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Sister hotel to Phāea Blue in Elounda, Phāea Cretan Malia is a brilliant, eco-friendly, family-friendly stay just 30 minutes from Crete's Heraklion Airport. Don’t let its easy-to-reach location fool you, though, it feels completely tranquil and remote, with its own Blue Flag private beach and plenty of different places to roam around and relax – whether you’re adults at the beach bar, teens hanging out at The Place, with its hammock-strung outdoor cinema or kids splashing down the river pool by the gelateria. Despite having 204 rooms, this Cretan gem never feels overcrowded. This sense of calm is accentuated by the all-encompassing lush flowers, cacti, palm trees and ancient olive trees dotted around the grounds.
Design notes
This beachside hideaway originally opened as Crete’s first campsite back in the seventies before becoming a hotel with low-rise buildings spread out across the lush beachside grounds and its seen several iterations. Most recently, the hotel has reopened after Phea took over, with an extensive renovation that focused on sustainability and bringing the authentic Cretan soul back to the place. Design Hotel-approved, Phāea Cretan Malia’s interior aesthetic now combines natural materials like wood and rattan with a rich, tertiary colour palette to add modern bohemian touches to its inside spaces. Natural light floods the rooms, suites and bungalows, where custom-made tiles and colourful murals decorate the walls.
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Why stay here
I came here in June while I was six months pregnant, along with my 86-year-old grandma. We wanted somewhere easy to reach from the airport, somewhere that had a lovely beach and pool on site, where we could be horizontal, but that also brought a sense of place to its design and food offerings. Phāea Cretan Malia was just the place. It’s easy enough to navigate at any age, without losing any of the local boutique hotel feel. Fellow guests staying at the time were mostly young families from Germany, France and Italy, navigating the lush botanical pathways easily with prams and well-behaved toddlers in tow.
Despite the influx of young children around us, the property always felt quiet and calm. There were so many experiences to keep them busy, from Mouries restaurant, which has a large open kitchen with a huge fireplace and hosts cooking classes in the day, using vegetables from the garden, to theatre and organic garden explorations in the expansive kids’ clubs. For adults, there's also plenty of activities to keep busy with beyond the beach and pool, from the tranquil yoga pavilion and spa hidden among banana trees to art exhibitions and olive oil or wine tastings.
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What’s around
The Malia Palace Archaeological Site is just outside of town. It’s Crete’s third-largest Minoan palace, with the site’s origins dating back circa 6000 BCE. Those craving a hike can make their way to Milatos Cave, which is about a half-hour drive, and you’ve also got a few vineyard trails nearby for tastings. The Palace of Knossos and Heraklion Archaeological Museum, home to the remains of the 3,000-year-old Minoan civilisation, also make easy day trips.
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Don’t miss
A highlight is the Phāea Farmers Feast at Bostani - the on-site vegetable and herb garden - where guests hand-pick fresh ingredients and enjoy a communal farm-to-table dining event.
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Food and drink
There are four Southeast Mediterranean restaurants scattered across the property, honouring Crete's culinary heritage and making the most of the island's bounty, including the hotel's site-grown veggies and honey. Mouries celebrates the best of Crete's local dishes. The open-fire restaurant is centred around a courtyard and is completely charming. Breakfast here is especially unique – where wooden tables overflow with the island's flavours, from mountain honey to regional cold cuts, gruyère cheese, spoon sweets, and freshly baked bread. Try Levant-inspired dishes at vibrant poolside restaurant Mezze, coastal Italian cuisine at Almyra, which overlooks the beach, or Mediterraneo, where you'll find the sprawling buffet breakfasts.
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