Agios Nikolaos is a popular resort in the northeast of Crete. It is famous for its clean beaches and the “bottomless” lake Vulzimeni (lagoon), which is located in the middle of the city. Legends and myths are associated with it, as well as with the history of the settlement itself, which arose in ancient centuries. Once there was a thriving port, then the heyday passed, but Agios Nikolaos did not finally lose the status of the administrative center. Since 1904, it has been the capital of Lasition. From Heraklion airport there is a direct bus. You can get there on your own by renting a car. Many hotels in the resort provide a transfer service. The rating presents the best hotel complexes of the city.
- 1 Arteon Villas
- 2 Wyndham Grand Crete Mirabello Bay
- 3 Minos Beach Art Hotel
- 4 Minos Palace Hotel & Suites – Adults Only
- 5 Blue Marine Resort and Spa Hotel
- 6 St. Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel & Villas
- 7 Vasia Ormos Hotel (Adults Only)
- 8 Ariadne Beach
- 9 Miramare Resort & Spa
- 10 Candia Park Village
- 11 Selection of hotels Agios Nikolaos on map
Arteon Villas
Arteon Villas is a complex of 4 maisonettes (2-storey town houses in the French style), located on the first coastline 80 meters from the sea. The private beach is marked with the Blue Flag for the perfect cleanliness of the water and the coast. The city center is 5 km away from the hotel. Free parking is available on site. For catering, there are equipped kitchens where guests prepare their own meals. The nearest beach bar is 500 metres away. On the territory of the hotel there is a swimming pool with a solarium area, a children’s playground, a place for streetball, a private veranda at each entrance to the rooms, a tennis court. In your free time, you can go sea fishing.
“Nice place for a secluded stay. I was just looking for one for a vacation. The room is modern, clean, the bed is comfortable, there is a kitchen. The owners help with the organization of fishing. They are very hospitable. I will definitely come back here again” Lucas, Czech Republic
Wyndham Grand Crete Mirabello Bay
The 5-star Wyndham Grand Crete Mirabello Bay is located next to Agios Nikolaos Beach. This is a comfortable hotel complex with 311 rooms. They are located in the main building, maisonettes and beach bungalows. The location on the first coastline 200 meters from the sea and the excellent infrastructure makes it popular among tourists. To services of having a rest: three pools, 9 restaurants, a spa with a full range of services and procedures. Transfer is not included in the list of services, car owners are provided with a free parking space or the administrator orders a taxi for the guest to the airport. Breakfast is served on the outdoor terraces in buffet or American format. The “room service” is popular, when food and drinks can be ordered directly to the room for an additional fee. Half board is available. Guests can relax on two well-equipped beaches, engage in water sports.
“We stayed in the main building with a common restension stand. The room is spacious, clean, with a balcony. We took breakfast and dinner, as we did not plan additional rest in the evenings. There’s enough here. You can play sports or sit in the steam room, spend time on the beach or by the pool. The restaurants have a good and varied menu” Andrey
Minos Beach Art Hotel
Five-star hotels every year improve the service, expanding the range of services for tourists from around the world. In the “Minos Beach Art Hotel” the staff speaks several foreign languages. The complex with 129 rooms is built near the water in the most picturesque place of the coast. There is a Beauty and Health Center, an Art Gallery is open for guests, and all rooms and halls are decorated with works by Greek and Cretan painters. The morning begins with breakfast served at the bar. Then the guests go to the landscaped beach, to the pool with a bar or to the public transport stop to go to Agios Nikolaos. At 800 meters from the hotel is one of the main attractions of the city – the Archaeological Museum. Another local mystery, Lake Oulizmeni, is a 15-minute walk away. Free parking is available on site.
“It’s good here, there are few people, they are allowed to bring a small dog. The hotel does everything for a comfortable stay, even the sunbeds on the beach are at a distance from each other. There are four small restaurants, I advise you to visit each. Nearby there is a pier for yachts, from where you can go on a boat trip” Nikolay, Ukraine
Minos Palace Hotel & Suites – Adults Only
Continuing the theme of aesthetics and comfort of Cretan hotels, I would like to draw attention to “Minos Palace Hotel & Suites – Adults Only”. The hotel complex with 149 rooms is located on the first coastline. A unique atmosphere is created here, when luxury and excellent service are combined with privacy. It offers a private beach with the opportunity to practice any water sports, a swimming pool with sea water, a spa, a landscaped garden. The city centre is 2 km away (20 minutes leisurely). Breakfast is served in the morning. There are two restaurants on site. It is best to get there by car, free parking is provided for guests.
“This hotel is designed for adults. All rooms have romantic names. We rested in the newly renovated junior suite with sea views. We used a communal pool, and in the suites of the type “Waterfall” there is a swimming pool and it is already much cooler for a comfortable stay. For a year we are very tired of communicating with the mass of people, so we choose only “Minos Palace Hotel & Suites” Irina
Blue Marine Resort and Spa Hotel
The 5 stars of the Blue Marine Resort and Spa Hotel are designed not only for adults, but also for children. Younger guests can have fun on the playgrounds on the street and indoors, eat in restaurants on a specially designed children’s menu. Babysitting services are available for toddlers for a fee. Adults are offered spa/wellness packages at the wellness centre. The seven-storey building is designed for 149 rooms. The staff speaks several languages. There are 4 on-site restaurants. Buffet meals are served at blue Aegean from 10.00 to 18.00, others are open on request from the menu. The cuisine is mostly Greek, and Ya Mas Grill serves charcoal dishes. In your free time, you can work out in the fitness room, play tennis, go sea fishing.
