When I travel, I usually find myself wandering through colorful cities or tucked away in cozy villages, hunting down local eats and soaking in culture. So this Creta Maris review comes from someone who was honestly surprised (in the best way possible) at the experience.
When I first arrived, I felt a bit out of place since it wasn’t my usual type of holiday. But I quickly learned during our trip to Creta Maris Resort in Hersonissos, Crete that traveling with a toddler is a whole different ballgame…
And this place turned out to be exactly what we needed!
In this Creta Maris Resort review, I’ll share what surprised me wonderfully, what my toddler loved and some tips to make your stay even better!
TLDR: Book your trip to Creta Maris here!
What is the style and layout of the resort?
Greek Village Style
I knew going to the resort was going to be an adjustment from my usual style of traveling, but as soon as I stepped onto the property, the beauty of it took away thoughts of past travels without kids.
Designed to resemble a traditional Greek village, the resort is full of whitewashed walls, stone paths and blooming bougainvillea. It felt warm, grounded and inviting and really felt like I was in a Greek village instead of at a typical sterile resort.
Seafront Bungalow
As we entered our sea-front bungalow, that authentic Greek village feeling only got stronger. The rustic architecture gave us all the island vibes without sacrificing comfort.
In our suite, we had two rooms: a bedroom and a living room that could accommodate two extra people. This room is great for a family.
It also had a large outdoor area, which was nice to hang out in when our toddler was taking a nap or in bed at night.
Good to Know: To get this, we booked a Premium Suite With Sea View. Once you book, I suggest that calling the hotel to ask for room 731. This one had the largest balcony out of all the suites right on the sea.
Layout of the Resort
Just like a Greek village would be, there are many nooks and crannies and tiny little alleyways that you can go through and explore. The entire resort felt intimate enough that you could wander about but spacious enough to never feel crowded (at least in May).
As for the layout of the resort, there are what I would consider three main parts: the lower half, the upper half and the adult area. We never went into the adult area so I’ll just share about the lower half and upper half.
The lower half has main lobby, bungalows, beach, a few restaurants and the biggest pool.
The upper half has the theatre, heated pool, water park, a few restaurants and other suites and rooms.
We were in a bungalow right the sea and loved our proximity to the sea. To get to the heated pool and water park, we had to walk uphill for 5 minutes.
The uphill walk might be hard for handicap or elderly people but for most people, it’s very doable. It was hard for me as someone with fibromyalgia but again, doable!
Pro Tip: The Creta Maris app has a map on it! But there are also large maps around the resort.
See availability on Booking.com
Is Creta Maris good for a family with a toddler?
As I’m usually used to constantly being on the go when I travel (pre-mom life), I was wondering how it would be to stay mostly inside the resort.
There was definitely a shift in this type of traveling– it’s more focused on slowing down and letting go, which was truly possible as Creta Maris really took care of everything for us.
And wow-traveling with a toddler? This setup was actually perfect.
I didn’t have to figure out food for every meal, worry about naps on the go since we could quickly run back to our hotel room or navigate stroller-unfriendly streets. Instead, we had easy access to pools, food everywhere, the beach and comfy spots to rest– all in one place.
I especially loved the various activities they had daily at the resort from music to shows. It allowed my daughter to easily have new experiences.
Last but not least, besides no cooking, we didn’t have to clean either. Our room was clean thoroughly each morning, and we got turn down service at night since we booked a suite by the sea.
Of course, this cleanliness also extended to the rest of the resort. Every place from the buffets to the pool were always immaculate and shining.
Pro Tip: Bring the free water from your room out when you go to the pool or beach. That way you don’t have to wait in line at all at the bars just to get water.
Is Creta Maris Resort Family Friendly?
One of the biggest takeaways in this Creta Maris review: it’s built for families.
The resort has 17 pools with most having a kiddie pool section built right into the pool. There’s also one right before the water park that’s heated. That heated pool was the best pool to swim in in May when the weather wasn’t peak summer yet.
The water park itself was a huge hit with my toddler. It had small slides and splash zones that were perfect for her age while still offering a little thrill. Plus, I also enjoyed the big water slides, which are perfect for teens.
We also spent a lot of time at the beach, which is directly on the property. The Blue Flag status means it’s clean and safe and the gentle waves made it a great beach experience for our daughter. Watching her splash in the sea, collect pebbles and just be in awe of it all was one of the highlights of the trip.
Every restaurant has kid-friendly options like pasta, steamed or grilled vegetables and meat. Zephyr chose pasta with sauce at every restaurant, and of course, ice cream at the end.
We didn’t take advantage of a babysitter but the resort does offer one, and for young children, there is a baby room to play in. We wanted to spend as much time outdoors so we avoided the baby room until Zephyr spied it from the stairs. Then we went there two days in a row as she loved it!
It was easy to get around the resort with a stroller or our Tushbaby carrier.
