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Athens Hotels
Corfu Hotels
Crete Hotels
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Mykonos Hotels
Naxos Hotels
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Rhodes Hotels
Santorini Hotels
Thessaloniki Hotels
Zakynthos Hotels
Athens Hotels for Families
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InterContinental Athenaeum (luxury)
Family rooms are huge and well worth the extra money. Swimming pool is nice and some rooms have amazing views of the Acropolis. The hotel is located a little outside the city center but a free shuttle bus runs to main tourist spots every hour.
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Hilton Athens (luxury)
Located away from the Plaka and Syntagma Square in a quieter section of the city. A nearby subway stop connects you with everything. Good sized rooms, a beautiful pool, and exemplary service makes it a great pick.
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Ava Hotel Athens (luxury)
The service and amenities of a 5 star hotel with the friendliness of a family run B&B. A perfect location on a quiet street in the heart of the Plaka. Great breakfast is served and the hotel is close to the Metro. Some rooms have kitchenettes.
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Electra Palace Hotel (moderate)
Great location in the Plaka. Fantastic rooftop pool with views of the Acropolis (there’s also an indoor pool if you’re visiting in winter or need a break from the sun). The free buffet breakfast is very good.
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Astor Hotel (moderate)
Great location. A very good breakfast is included in the price and served on the rooftop restaurant with amazing views of the Acropolis. Large triples and quads are available for families. Furnishings are dated but the hotel is a good mid-range option near Syntagma Square.
Corfu Hotels for Families
- Corfu Palace Hotel
Amazing pool. - Akrotiri Beach Hotel
- Akti Aphrodite
Great pool. Central location in Sidari but not surrounded by clubs. - Aquis Pelekas Beach Hotel
On the beach, but maybe not for families with very young kids and babies as it’s on a steep hill. - Costa Blu Hotel & Suites
- Aquis Sandy Beach Resort
- Aquis Capo Di Corfu
- Spiti Prifti Apartments (Gouvia)
- Sun Apartments (Acharavi)
Crete Hotels for Families
- Ammos Hotel (Chania Town)
A family friendly boutique hotel set right on the beach and just 10 minutes from the Old Town in Chania. The friendly staff get raves, as does the kid friendly swimming pool. Kids are a common site at the Ammos and the warm staff go out of their way to make families feel welcome. - Lefka Apartments (Chania Town)
A big pool, in room kitchens and super friendly staff are the big draws here. These rentals are available for longer stays and have nice discounts for May, June, September and October. Situated a short distance from Chania and near to a supermarket, greek taverna, and the airport. - King Minos Palace Hotel (Hersonissos)
A fantastic pool, good food, and central location for touring the island keep guests happy. A small beach is only 5 minutes away – though the sea here can be rough. A super market is just a short distance as well. - Olive Grove Apartments (Elounda)
Quiet and relaxing are the key words here. Situated in a sleepy town with many good restaurants the Olive Grove makes a pleasant stay for families. The rooms are very clean (some have washing machines) and just a 5 minute walk from the beach. A beautiful pool (and smaller kiddie pool), well equipped kitchens, great location and fantastic food garner great reviews from visitors. - Candia Park Village (Agios Nikolaos)
Great breakfasts, free kids club, fantastic beach and big rooms are the draw at the Candia Park. The taxi ride into Agios Nikolaos isn’t particularly cheap but this is made up for by crystal clear sea (great for snorkeling) and the pool side bar with ice cream and milkshakes. - Axos Hotel (Rethymnon)
Friendly and inviting owners make a good hotel great! Fantastic breakfasts, delicious pizza, and a nearby strip of shops and eateries make for an inviting stay. The hotel is self catering and features a lovely pool with plenty of sun beds. Great online deals can be found outside of the high season of July and August.
Kefalonia Hotels for Families
- Astra Village Hotel & Suites
Beautiuful pool, large rooms, great value. Several places to eat within walking distance but you will need a car rental to explore the island.
Kos Hotels for Families
- Aegean Houses (Lampi)
- Hotel Platanista (Psalidi)
- Michelangelo Hotel and Spa (Agios Fokas)
Indoor and Outdoor pool. Kids club. - Peridis Family Resort Kos (Kos Town)
Mykonos Hotels for Families
- Santa Marina Resort & Villas (Ornos)
One of the best hotels on Mykonos in fantastic (and very family-friendly Ornos). Great pool and wonderful service. - Dionysos Hotel Ornos
Great hotel with friendly service. Breakfast served by the pool every morning. - Kamari Hotel Platys Gialos
Great hotel in Platys Gialos. Not far from the beach but far enough to keep it quiet. Fantastic pool.
