Best Crete Hotels with Tennis Courts for Families
13 family-friendly hotels with tennis in Crete . Handpicked for families who want the best.
Crete has more on-site hotel tennis courts than any other Greek island. The big resort belt around Elounda on the east coast was built in the 1970s for European tennis tourists, and the courts that went in then are still there, mostly clay or hard, two to four courts per resort, all with floodlights. Kids' group lessons run morning and afternoon in summer, and most resorts have a tennis academy partner who handles racket hire, ball machines and private coaching. The five hotels in this guide all sit within ten minutes of each other on the Elounda peninsula, with proper kids pools, beach access and family rooms.
The Elounda area is its own micro-world: a 12-kilometre stretch of coast running north from Agios Nikolaos along Mirabello Bay, almost entirely given over to family resorts, hidden bays and the protected Spinalonga island visible offshore. It is calmer than the package holiday strips of west Crete (Hersonissos, Malia), and most of the development is set back behind pine and olive trees rather than crammed against the road. Ten-minute drive to Agios Nikolaos for old-town dinners.
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🎾Why Crete Works for Tennis Families
All five resorts in this guide have between two and six floodlit tennis courts. Domes of Elounda has six (four hard, two clay). Aquila Elounda Village runs a tennis academy with ITF-certified coaches and ball-machine sessions. Porto Elounda has four courts plus the only hotel-attached 9-hole golf course in the area. Kids' tennis runs in groups of three to six, typical price is 25-40 euros per hour for group lessons, 50-80 for private coaching with the academy hotels.
Tennis in Crete works because of the timing window. The courts are playable from 07:00-11:00 and again from 17:00-20:00 even in mid-August, with the floodlights extending evening play. The midday gap is for the pool and lunch. Spring (April-June) and autumn (September-October) are the genuinely comfortable periods, with daytime around 22-28C and quieter pool decks.
The non-tennis half of the trip is straightforward. Mirabello Bay is calm and shallow at most resort beaches (good for under-eights), the boat to Spinalonga island runs from Plaka and Elounda all summer, and the inland villages of the Lasithi plateau are a 40-minute drive for families wanting one day away from the resort. Agios Nikolaos has the closest waterpark (Acqua Plus is 30 minutes away in Hersonissos).
Parent's take
We come back to the same Elounda hotel every other year. The kids do tennis camp 9-12, the parents play doubles 8-9, then it is pool until lunch and beach for the afternoon. The resorts here genuinely understand families, and after twenty years the staff turnover is so low that the kids' coaches remember our older daughter from her first lessons.
Our Top 13 Picks
Hotels in Crete with tennis, sorted by guest rating.
Sunshine Village Hotel
Hersonissos
Wonderful
580 reviews
A proper resort with three pools, on-site mini golf, a kids club from age four, and the big Crete Golf Club a 10-minute drive away. Parents get their tee time, kids get their water slides, and nobody is ever bored before lunch.
From
€845/night
Why families love Sunshine Village Hotel
This is the one parents recommend on every Crete forum. The kids club runs morning and afternoon sessions with a real schedule, the splash zone has shallow steps for toddlers, and the buffet handles allergies without making a fuss. The mini-golf course is a hit with primary-age kids who want to copy mum and dad.
Paralos Kosta Alimia
Anissaras, Hersonissos
Wonderful
480 reviews
A beachfront five-star with both indoor and outdoor pools, a full spa, and Crete Golf Club a 15-minute drive inland. This is the splurge pick: families who want one parent on the green and the other floating in the saltwater pool by 10am.
From
€1483/night
Why families love Paralos Kosta Alimia
Strong all-round resort for families with mixed ages. The kids' pool is shallow with steps, the indoor pool means rainy days are a non-event, and the beachfront setting saves you the daily 'where are we eating lunch' debate. Service is the kind that remembers your toddler's name on day two.
