – Creta Maris Beach Resort, Crete
Best all-inclusive hotel in Greece – Ikos Odisia
This remote region’s first luxury hotel sits like a chunky, but non-intrusive, glass and brown stone fortress, surrounded by citrus-scented pine forests on a low hill with views over the sandy arc of Karavostasi beach to Paxos beyond. There are 146 open-plan rooms in a dozen categories, although all have balconies with views of the ink-blue Ionian Sea and nearest islands (Paxos and Corfu). Superior Double rooms are fine if you spend most of your time outdoors, but for a family larger rooms with sharing pools are better. The kids club here is the real star of the show for families though, taking children from ages 4 - 12 and younger kids (from four months) in their excellent crèche.
• The best Greek Island hotels
It would be a struggle to find another luxury hotel brand in Europe so deeply welcoming of families. Ikos’ second opening on the island, all-inclusive Odisia is an achingly beautiful resort hugging the sandy shoreline of east coast Corfu. Babies and toddlers make a regular appearance at all six of its restaurants, instantly provided with highchairs and their own plastic (chic-looking) cutlery and waiters don’t bat an eyelid at spillages or screeching. The Kids Club is enormous with fantastic staff and takes babies from as young as three months old. The resort has been extremely well thought out and was built to work alongside the beaches, coves and peninsula it occupies. Camel-coloured stone cubes with jade-green ‘living’ roofs subtly dot the 60 acres, weaved between umbrella pines and gnarled olive trees.
Imagine a sprawling Greek village complete with cobbled alleys and you’ll have a picture of this family-friendly, all-inclusive beach resort where staff have worked for decades. There’s a sense of going back in time here as you wander through a warren of narrow alleys strung with vivid scarlet bougainvillaea, popping out onto hidden squares – some with benches shaded by centuries-old Ficus trees. The large waterpark (free for all-inclusive guests) is superb, with five slides linked by towers and pools. During the day guests hang out at the two spacious main pools overlooking the seafront, or on a strip of artificial sand that is the resort’s Blue Flag beach.
• The best Crete hotels
Amada Colossos Resort, long a beachfront family holiday favourite in Rhodes, has undergone a renovation in which no expense has been spared to create an all-inclusive hotel aiming to please both couples and kids. Youngsters of all ages can be entertained for hours in the sizeable water park, where magicians, singers and comedy acts perform daily. Older teens will prefer to take advantage of the four pools, beach volleyball court, tennis courts and water sports (the latter incurring extra charge). Plus a babysitting service allows parents to retreat to the serenity of the spa for a well-earned massage.
• The best all-inclusive hotels in Greece
This elegant spa resort, with its clipped lawns, gourmet restaurant and strikingly lovely infinity pools perched on the edge of Zakynthos’ remote Akrotiri peninsula, despite being family-friendly is also a haven of peace. Kids and teens have their own respective clubs and games rooms, and toddlers will love playing on the swings and slides in the fenced adventure playground. Despite the sense of remoteness, its actually only a mile or so from the museums and colonnaded buildings of Zante’s historic centre. Superb sunset views to Kefalonia opposite, a secluded pebble beach and separate adult and children’s pools are the icing on the cake.
• The best family-friendly hotels in the Mediterranean
The Kavos Hotel Naxos, just above Ágios Prokópios resort, is an ocean-view establishment offering stone-clad cottages, neutral interiors and excellent food. Built in 1990 but updated regularly since, the Kavos was among the first developments here, snaffling a prime position, 10 minutes’ walk to the nearest beach. The two- or three-bedroom bungalows are popular among families, so ensure you book well ahead (they’re often pre-booked a year in advance). You’ll probably want a car here; it’s on a small hill around a mile from the restaurants, souvenir shops and nightlife of resort town Prokopios. Several sandy beaches and flamingo-spotting on the resort’s salt lake are also around a mile away.
