Crete Accommodation. Small, local, rural and organic hotels – where are these places? Below are some tips on how to choose a lovely place to stay on the island.

Small. In a small guesthouse you are more likely to meet the owners and locals. Decide what small means for you. Is it ten rooms only? Twenty to thirty? Check out the number of rooms at any hotel under consideration. Sometimes this is not obvious on the brochure or website. A simple enquiry will reveal this information. Our choices are 40 rooms or less.

Local. Take a quick look at who owns and runs the place. Note that in Greece, the surname generally shows where a person is from. Cretan family names end in -akis. Like Papadakis and Sfakianakis. If the owner’s name ends in -akis, they are probably a local! Usually, if the family is involved in the day-to-day running of the hotel and taverna, it will be mentioned in the brochure or website. If not, an enquiry is needed.

Rural. In Crete, package tourism with its erosive effect on local culture is concentrated on the coastlines. Keeping away from the beach for a while is a surefire way to discover a more authentic Crete. It is in the tiny villages and mountains that the true character of the island can be discovered. We have chosen 12 beautiful rural accommodation houses this way.

Organic. Traditional farming methods in Crete are organic, so it is quite common to find farms, guesthouses and tavernas that have kept these practices without the modern scramble to ‘return to the earth’. The villagers and farmers of Crete are of the earth. When visiting their orchards, vegetable gardens and olive groves, simple organic methods are seen every day.

In our search for Crete accommodation we have found some fascinating places. A showcase organic farm is ‘Agreco’ located in the hills above Rethymnon. Nikos Daskalantonakis from Grecotel chain opened the farm in 2002 to honour his Cretan homeland and the traditional farming knowledge. Today, the working farm supplies all the food for its own taverna and the luxury Creta Palace resort, as consumers increasingly request organic produce for treats such as pickled wild artichokes and stuffed courgette flowers. Visitors are welcome at the farm which was given the title of ‘Best Organic Restaurant 2009′ by Vanity Fair.

In the remote mountains of Chania in western Crete is the eco-village Milia. This whole village was abandoned and crumbling due to its isolated and remote location, until Giorgos and friends came along and revitalised it as a sustainable village project. With funding from various sources, including a European Union program, this village is now home to a community of like-minded souls and a living, working, sustainable community. Visitors are welcome and 16 rooms of accommodation are available in the village, and of course, organic food.

Crete Accommodation. Make your choice of guesthouse matter and enjoy an authentic experience of the real Crete. We recommend a small, local guesthouse in a rural village with organic produce. We have selected many beautiful places with these qualities, so the choice is that much easier.

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