Crete is sunlight on stone, salt on skin, and the quiet joy of living simply.
A Curated Selection of the 9 Best Airbnbs in Crete – Handpicked by The Revel Stay
Our edit of the best Airbnbs in Crete gathers homes that speak quietly but stay with you. They belong to the land as much as to the people who built them – whitewashed walls, olive branches leaning over courtyards, stone softened by sun and time. Life here is unhurried and sincere. You eat what’s grown nearby, swim where the mountains meet the sea, and end the day under a sky that never really darkens. This is Crete at its most honest, shaped by light, salt, and stillness.
01. Suite Private Pool Swim Up | Adults Only
Old Town, Rethymno
3 guests // 1 bedroom // 1 bed // 1 bathroom
Why this stay stands out
Tucked inside a 19th-century building in Rethymno’s old town, Amalen’s five-suite adults-only hideaway blends stone, limewash, and quiet geometry with modern comforts. Each suite has a private swim-up pool, while a lagoon-style pool anchors the breakfast courtyard. Design is thoughtful and restrained, lighting is soft, and service is quietly present. For travelers searching the best Airbnbs in Crete, this intimate address brings heritage and contemporary craft together in the heart of the city.
Life inside this home
Mornings begin with a generous breakfast in the courtyard, then a swim straight from your suite. Interiors feel cocooned and calm, with spa-like bathrooms, plush linens, and considered details that keep you in a slower rhythm. Step outside for tavernas and the sea, return for a late dip, music low, water lapping against stone. Staff are warm and attentive, happy to share local notes or pack a beach lunch, so days unfold with ease.
A slow swim, a softer pace.
02. Suite Private Pool Upper Floor | Adults Only
Old Town, Rethymno
3 guests // 1 bedroom // 1 bed // 1 bathroom
Why this stay stands out
On a quiet street in Rethymno’s old town, this adults-only suite sits high above the bustle, shaped by stone, light, and calm restraint. Traditional arches meet modern lines, and a private pool catches the sun through a screen of soft shadow. Each of Amalen’s five suites feels crafted rather than designed, balancing heritage and warmth. It’s a space that captures Crete’s timeless rhythm, offering design-led intimacy for travelers seeking the best Airbnbs in Crete.
Life inside this home
Soft light filters through linen curtains, the surface of the pool rippling in reflection. Inside, cool stone and quiet textures create a rhythm of ease. You move slowly here, drawn to the terrace, to the scent of sea air and distant bells. Evenings are hushed and luminous, the city below alive in a softer tone. It feels private, but connected, a space that holds stillness without silence.
A rooftop retreat for the senses.
03. Villa Vido
Karteros, Heraklion
5 guests // 2 bedrooms // 3 beds // 2 bathrooms
Why this stay stands out
On a quiet hill above Heraklion, Villa Vido is a Cycladic-style retreat that feels both local and refined. Whitewashed walls, timber ceilings, and stone terraces look out to Dia island and the Aegean. Olive trees and citrus fill the garden, and there’s even a small chicken house for fresh eggs in the morning. It’s one of the best Airbnbs in Crete for travellers drawn to light, landscape, and everyday simplicity, where modern comfort meets an honest sense of place.
Life inside this home
Days fall easily into rhythm here. Mornings start on the balcony, the sea bright in the distance. Afternoons stretch between the garden and shaded terrace, the smell of herbs in the air. Evenings bring slow dinners, local wine, and the hum of crickets beyond the walls. The house feels made for pause, a space to live simply, cook from the garden, and watch the island soften into night.
Where simplicity feels rich.
04. Fedra Suites-Two Bedroom Apartment with Sea View
Myrthios, Crete
4 guests // 2 bedrooms // 3 beds // 1 bathroom
Why this stay stands out
Set in the hillside village of Myrthios, Fedra Suites brings together Cretan stone, white walls, and a view that feels endless. The split-level apartment is designed with restraint and care, balancing simplicity with comfort. A private terrace looks over the bay, and the jetted tub catches the last light of the day. It’s one of the best Airbnbs in Crete for those who want space, sea views, and a slower rhythm surrounded by timeless beauty.
Life inside this home
Days follow the light here. Breakfasts stretch on the terrace as the sea shifts from silver to blue. The village hums quietly below, and Plakias beach is a short drive down the hill. Evenings feel easy, marked by grilled fish, local wine, and the scent of warm stone. This is Crete at its unhurried best, where comfort feels effortless and every moment finds its pace.