For children, there are lots of kids’ activities and for teens, there’s the arcade, mini golf and more.
Last but not least, the women’s restrooms are not the only restrooms that have changing tables. So do the men’s! They also have toddler seats so your toddler has somewhere to sit as you take care of yourself.
Pro Tip: The on-site gift shop has beach toys at a very reasonable price. Buy them there if you don’t want to pack them.
What are the dining options like?
Creta Maris Resort has more food than you could ever need for your trip including your picky kids and/or if you eat alternatively (vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.).
There are seven restaurants on site (plus snacks everywhere), and while not all of them are open every day, there’s plenty of variety.
Here are some dining tips based on our experience:
- The buffet near the main lobby is the biggest one. There are so many options of food that everyone in your group will be happy.
- Book restaurants through the concierge, not the app. The app was a bit limiting, but the concierge helped us get reservations easily and even worked around toddler-friendly timing.
- The buffet near the heated pool is an underrated gem—it has gyros that were super tasty and perfect for a quick lunch before heading back to swim.
- The seafood restaurant (Alatsi) is open to families on Friday nights, and it was absolutely worth the reservation. Fresh grilled fish, great service and a relaxed setting right on the sea that still felt elevated.
- I’m a big fan of chicken nuggets and really enjoyed the chicken nuggets by the pool. They also have Greek meat and pitas to make yummy pitas.
- My favorite restaurants were the seafood one and the farm-to-table one, Pithos, because the farm-to-table restaurant had many local Cretian dishes to choose from.
Pro Tip: Book restaurants on the first day with the concierge, not via the app.
What are some good tips to know before I go?
If you’re planning a trip and stumbled on this Creta Maris review while researching, here are a few practical tips that can make your stay smoother:
- Heated Pool Hack: Head to the pool just before the water park for warmer water—ideal if you’re traveling outside peak summer months.
- Lounge Area By The Seafood Restaurant, Alatsi: The lounge area in the photo above is perfect if you want a quiet and picturesque place to snooze or read a book.
- Restaurant Reservations: Use the concierge desk. It’ll save you time and stress.
- Seafood Night: Plan your Friday dinner at the seafood restaurant—it’s the only night that families are welcomed there.
- Stroll the Grounds at Sunset: The property is especially pretty at golden hour. It’s a great time to wind down before bedtime (for both toddlers and adults).
- Bring Water: There’s free water bottles in your room, replenished daily. I would bring these out with you when you go to the beach or pool. Sometimes there’s a small wait at the food stops and bars so it might not feel worth it to stand in line just for a cup of water.
Is the resort clean?
The resort is very clean from the bathrooms to the restaurants.
Even the baby room was immaculate. I was initially worried about hanging out in the baby room because of the carpet and toys being used by many kids, but you have to take your shoes off to go inside, there’s antibacterial at the front and everything is well maintained.
Our room was very well taken care of too in terms of cleanliness. They cleaned it every morning thoroughly and did a quick turn down service at nighttime since we booked a Premium Collection Suite.
Was there anything you were surprised about?
There were two perks at staying at this resort that we didn’t expect: an impromptu photoshoot and friends for the week.
While you’re lounging at the beach or pool, you will probably be approached by photographers asking if you’d like some photos. As Mike and I usually only have photos with our daughter and none with each other, we jumped at this opportunity.
We scheduled photos right before dinner one night to take advantage of golden hour and loved how the photos came out. Daniel was a great photographer as he got my usually shy daughter out of her shell and made her smile in multiple photos.
Also, another perk was making friends for the week. We kept seeing the same friendly faces with kids again and again so had some built-in friends for the week. And if your child tantrums during dinner– no one will judge you as everyone’s in the same boat and understanding.
Pro Tip: If doing a photo session, book it an hour before sunset to get the best golden hour photos.
Final Thoughts on Creta Maris
Wrapping up this Creta Maris review, I’d say this: If you’re a parent looking for a vacation that’s actually relaxing—without sacrificing beauty, quality, or family fun—Creta Maris is a fantastic choice.
It will give you peace of mind, lots of happy toddler squeals and a truly beautiful place to unwind. Again, you will feel like you’re right in a Greek village especially if you book a rustic suite by the sea.
Would I stay at a resort again? If it’s as thoughtfully done as this one—and especially with a toddler in tow—absolutely.
Creta Maris Review Summary
- Great for families with young kids
- Beautiful, village-style layout
- Plenty of pools including a heated one
- On-site beach with calm waters
- Diverse and tasty food options
- Book dining via concierge, not app
- A relaxing, stress-free way to travel with little ones
Thanks for making it all the way down to the end of this post. If you have any more questions about visiting Creta Maris Resort or want to see more photos of it on my Instagram Highlights, check them out here.
Till then, thanks for stopping by and have a great day!
xo, Sarah
