The first thing worth mentioning is that I was nervous about going to Creta Maris. An all-inclusive — and concerningly affordable — resort 25 minutes East of Heraklion, Crete, which in its peak months houses 2,000 guests. But we had a totally fantastic holiday, and after six days at the hotel I can honestly say I can’t recommend it highly enough. I’m also a massive convert to all-inclusive holidays, which I’m surprised by myself.
As the type of hard working professional Rachel Reeves is determined to squeeze until the pips come out, it was such a relief not to have to constantly shell out £100 for family meals. To have a holiday where money no longer really exists was unbelievably liberating. Not to mention how great it is that a holiday you think is going to cost 'X' actually costs what you predicted.
The resort is arranged around cobbled paths, flagstone squares and lush gardens brimming with flowers and herbs in an ambiance reminiscent of a Greek Cycladic island in miniature. The hotel, built in the 1970s, recently had a comprehensive and very stylish facelift. Yes, it’s pretty busy. But it’s big, and as long as you avoid the main pool area you’ll find lots of pockets of peaceful calm.
See also: The best Greek island hotels
The hotel has seven excellent restaurants dotted around the resorts, all boasting traditional recipes using sustainable produce. Pithos, the organic restaurant is a must, as is the new a la carte fish restaurant Alatsi serving Aegean caught fish in a Cretan style. The main restaurant, which is a buffet is a thing of wonder, offering a vast array of traditional Cretan dishes plus endless permutations of delicious salads. The hotel, cleverly, doesn’t deviate from excellent home-cooked Greek food. The fresh yoghurt and homemade granola at breakfast were the best I’ve ever had.
My teenage son spent his days swooshing around the waterpark and playing football all afternoon while my six-year-old daughter begged to go to the kids' club each day where activities ranged from tennis, to swimming, to baking to craft, run by some of the nicest young people you’ll ever meet.
My husband and I managed to tempt the children away from the hotel for a trip to the nearby exceptionally pretty beach, Voulisma. Other people spoke highly of Matala beach, and no trip is complete without a trip to Knossos, the world-famous Minoan temple built 4,000 years ago, which is just 30 minutes away.
In essence, Creta Maris is a super affordable resort which is perfect for families looking for an easy breezy escape, where each generation is taken care of. Children can be kept entertained from sunrise to sunset in the kids' club, or their impressive waterpark replete with an array of water slides. There are also endless sports activities: the watersports shack offers everything from paddleboarding to doughnutting, and there's also daily organised fitness classes from Hiit workouts to Pilates and yoga. You just download your Creta Maris app for the schedule and turn up to whatever you want to do that day.
My husband and I explored the coast along the road to the west of the resort and discovered some heavenly deserted beaches and pontoons with wonderful swimming in peaceful coves with perfectly clear blue-green water. Just a few thousand metres from the resort, It felt like pristine undiscovered luxury of the kind that will, no doubt, be discovered by property developers in a few years time.
Would I go back? Definitely. We went for October half -term and it was lovely and sunny. May half term is apparently great too. Because it’s so close to the airport it would also be great for a long weekend.
Creta Maris has rates from £275 for a Family Plan Room based on two adults and two children under 12 on an all-inclusive basis. cretamaris.gr