Paralos Kosta Alímia
Hersonissos
Wonderful
Paralos Kosta Alímia is a 5-star resort in Hersonissos rated 9.5, the highest of these four. The spa centre has a heated indoor pool, hammam, sauna and hot tub, and the resort offers family rooms, multiple outdoor pools and a private beach area.
From
€190/night
Why families love Paralos Kosta Alímia
Paralos Kosta Alímia has the highest guest rating of any Crete hotel in this cluster (9.5). The indoor pool sits inside a generously sized spa centre with hammam and sauna. Family-room layouts include connecting rooms and two-bedroom suites. The resort sits in Anissaras, the quietest part of Hersonissos, 5 km from the noisy main strip. Half-board buffet is excellent and the staff actively engage with kids.
Bella Vista Hotel by Checkin
Ano Hersonissos
Wonderful
410 reviews
Hillside apartments with kitchenettes, sea-facing balconies, and Crete Golf Club a five-minute drive down the road. The pool deck is set back from the action, so the soundtrack is cicadas and splashes rather than nightclub bass.
From
€389/night
Why families love Bella Vista Hotel by Checkin
Self-catering parents love this one. The kitchenette handles toddler dinners, the supermarket is a short walk, and the indoor play area keeps kids busy when there's a heatwave. The shuttle to the golf club leaves daily and staff will pack you a takeaway breakfast if your tee time is brutal.
Creta Blue Boutique Hotel
Koutouloufari, Hersonissos
Wonderful
350 reviews
A quieter boutique tucked into the old village of Koutouloufari, ten minutes uphill from the harbour and four minutes from Crete Golf Club. Stone-walled suites, a small adults pool, and one of the best on-site restaurants in the area.
From
€1281/night
Why families love Creta Blue Boutique Hotel
Best for families with primary-age kids and teenagers who want their own space. The suites have separate sofa beds, babysitting can be arranged with a day's notice, and the village square outside has tavernas where kids can run between tables. Younger toddlers will find the steep lanes a workout for the buggy.
Wonderful
1,820 reviews
A 158-suite Marriott Autograph property at the north end of Mirabello Bay with six floodlit tennis courts (mix of clay and hard surface) and a Six Senses spa. Suites have private gardens or rooftop pools and the hotel layout is built around the family pool zone.
From
€850/night
Why families love Domes of Elounda, Autograph Collection
The tennis week-camp programme is what brings most repeat families back. Kids 6-14 split into ability groups for daily 90-minute sessions, finished by a Friday tournament. The dedicated kids pool with shallow zone keeps under-fives happy while the older ones are on court, and the suites with garden are a sanity-saver for early bedtimes.
Wonderful
2,180 reviews
Five-star resort with four tennis courts and the only on-site golf in east Crete (a 9-hole par-3 academy course). Family suites and bungalows have direct sea or pool access, and the Six Senses spa runs supervised teen programmes.
From
€606/night
Why families love Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort, Six Senses Spa
The combination of tennis, golf academy and Six Senses spa makes this the best multi-activity resort on the Elounda strip. Families with golfing parents and tennis kids genuinely play in parallel here. The 9-hole course is short enough that beginners (and kids 8+ with handicap) can play a full round in under two hours, and the tennis academy works alongside it.
Excellent
2,480 reviews
Original 1970s Elounda resort, now in its third refurbishment, sitting on a private peninsula with three floodlit tennis courts and a small private cove. 246 rooms and bungalows, several family-sized villas with private pools, full kids club programme.
From
€579/night
Why families love Elounda Beach Hotel & Villas, a Member of the Leading Hotels of the World
The grand-old-resort feeling: pine trees, walking paths, three different beaches inside the property. The tennis courts are at the south end, ten minutes' walk from the family pool. Best value among the Elounda 5-star resorts if you take a sea-view bungalow rather than the suites; the bungalows have small gardens and are at ground level which works better with toddlers.
Village Heights Resort
Hersonissos
Excellent
Village Heights Resort sits on a small hilltop in Hersonissos with sea views and an extensive spa featuring a heated indoor pool, hammam and hot tub. The resort has multiple outdoor pools, family bungalows and apartments with kitchen.