• The best hotels in Mykonos
This sumptuous resort occupies a secluded promontory in Corfu overlooking the Ionian sea. As you walk inside, the immediate impression is of contemporary style with a hint of old-world glamour: its immaculate gardens, pools, fine dining and aristocratic furnishings don't scream child-friendly, and yet it does very much welcome children and families. You can request free hire of cots and other baby equipment in advance, from pushchairs and bathtubs to potty seats and changing mats. There's a ‘Discovery’ activity programmes aimed at seven to 14-year-olds, plus there are activities for older teens too, from photography to language learning.
• The best boutique hotels in Santorini
This family-friendly, village-style resort with panoramic views to Spinalonga sets a high benchmark on the Cretan hotel scene. It's one of the country’s two Marriott Autograph collection hotels. Facilities include several first-class restaurants, an elegant spa and blue-flag strip of sandy beach. It's cleverly divided across a hillside (topped by a helicopter pad) and linked by winding paths through well-tended gardens. Built to mimic the colours and contours of Spinalonga just opposite, this stylish resort attracts a lot of young families, but there are several adults-only areas and quiet zones where grown-ups can retreat to making it a great option for multi-generational stays.
• The best beach hotels in the Mediterranean
A microcosm of Mediterranean luxury, Sani Resort comprises four hotels with child-friendly facilities, and a dizzying amount of restaurants. The six-storey Sani Beach Hotel is the only option offering a classic hotel set-up (the other properties at Sani are low-rise lodgings), several pools, and a social vibe. There are 'Babewatch' child-minding facilities (free 30-minute sessions), free mini clubs (children aged 4-12), a free teenager's club (aged 13-16), and free Sani Explorers (aged 4-11) and Sani Adventurers (aged 12-17) clubs, where youngsters get to explore and learn about Sani's natural environment through outdoor activities.
• The best hotels in the Amalfi Coast
The original Ikos in Corfu, Dassia elevated the all-inclusive scene on the island when it opened in 2018 and continues to deliver excellent service, high-end food and drink and a true fuss-free experience for families with brilliant childcare facilities to boot. Other than the multitude of things to do on site: seven swimming pools (with kids splash zone), two Anne Semonin spas, 10 different bars, a daily sunset cruise, two tennis courts, a large crescent of Blue Flag beach with drinks ferried to your lounger – the list goes on – the hotel really encourages guests to get out and explore the island. You can do this with a complimentary Tesla for the day (car seats supplied) or by choosing one of the ‘dine out’ options; the hotel has partnerships with a few local restaurants and tavernas in Corfu Town and these meals are part of the all-inclusive rate.
• The best family-friendly hotels in Majorca
With extensive water features and Disney-style night lighting, this elegant five-star resort opposite an extensive sandy beach attracts lots of families, yet manages to stay peaceful. The well-equipped children’s play area, with its own pool, is cleverly tucked away from the main buildings to limit noise. Family, mansionette and bungalow accommodation choices will appeal to those with children. The focal point of the resort is a large outdoor pool surrounded by lagoons – the Ostria Mediterranean restaurant has great views of the pool and serves lovely creative Cretan cuisine.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best part of Greece for families?
Greece overall as a destination is entirely brilliant for a family holiday. Many hotels and resorts have kids' clubs, children's swimming pools, playgrounds, exciting activities, babysitting, interconnecting rooms and children's menus, as well as luxurious suites with sea views and spas for grown-ups. Families really are welcome everywhere, but some particularly family-friendly options include Crete, Corfu, Mykonos, Skyros, Skiathos, Cyclades, Peloponnese and Halkidiki.
Is Corfu or Crete better for families?
Crete and Corfu are two quite different destinations, the obvious difference being the sizes and locations of the islands. Corfu is a lot smaller and off the west coast of mainland Greece, its size does make it a good choice for very young children as day trips and travelling around become a lot easier. Crete is much larger and is located in the southern part of the Aegean Sea, but has so much to offer families with incredible historic sites to visit and beautiful beaches. Due to its large size, you could argue that it might be better suited to older children, however, both destinations are equally fantastic for a family holiday.
Contributions by Rose Dykins, Helen Iatrou, Anita Isalska, Harriet Jones