Naxos Hotels for Families
Paros Hotels for Families
- Saint Andrea Seaside Resort (Naoussa)
- Hotel Eri (Parikia)
- Panorama Hotel Parikia (Parikia)
- Astir of Paros (Kolymbithres)
Rhodes Hotels for Families
- Rodos Park Suites & Spa (Rhodes Town)
The best luxury hotel in Rhodes Town. Fantastic pool and amenities. Suites have in-room jacuzzis. - Mediterranean Hotel Rhodes (Rhodes Town)
Directly across from the town beach. A nice pool, good sized rooms, close to shops and restaurants. - Lindos Mare Hotel (Lindos)
A great location on the beach. Beautiful pool, glorious views, sauna and steam baths. - Atrium Palace Thalasso Spa Resort & Villas (Lindos)
A superb resort with kids club, children’s pool, on-call doctor, babysitting, and indoor and outdoor pools.
Santorini Hotels for Families
- Pension George (Fira area)
Large rooms and a nice pool, 15 minutes walk to Fira. - Smaragdi Hotel Perivolos (Perivolas)
With a great pool near Perivolas beach. - Aegean Plaza Hotel (Kamari)
Friendly staff, nice pool, minutes from the beach. - Anemomilos Hotel Apartments (Oia)
Nice pool and location. A good value hotel in Oia.
Thessaloniki Hotels for Families
- Makedonia Palace Hotel Thessaloniki
One of the Thessaloniki’s best hotels. A great pool and very family-friendly service. - Domotel Les Lazaristes
Good sized rooms and a nice outdoor pool.
Zakynthos Hotels for Families
- Edelweiss Studios & Appartments Argassi (Argassi)
- Bitzaro Grande Hotel (Kalamaki)
Would you stay in the Syntagma area or the Plaka? Can you walk between them easily or is it busy traffic? We only have one day there. What’s the single best thing to do in Athens? Thanks much.
Yes, it is easy to walk between the two areas on a few quiet or pedestrian-only streets. Personally, I would stay in the Plaka. Quieter, lots of restaurants, great for walking, and you have the Acropolis staring down on you. The single best thing to do in Athens would be a walk up to the Parthenon. The National Archeological Museum is a close second.
We’re staying in the Plaka district. Is it easy to get to the ferries by metro or should we take a taxi? Our ferry to Santorini leaves early in the morning. Are there good restaurants in the Plaka area and around?
The subway from Monastiraki goes directly to the port at Piraeus. There’s also a stop at Syntagma Square which might be closer depending on where your hotel is. The metro starts running at around 6am in the morning which should work for almost every ferry departure. The Plaka does have some good restaurants. Most are very tourist-oriented but for that environment the area has surprisingly good quality – or at least there are some good ones amid the touristy ones. You’ll have to pay for the good ones though and if you wanted an authentic Greek meal you could head out of the Plaka into the Psirri district (and beyond). Good luck.
The Hilton Athens is where everyone should stay if they can afford it. It’s a little ways outside the busy center which we were worried about but turns out to be a good thing. It’s a nice break to leave the crowds behind and get some quiet after seeing the Parthenon, Acropolis, museums and the like all day. The pool is great for kids. The service is top notch. Only negative is not too many restaurants around like the Plaka.
We flew to Santorini after 2 days in Athens then took the ferry back. I recommend the ferry as you don’t have to worry about all the airport hassles and you’re outside, on the ship deck, looking at the ocean. Our kids just loved it, where as being on a plane has gotten quite old and boring for them.
We stopped in Mykonos and Naxos too. Everyone liked Naxos. Only I liked Mykonos, but it was a very quick stop so maybe longer there would have given us time to get to the beach. Instead, just hung around the town. I liked the shopping and food. My husband complained that the town is too loud to get a good nights sleep.
One last night in Athens and we went to an amazing authentic greek restaurant that the concierge recommended. I have no idea where or what it was, but it was a great experience. Just ask a local greek and I’m sure you could find something similar. Get away from the tourists and you’ll be rewarded with great food and fun.
I’ve stayed at the Hilton too and thought it was great. But being in the central area, around the plaka, around the acropolis, is a must when in Athens. It’s fun to walk out your door, stroll to a restaurant, and sit among the ancient sites, with the parthenon looking down on you. To each their own, and yes it’s a great hotel, but I think when in Athens to spend your time away from what makes it special, then you’re missing out.