Sea views and slow living
05. Luxurious stone cave , private pool, sea view
Kaliviani, Chania
3 guests // 1 bedroom // 1 bed // 1 bathroom
Why this stay stands out
Carved from natural rock, this vaulted cave studio keeps its cool even as the Cretan sun climbs. Limewashed walls, stone alcoves, and simple timber pieces create an honest, grounded aesthetic. A private plunge pool and small terrace open to Kissamos Bay, with Balos and Falasarna within easy reach. It feels singular and quietly luxurious, a rare find among the best Airbnbs in Crete for travelers who value texture, history, and sea views over spectacle.
Life inside this home
Stone underfoot, cicadas in the trees, salt in the air from the bay below. Afternoons drift between the shaded pool and the balcony, where the village softens to evening. Walk a minute for grilled fish and greens, return with local wine, and let the cave hold the day’s heat at a distance. Goat bells carry across the slope, and the night opens wide above the hills. Time stretches here, and the body follows.
Cretan calm, held in stone
06. Cabanon concrete retreat (house B)
Voulgaro, Chania
3 guests // 1 bedroom // 2 beds // 1 bathroom
Why this stay stands out
Raw concrete meets olive grove calm in a cabin shaped by Mediterranean proportions and a quiet nod to Le Corbusier. Large panes frame the sea line beyond Kissamos, while a minimal kitchen and warm timber details keep the focus on light, shade, and the landscape. It feels intentional, sustainable, and human in scale, a thoughtful choice among the best Airbnbs in Crete for travelers who want architecture, solitude, and an easy drive to Balos and Falasarna.
Life inside this home
Morning light softens the poured concrete, and the olive trees carry a slow breeze up the slope. Brew coffee, step onto the small terrace, watch the bay turn silver. Read in the shade, cook with tomatoes and greens from the hosts, then wander to a quiet beach or stay with the stillness. Evenings settle into low voices, local wine, and a sky full of stars. It is pared back on purpose, a place that gives you room to breathe.
Concrete, olives, open horizon
07. Lemon Tree Eco-Retreat with beautiful Terraces
Gavalochori, Crete
2 guests // 1 bedroom // 1 bed // 1 bathroom
Why this stay stands out
Set in the quiet village of Gavalochori, this restored stone house reflects the essence of slow island living. Every surface tells a story: marble steps, hand-carved wood, cool plaster walls. Two terraces catch the light through the trees, and the courtyard fills with the scent of citrus and carob. Built with local, natural materials, it embodies mindful simplicity. Among the best Airbnbs in Crete, this home is a calm retreat shaped by craft, care, and the rhythm of the land.
Life inside this home
Filtered light drifts across the wooden floor, and the air smells faintly of sun-warmed lemon leaves. The day moves gently between shaded terraces, quiet reading, and slow meals in the garden. Evenings settle into stillness, the sound of cicadas softening with the dusk. There’s space here to think, to linger, to feel part of the landscape. It’s a place that asks nothing of you but time.
A home that breathes calm
08. Lithontia Guesthouse | Stone house with unique view
Monastiraki, Crete
2 guests // 1 bedroom // 1 bed // 1 bathroom
Why this stay stands out
Set high in the quiet village of Monastiraki, this 18th-century stone house has been restored with a light hand. Rough-hewn walls, timber ceilings, and cool plaster meet handmade furniture and simple ironwork. The courtyard frames wide views over Merambello Bay and the cut of the Ha Gorge, a horizon that shifts with the light. It feels intimate, crafted, and utterly local, a thoughtful choice among the best Airbnbs in Crete for travelers who value setting and soul.
Life inside this home
Open the blue door to stillness. Breakfast travels from kitchen to flagstone terrace, shaded by stone and sky. Afternoons move slowly between a book on the bench, the salt smell from the coast, the hush of the mountains behind. Evenings are for small plates, a glass of wine, and the last color leaving the bay. The house holds you close, pared back yet warm, a place to pause and feel part of this hillside village.
Sunset over the bay
09. Best seaview sundeck where time stops & world ends
Treis Ekklisies, Crete
4 guests // 2 bedrooms // 3 beds // 1 bathroom
Why this stay stands out
On Crete’s untouched south coast, this Cycladic cottage pairs a nostalgic interior with the vastness of sea and sky. Inside, the spaces are humble and lived in, with whitewashed walls, simple wooden details, and a sense of quiet familiarity. Outside, life unfolds across two terraces, one shaded, one open to the horizon. From the upper sundeck, the Libyan Sea feels endless. Among the best Airbnbs in Crete, it’s a place that recalls slower, simpler summers.
Life inside this home
Here, you wake to light flickering through bamboo shade and end the day under constellations. The rhythm is gentle, coffee on the veranda, swims before lunch, the hush of the village settling as the air cools. The furniture carries a quiet nostalgia, soft edges, sun faded wood, a feeling of care. Evenings stretch across the rooftop hammock, the sea breathing below, time slowing to the sound of waves.
Nostalgia in the sea breeze
