Crete or Rhodes

Sunshine6195102 · 2025-04-02T18:16:51+00:00

We are considering Crete or Rhodes for a week all inclusive holiday with our two young children at the end of May. We have a budget of approx £4000. Which would you choose please and does anyone have any location/hotel recommendations please? I'd like somewhere with lovely views by a beach, and with a kids club so we can also get a few hours to relax every so often whilst knowing our kids are having fun. Thank you!

Justmemyselfandi999 · 02/04/2025 19:25

Atlantica Akti Zeus in Crete ticks all of your boxes x

Namechange032025 · 02/04/2025 19:29

We stayed at Stella Palace in Crete last year and were v impressed

Bohemond23 · 02/04/2025 19:29

Domes of Elounda. Crete. Although might be a bit too pricey.

JaneBoulton · 02/04/2025 19:30

Agios nikolaos in Crete. Has a stunning harbour

Rocknrollstar · 02/04/2025 19:35

Crete is much nicer than Rhodes.

Original poster

Sunshine6195102 · 02/04/2025 20:41

Thank you all! @Namechange032025it looks great. Might be out of our budget but will look into it. @Justmemyselfandi999thank you. Have you visited it yourself? Also looks great and just about in budget :-)

OP posts:

WheresYourSnickers · 02/04/2025 20:43

Sunshine6195102 · 02/04/2025 20:41

Thank you all! @Namechange032025it looks great. Might be out of our budget but will look into it. @Justmemyselfandi999thank you. Have you visited it yourself? Also looks great and just about in budget :-)

I went to the Atlantica Akti Zeus that @Justmemyselfandi999 recommended when my two were about 9/10 and would really recommend it.

Justmemyselfandi999 · 02/04/2025 20:44

Yes I’ve been there. Had a great holiday. Regular buses to Heraklion and the port from outside of the hotel. Fantastic water sports on the beach, and horse riding a short stroll up the beach. Water park is great. It was a good holiday

twinmumoffour85 · 02/04/2025 20:49

Kalithea Horizon Hotel in Rhodes is fantastic. Beautiful views and really good food for all inclusive. Rooms were spotless and we didn’t have any issues in our two week stay last August, in fact we all had a great time (kids 15,13, 2 and 2)

Crete however is definitely the prettier island. Kolymvari is a beautiful coastal village and the surrounding beaches are absolutely amazing. Elafonissi being our favourite! We stayed in a villa here though so can’t recommend a hotel unfortunately.

LouJ36 · 02/04/2025 20:52

Mitsis Laguna in Crete has a heated outdoor pool which is a blessing in May.

Original poster

Sunshine6195102 · 03/04/2025 08:27

Thank you all. I really appreciate the recommendations x

OP posts:

Samora · 03/04/2025 12:18

Crete is the better option. Rhodes is literally a pile of dirt with nothing worthwhile, it would get old after day 2. Crete has some of the worst people in Greece, but mostly inland. But if you get a car there's a lot more to do and see

Original poster

Sunshine6195102 · 03/04/2025 14:09

Thanks all. You guys have sold it to me, Crete it is. 🙂

OP posts:

WaterMonkey · 03/04/2025 14:14

Samora · 03/04/2025 12:18

Crete is the better option. Rhodes is literally a pile of dirt with nothing worthwhile, it would get old after day 2. Crete has some of the worst people in Greece, but mostly inland. But if you get a car there's a lot more to do and see

Rhodes is archaeologically significant. Not what OP is looking for and not as significant as Crete, for sure, but ‘literally a pile of dirt with nothing worthwhile’ is a bit much.

WaterMonkey · 03/04/2025 14:18

Crete is lovely, but avoid Hersonissos. It’s dirty and horrible. Lindos in Rhodes is nice. Nicer than nearby Pefkos.

Samora · 03/04/2025 21:22

WaterMonkey · 03/04/2025 14:14

Rhodes is archaeologically significant. Not what OP is looking for and not as significant as Crete, for sure, but ‘literally a pile of dirt with nothing worthwhile’ is a bit much.

Show quote history

I lived there and I stand by my point, it's not a great tourist destination and outside the city, it's a volcanic pile of dirt which can be explored in a day. Nice to hike around I guess, but pointless to go there for an all inclusive

MissAtomicBomb1 · 03/04/2025 22:39

Going against the grain but we went to northern Crete last year and I wasn’t impressed. It was very windy which meant the beach was often closed due to the size of the waves.
The area around Malia/Stalis/Herssonis was very barren and run down.
Think the southern half of the island may be better.

TheCurious0range · 03/04/2025 22:48

We've been to both it depends what you want to do. If you like to get out a lot, explore, are interested in history etc Crete has a lot more to see. Rhodes is beautiful but sleepy and quiet (avoid faliraki), Rhodes town and the palace of the knights are a nice morning, DS loved Lindos and climbing up to the acropolis, there are some nice beaches, if your main aim is pools and beaches with the odd day trip Rhodes is lovely and cheaper than Crete.

I absolutely love Crete the lassithi plateau, spinalonga, snorkelling off crissi island, Knossos etc we always hire a car, but we were looking to go this summer and it was very expensive but that was school holidays and we were looking for two weeks. You don't say how young your DC are but presumably younger than school age. I'd go for Rhodes if that's the case and save Crete for when they're older and more interested in history etc.

To be fair I've not been to a Greek island I don't like yet, but they do have different things to offer

WaterMonkey · 04/04/2025 00:52

Samora · 03/04/2025 21:22

I lived there and I stand by my point, it's not a great tourist destination and outside the city, it's a volcanic pile of dirt which can be explored in a day. Nice to hike around I guess, but pointless to go there for an all inclusive

Show quote history

😂Well, as a classicist I’m speechless. But we all have our opinions, I suppose.