From
€186/night
Why families love Village Heights Resort
Village Heights is set slightly back from the beach on its own headland, which makes it quieter than the beachfront resorts. The accommodation is bungalow-style apartments rather than hotel rooms, with full kitchens, which suits families who want more space and self-catering option. The indoor pool is in the spa wing, used mainly outside summer. Walking down to the beach takes about 8 minutes.
Excellent
1,950 reviews
Greek-owned 248-room resort with the area's busiest tennis academy, four floodlit courts and ITF-qualified coaches running through summer. Family suites are at the south end of the resort, away from the main lobby and adult zones.
From
€386/night
Why families love Aquila Elounda Village Resort, Suites & Spa
If tennis is the actual reason for the trip, this is the right call. The academy runs morning groups by ability for kids 5-15 and has the best ball-machine setup of any Elounda hotel. The kids club is good but smaller than Domes. Family suites have separate living rooms and the shallow kids pool sits between them, which means short walks for tired four-year-olds.
Grecotel Creta Palace
Rethymno Town
Excellent
Grecotel Creta Palace is a 5-star beachfront resort in Missiria, just east of Rethymno old town. The spa wing has a heated indoor pool, and the resort runs multiple outdoor pools, a children's pool with waterslides and a private beach.
From
€228/night
Why families love Grecotel Creta Palace
Creta Palace is the Rethymno option in this list and the only one with a fully Venetian-flavoured old town a 10-minute drive away. The indoor pool is part of an extensive spa wing with hot tub, sauna and treatment rooms. Family rooms are large with sea or garden view. The kids' club runs in summer; outside summer the indoor pool and waterslides keep the kids occupied. Half-board includes a full Cretan dinner buffet.
Very Good
1,640 reviews
Lower-cost four-star with two tennis courts, an on-site waterpark with eight slides, and an all-inclusive option that actually covers most of what families need. 178 rooms and family suites, set back from the seafront on the Elounda hill.
From
€308/night
Why families love Elounda Residence Resort & Waterpark
The waterpark plus all-inclusive plus tennis combination is genuinely rare in Elounda. The slides are real ones (not splash pads), the tennis is a step down from the academy hotels but fine for casual play, and the AI plan includes drinks and most kids ice creams. Best choice on this list for families on a budget who still want the Elounda location.
Bella Beach Hotel
Hersonissos
Very Good
Bella Beach Hotel is a 5-star beachfront resort in Anissaras, Hersonissos. The on-site spa centre includes an indoor pool, hammam, sauna and hot tub, plus the resort has a kids' outdoor pool, multiple family pools and direct beach access.
From
€289/night
Why families love Bella Beach Hotel
Bella Beach is genuinely on the beach with no road to cross, which matters with toddlers. The indoor pool here is part of the spa wing, smaller than at the other three but heated and quiet. The kids' outdoor pool with little waterslides is the bigger draw in summer. Family rooms are spacious and most have a large balcony. The animation team is active in summer with daily kids' programmes.
💡Practical Tips for a Family Tennis Trip to Crete
- 1Book the tennis academy at the same time as the hotel, not on arrival. The good coaches are full from June onwards and walking up to the courts in week one is too late. Aquila and Porto Elounda academies fill earliest.
- 2Pack proper tennis shoes for the kids, not trainers. The clay courts at Domes and Porto Elounda will eat normal sneakers in two sessions, and the hotel pro shop prices are silly compared to home.
- 3Take a fleece for evening dinners even in August. The Mirabello Bay breeze drops temperatures to 20-22C from 21:00, especially right at the seafront, and resort dining rooms run their air-con cold.
- 4Hire a car for the week even if you stay on-site. Spinalonga, Agios Nikolaos old town and the Sunday market at Neapoli all need a car, and the resort taxi rates climb fast.
- 5Avoid the first two weeks of August if your kids dislike crowds. Mid-June, late September and October are the sweet spots: full-price weather, courts genuinely free, school still in session.
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