# Crete Hotels: Where to Stay Across the Island > Crete's accommodation splits across its four regions — Chania and Rethymno in the west, Heraklion in the centre and Lasithi in the east. This overview orients you and routes you to the right region for hotels, apartments and villas. | | | |---|---| | Regions | 4 | | Airports | Heraklion & Chania | | Ferry ports | Heraklion & Chania | | Quietest area | Southeast | **Crete's accommodation splits across its four regions — Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion and Lasithi.** Chania and Rethymno hold the west, with Venetian harbour towns and villa country; Heraklion holds the centre, the capital and the busiest beaches; Lasithi holds the quiet east. This page orients you and links each region's hotel list; for the wider island start from the [Crete travel guide](https://fly2greece.net/crete.html). _Photo: Crete, Greece: where to stay across the island_ _Photo: Crete, Greece: where to stay across the island_ _Photo: Crete, Greece: where to stay across the island_ _Photo: Crete, Greece: where to stay across the island_ _Photo: Crete, Greece: where to stay across the island_ _Photo: Crete, Greece: where to stay across the island_ _Photo: Crete, Greece: where to stay across the island_ _Photo: Crete, Greece: where to stay across the island_ ## Chania: the west Chania anchors the west of Crete around its Venetian harbour town and the island's second airport and ferry port at Souda. Stay in or near Chania town for a walkable waterfront, or spread west and south to resorts and villages such as Platanias, Kissamos Kastelli, Almirida and the Apokoronas villa country inland from the north coast; the quieter south coast reaches Sougia, Paleochora and Frangokastelo. Browse hotels, apartments and villas on the [Chania hotels](https://fly2greece.net/chania-hotels.html) page. ## Rethymno: the centre-west Rethymno sits between Chania and Heraklion, so it works as a midway base for touring both ends of the island. Its old town gathers below a Venetian fortress on the north coast, while the south coast runs to quieter beach villages such as Agios Pavlos and Plakias below the Psiloritis mountains. See where to stay on the [Rethymno hotels](https://fly2greece.net/rethymno-hotels.html) page. ## Heraklion: the centre Heraklion is Crete's capital and its main gateway, with the island's biggest airport and ferry port. The central north coast holds the busiest resorts, so many visitors prefer calmer bases nearby such as Agia Pelagia, 22 kilometres from the city, Ammoudara or Ligaria, and mountain villages like Zaros, 45 kilometres inland on the Psiloritis plain. Compare options on the [Heraklion hotels](https://fly2greece.net/heraklion-hotels.html) page. ## Lasithi: the east Lasithi covers the east of Crete and holds its quietest corners. The southeast is the most peaceful part of the whole island, with low-key coastal villages such as Mirtos, Makrigialos and Analipsi where you can still find an empty beach. Find hotels, studios and apartments on the [Lasithi hotels](https://fly2greece.net/lasithi-hotels.html) page. ## How to choose your base Choose your region first, then your village. Fly into Heraklion for central and eastern Crete and into Chania for the west, and keep drives short by staying near the part of the island you most want to see. Pick Chania or Rethymno for old-town character and the west, Heraklion for central beaches and the main gateway, and Lasithi for the calm east. Once you have a region, open its hotel page above to compare hotels, apartments and villas; for the sights, beaches and getting around, start from the [Crete travel guide](https://fly2greece.net/crete.html). ## Frequently asked questions **Which part of Crete is best to stay in?** Match the region to your trip. Base in **Chania** for the Venetian old town and the west, in **Heraklion** for the central beaches and the main airport, in **Rethymno** for a midway base between the two, and in **Lasithi** for the quiet east. Compare properties on the [Chania](https://fly2greece.net/chania-hotels.html), [Rethymno](https://fly2greece.net/rethymno-hotels.html), [Heraklion](https://fly2greece.net/heraklion-hotels.html) and [Lasithi](https://fly2greece.net/lasithi-hotels.html) hotel pages. **Where should first-time visitors stay in Crete?** First-time visitors do well in the old harbour towns of **Chania** or **Rethymno** in the west. Both put you on a walkable waterfront within reach of beaches and day trips, and both sit near an airport or ferry port. **Which airport should I fly into for Crete?** Fly into **Heraklion (HER)** for central and eastern Crete, and into **Chania (CHQ)** for the west. Heraklion and Chania are also the island's two main ferry ports. **Where is the quietest place to stay in Crete?** The **southeast** is the most peaceful part of the island, with quiet coastal villages such as Mirtos, Makrigialos and Analipsi in the Lasithi region. See the [Lasithi hotels](https://fly2greece.net/lasithi-hotels.html) page for options there. --- Source: [Crete Hotels: Where to Stay Across the Island | fly2greece.net](https://fly2greece.net/crete-hotels.html) — fly2greece.net, an independent guide to Greece written and photographed by Hans Huisman since 2000. Reviewed July 2026.