Here’s what we did. We landed at the airport, hopped on the metro, and were downtown incredibly quickly. I don’t think it was much more than 35 minutes (but seemed like 15). We then walked out the station at Syntagma and started walking towards the acropolis with our backpacks (packing lite has many advantages). We stopped in at 3 hotels along the way. 1 was sold out. 1 was expensive. 1 was perfect. We settled on a very simple but inexpensive room that was perfect for my son and I. Spent about 15 minutes in the room (a quick shower and brush teeth) and were out the door. We walked towards Omonia Square, wandered through a few markets and had some lunch at a very cheap but good restaurant. Didn’t seem to be any tourists around. Continued on to the National Archeological Museum. Spent the afternoon there. Then walked back through Kolonaki and a park next to Syntagma. Back to the hotel. Another quick shower (it was June and hot and muggy). Then out for dinner and stayed in the Plaka area. Very touristy but had a fun, easy going, festive atmosphere. Not the smarmy feel that some touristy areas can have. A good nights sleep and up early to walk up to the Parthenon and the Acropolis museum. Spent 2 hours up there and could have spent more but had to catch our ferry. Down the hill grabbed our bags from the hotel who let us store them there, grabbed a bite, and took the subway to Piraeus. Bought the tickets at the first shop we saw. Everyone told me it doesn’t matter who or where you buy your tickets from and it all seemed fine to us, though since we didn’t do any comparison shopping I guess I couldn’t say for sure. Supposedly, ferry prices are set by the government and there is little difference between the different agents. Finding our ferry to Santorini wasn’t quite as easy as I had expected and we walked on board only a few minutes before the doors closed. I’d recommend getting to Piraeus at least an hour before your ferry leaves. That means leaving from downtown Athens about 2 hours before departure. The islands were great, though I won’t write about that here. We booked at a nicer hotel on our return trip through Athens as my son wanted a swimming pool (and we never stayed at a hotel with a swimming pool on the islands.) Booking online is the way to go as we got a much better deal than at our first stay.
The highlights of our trip: The Parthenon, The Greek National Musuem in Athens, the beaches and Old Town in Rhodes, the views in Santorini, the ferry rides, the food. Fantastic!
Hi. Can I take a bike on board the ferries? Does it cost extra? And can I buy ferry tickets on the ferry or do I need to get them in advance? Thanks.
Yes, bikes are allowed on the ferries and free. But no, you can’t buy tickets on-board the ferries. That doesn’t mean you have to buy tickets days or weeks in advance. It simply means you need to get a ticket before you get to the actual ferry. Piraeus, and the port on each of the islands, will have many places to buy tickets right up to the departure. Just give yourself plenty of time to get on board the ferry as it usually takes some questioning and walking to find the right boat in the busy port in Athens. (It’s very easy to find the boat when you’re on the islands as there is usually only one in port at a time and the port itself is not very big.)
What is the best island for family with boys age8,11 not to many wild parties going on ect.we just want a small easy place to explore ,shop,beach,eat out ,bike,beach ect .we are on a modest budget and are arriving in Athens Aug 15 ..with no plans yet we are there Untill 31 …HELP
Naxos, Paros, Antiparos are all great and perfect for a family. Easy to get to from Athens too.
Hello,i would suggest looking for hotels in Psiri area as an alternative paying much less than in Plaka and the Acropolis area and its only a few minutes walk from there with lots of local “ouzeri”taverns and bars, The Athinaikon Hotel is a good option on Evripidou and Athinas street if you are looking for something on a budget .
At Monastiraki is the metro station for both port and airport,
For one day i suggest visiting Plaka,Psiri,Acropolis and the Acropolis museum.
Thanks all for the day!
We are looking to meet up with family in Skiathos taking our 13 & 8 year old this summer. I love the information on your website but can’t find much on this island.? In particular can you recommend accomodation? Thanks
Hi Ros. Skiathos is a great island and has some fantastic beaches. Here are 2 great hotels to start your search:
Atrium Hotel Agia Paraskevi
Kassandra Bay Hotel Vasilias
I hope that helps. Good luck.
Hi Dave, just need some of your advice. We are planning family (two girls age 7 and 10) holiday in greece, we were thinking of flying from London or France to Athens visit Athens for a day or two and than take a ferry or flight (what would you recommend?) to Crete- we would like to stay in Crete for the rest of our two weeks holiday. Where would you recommend in Crete and shell we rent a car? or buses are comfortable? We would like to visit the closer islands and most of our time spend on the beaches. Do you think Atherns is a good idea? maybe we should fly straight to one of the airports in Crete. Your advice is much much appreciated. Thankyou.
Honestly, look for flights first (e.g. Can you get a direct flight from Paris to Athens on the days you need? Can you fly from Crete to London on the return dates? – maybe, but maybe not). So start with the flights and then tailor your trip around that. Athens to Crete is a long ferry ride so a flight is a good idea. A car is nice on Crete but the buses are great too. Having a rental car for 2 or 3 days at some point would be a good idea though and allow you to see some out of the way places. Crete is large and can easily fill 2 weeks with sightseeing and beach time. There aren’t any really close islands to Crete so getting to the nearest ones (Karpathos, Rhodes, Santorini) will take some time and will eat-up a full day. I’d just stick with Crete, but once again, look at the flights. Is there a flight from Santorini to Paris on the days you’ll be flying back? If so, perfect. Take a catamaran to Santorini for a one or two night stay and then fly home. Oh, and Athens is great. Lots to see and will be the most “Greek” place you’ll see on your travels. It’s easy to wander away from the tourist spots and experience Athenian life. Not always easy on a holiday island. Good luck.