“I want to note the high speeds of Wi-Fi, the friendly attitude of the staff and the beautiful views. It is best to come here by car. All the museums and the centre of Agios Nikolaos are a few kilometres away. Parking is free. The car can be rented in Heraklion. This room has a kettle. All amenities and delicious food are available” Alexey
St. Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel & Villas
One and a half kilometers from the city on the beach is a 5-star hotel «St. Nicolas Bay Resort Hotel & Villas». The complex provides all the possibilities for self-catering and self-service. The rooms have ironing stations, safes, breakfast delivery to the room, as well as food and drinks throughout the day. There is access to microwave, oven, refrigerators. The restaurant serves a buffet every morning. It offers a variety of entertainment on a daily basis: live concerts, movie nights, a children’s club for young guests, canoe boat trips and water sports for outdoor enthusiasts, fishing, diving, several developed hiking trails, a spa, two swimming pools. For accommodation of pets payment is not taken, parking is also free.
“For us, young people, this place is just what you need for a good rest. You can always order a nanny for a child, and go scuba diving yourself.” Marina
Vasia Ormos Hotel (Adults Only)
An excellent option for 2 romantically inclined tourists will be the “Vasia Ormos Hotel”,designed only for adults. It is located in a secluded bay 20 meters from the sea. The distance to the city center is one and a half kilometers. On the territory there is a swimming pool with sun loungers around the perimeter, in each room,and there are 85 of them, there is a balcony. The beach is rocky. Sandy Europe and Paralia Agios Nikolaos are in the immediate vicinity. The restaurant serves a buffet breakfast in the morning, followed by an à la carte kitchen. The basis consists of traditional Cretan dishes. Parking is free.
“This is really the most beautiful place in Crete! The beach is rocky, but it’s also better. Cleanliness is incredible! The entrance is smooth, without breakages and a sharp increase in depth. There are practically no waves. The food is excellent, the choice is rich in the buffet, the menu is varied” Michael
Ariadne Beach
A kilometer from the center of Agios Nikolaos is a 4-star hotel complex “Ariadne Beach”. It features a sun terrace, free parking and a spa and wellness centre. There are 139 comfortable rooms with balconies. Breakfast is served buffet style. For lunch and dinner, Mediterranean à la carte dishes are available. Here rest mainly tourists from France. The staff speaks five languages. The beach is across the street. The coating is rocky, so it is advisable to purchase rubber shoes. Here usually stay those who are looking for an inexpensive holiday with good service. In the reviews of travelers, not all Cretan 4-star hotels are characterized from the best side.
“It is immediately obvious that the hotel has recently been renovated. Something has not yet been finished, for example, our room was furnished with old furniture, and the plumbing could be newer. The restaurant cooks well, a lot of fish dishes, the staff is friendly, always happy to help” Maxim
Miramare Resort & Spa
The 4-star Miramare Resort & Spa Bungalow Complex is located 250 metres from the popular Almiros Beach. The peculiarity is that it is built on a hillside, which offers an amazing view of the sea, mountains, local landscape. Some of the windows overlook the coast, from the other part you can see the town of Agios Nikolaos. It is a 15-minute walk to the centre. The fund has 288 rooms,most of which are located in a 7-storey building. All rooms are decorated in a traditional Cretan style. Breakfast is served buffet style. It offers a fitness center, a spa / wellness area with three swimming pools, a private beach.
“Here you can relax inexpensively, if there are no special needs. It is convenient that it is close to go to the center, and to the lake in general a couple of steps. There are many cafes all along the coast, so you can take a package with breakfast only. The balcony has furniture, a table and chairs. We loved to drink coffee in the evenings and watch the sunset” Vadim, Slovakia
Candia Park Village
The 4-star Candia Park Village specialises in family holidays. Among all the hotels in Crete, it is considered the best hotel complex, which provides maximum amenities for parents with children. It is decorated in the style of a medieval Cretan city with narrow winding streets. In the center there is a square with a tower and an old clock. There is also a traditional coffee shop with national drinks and sweets. The whole territory is a large amusement park for every taste. There are 222 roomsavailable for guests, each with a balcony and an equipped kitchenette. Guests can choose from several types of breakfast. For relaxation there are 3 swimming pools, including children’s and hydromassage, tennis court and basketball court, water sports, diving, private beach. For children there is a team of animators.
“Great and inexpensive option for a family holiday. Kids have a place to play and frolic. Adults will also always find something to do. It is better to come by car to go with the children to the water park or to excavations. You can cook your own food or eat in any of the three restaurants located on the territory» Olga
Agios Nikolaos is gradually becoming a popular destination among tourists from all over the world. Cretan hotels react instantly to this trend. The staff of many hotel complexes speaks several languages. Any of the presented hotels is suitable for a good rest. The main thing is to determine your priorities and choose a family holiday destination or a villa for adults only.
Selection of hotels Agios Nikolaos on map
