Vantaris Palace Hotel

Vantaris Palace sits directly on the longest beach on Crete, in the small coastal settlement of Kavros, four kilometres from the town of Georgioupolis. The hotel is built around a central building with two-storey wings alongside it, and it takes families as its core guest — the room mix runs from standard double rooms through family suites to junior suites, a number of which face the sea.

Two restaurants cover different needs. The main restaurant works as a buffet through breakfast, lunch and dinner. The second is à la carte, serving Cretan and international dishes in the evenings. Both sit within the hotel complex.

The pool facilities include freshwater outdoor pools and an indoor pool attached to the mini spa. A gym is on site. Organised cycling around nearby Lake Kournas is offered by the hotel — the lake is within easy reach of Kavros and is one of the few natural freshwater lakes in Crete.

The towns of Rethymno and Chania are both accessible as day trips from this stretch of coast, giving guests the option of beaches at the hotel and towns for the afternoons. Georgioupolis, four kilometres away, is the nearest town for independent eating and shopping.