Conference hotels in Crete: eight listed options

Dimargio Luxury Hotel & Spa

Dimargio Luxury Hotel & Spa sits at 17 Katechaki in Heraklion's historical center. Its listing describes a newly built hotel with queen or king-size beds and free WiFi. Meeting space is a 50m2 conference room in the basement, accommodating up to 40 delegates in full function, with interconnected areas that adjust to different setups. The listing also mentions a history-infused atrium with preserved stone walls, suitable for photographs and drinks. Ask the venue what the 50m2 measures in each configuration and whether the atrium needs a separate booking. Best for: smaller Heraklion meetings that want drinks in a stone-walled atrium.

Ostria Resort & Spa

Ostria Resort & Spa is in Katharades, Ierapetra. Its listing says the resort has indoor and outdoor pools, restaurants, bars and a spa, plus meeting and conference facilities for executive meetings and large conferences. Thalassa Seaside Restaurant & Lounge runs a weekly programme with Mediterranean cuisine, live music, DJ sets and cabaret dinner shows, and the Onar Pool Bar hosts Cretan Night and Gala Dinner. Ask how the conference space is configured when a themed evening is running the same night. Best for: conferences that want evening entertainment built into the venue.

Kriti Beach Hotel

Kriti Beach Hotel is at 18a Papanastasiou in Rethymno. Its listing describes airy rooms and suites, two restaurants, a pool, a bar and sea views. The Polymnia conference hall accommodates 100 people in theatre style or 60 in a U-shape layout, and the listing says it suits gatherings from conferences to social events. Ask the venue for the room's dimensions and ceiling height, since theatre style and U-shape numbers alone won't tell you if your stage or screen fits. Best for: Rethymno conferences that need a coastal base and a named hall.

Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas

Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas is a waterfront resort in Elounda, Lassithi, with a sandy beach, dining options and a spa. According to the hotel, its multi-function venues can accommodate dynamic and interactive events, supported by a team offering a full range of services. The listing positions it as a luxury seaside resort. Ask the venue which specific venue within the property is being quoted, since multi-function can mean several rooms with different sizes. Best for: upscale Lassithi conferences with resort amenities.

Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village

Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village is at the 11th km of the Old National Road Heraklion-Rethymno. Its listing describes a hotel complex built to resemble a traditional Cretan village, with a restaurant, an outdoor pool and a museum on site. It hosts corporate gatherings, MICE groups on a private basis, incentive or conference trips, and cultural events. Ask the venue whether a conference group gets private use of the village or shares it with day visitors. Best for: conference trips that want a cultural setting and a museum on site.

Elounda Bay Palace Hotel

Elounda Bay Palace Hotel is in Schisma Eloundas, with direct beach access. Its listing says the hotel has eight restaurants, three bars, and indoor and outdoor pools, and that it provides a setting for conferences, weddings and other social or professional occasions, with staff handling arrangements down to the last detail. Ask the venue to name the conference room and its dimensions, since the listing doesn't specify a hall. Best for: groups that want dining variety and beach access in one property.

Atrion Hotel

Atrion Hotel is at 9 Chronaki in Heraklion, near the city center and the seashore. Its listing describes a fully renovated, minimal-style hotel with a conference center and business facilities, a restaurant and a courtyard, with some rooms having sea-view balconies. The listing notes easy access to Crete's main highways. Ask the venue which conference room your group would use and whether the courtyard is available for breaks. Best for: city-based conferences that need highway access and a central location.

KARATARAKIS Hotels & Restaurants

KARATARAKIS Hotels & Restaurants is a hospitality group based at Epimenidou 42, Heraklion. Its listing says the company owns, leases and manages hotels, residencies, restaurants, and conference and events facilities, and organizes social and commercial events with a banquet team. The listing describes décor and a setup designed for conferences, seminars and presentations. Ask the venue which property in the group is being offered, since the listing covers several. Best for: organizers who want one group to handle both conference space and catering.

How to choose among them

Start with the room, not the hotel. A listing that gives a capacity without a layout can't tell you whether your 60 delegates fit in classroom style. Our guide to conference capacity explains why the layout matters more than the headline number.

Venue	Area	What the listing describes	Best for
Dimargio Luxury Hotel & Spa	Heraklion center	50m2 basement conference room, up to 40 delegates, atrium	Smaller city meetings
Ostria Resort & Spa	Ierapetra	Meeting and conference facilities, pools, spa, weekly events	Conferences with evening entertainment
Kriti Beach Hotel	Rethymno	Polymnia hall, 100 theatre style or 60 U-shape, sea views	Coastal conferences with a named hall
Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas	Elounda	Multi-function venues, beach, spa, dining	Upscale resort conferences
Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village	Heraklion-Rethymno road	Village complex, museum, MICE groups, private basis	Cultural and incentive conferences
Elounda Bay Palace Hotel	Schisma Eloundas	Eight restaurants, three bars, conference setting, beach access	Groups wanting dining variety
Atrion Hotel	Heraklion	Conference center, business facilities, courtyard, highway access	City conferences with car access
KARATARAKIS Hotels & Restaurants	Heraklion	Group with hotels, restaurants, conference facilities, banquet team	One supplier for space and catering

Questions to put to every venue

Before you shortlist, work through this checklist:

• Ask for the room's dimensions, not just capacity. A hall that seats 100 theatre style may not fit your sponsor stands.
• Confirm the layout you'll actually use. Theatre, U-shape, classroom and cabaret numbers differ, and the listing may only quote one.
• Ask whether the space is shared. A hotel with a weekly events programme may have another group in the same wing.
• Check sleeping rooms separately. A conference hotel's meeting space says nothing about whether your delegates can all stay on site.
• Confirm who confirms what. Licensing, noise limits and any permits sit with the venue, the municipality or another authority. Requirements change, so confirm current rules with the competent authority before you sign.
• Ask about access. For Heraklion city venues, ask where coaches stop; for the Lassithi coast, ask about transfers from the airport.

Picking the airport side first

Crete is a big island, and the distance between Heraklion, Rethymno and the Lassithi coast shapes everything else: flights, transfer time, and whether your delegates stay in one hotel or two. Our guide to Crete corporate retreats covers picking the airport side first.

Seeing the island beyond the meeting room

If you want the wider picture on what the island offers between sessions, start with our Crete destination page.

Tell us your headcount, your dates and what the conference needs from the room, and we'll point you to the listings that answer those specifics.