Aura Suite

Aura Suite is built for a family that wants space of its own without giving up easy access to Hersonissos. Two en-suite bedrooms mean parents and children (or two couples) each get privacy, and every bed can be arranged as a double or twin. The private pool and adjoining outdoor seating area are the main feature of the property, with a garden view that keeps things quiet even though the resort's shops, restaurants and bars are close by.

Indoors, the suite is fitted with a full kitchen — dishwasher, microwave, Nespresso machine — so families can cook rather than eat out every night, while the outdoor dining area is set up for meals in the shade. A baby cot is provided, and daily housekeeping takes care of the practical side of a longer stay.

Hersonissos itself is one of Crete's more developed resorts, with numerous hotels, shops, restaurants and tavernas, but travellers looking for something quieter can head inland to Old Hersonissos, a small village with its own square and churches, or visit the Lychnostatis open-air museum, dedicated to traditional Cretan life. Beaches west of the port, sheltered by Cape Sarandaris, offer calmer water than the main town beach.