Published: 16 September 2025 | Updated: 2 July 2026

Villa Giota Chania Review: The family villa we’d book again

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If you’re looking for a holiday in Crete with space, comfort, and family friendly touches, Villa Giota in Chania ticked every box. We stayed here in June 2025 with a group of seven, including a four year old, and me being heavily pregnant, and it worked perfectly. It’s a converted family home with its own family pool, four bedrooms each with a balcony, and a location that put Nea Chora at the top of the road. If you’re searching for villas in Chania with space, comfort and a pool, especially the best villa options in Chania for families, this honest review is for you.

For families debating whether to book a hotel or a villa in Crete, here’s why we think Villa Giota is one of the best family villas in Crete, and our top pick for a family villa in Chania specifically.

If you’re still in the early stages of planning your trip to Crete, start with my complete Crete travel guide.

Why Choose a Villa in Chania?

Chania is one of Crete’s most popular destinations, and for good reason. Its colourful Old Town, Venetian harbour, incredible food, and nearby beaches make it the ideal base for exploring western Crete.

You can read more about why we chose Chania here: 👉 Is Chania Worth Visiting?

Hotels are plentiful in Chania but for a group of seven, a villa made far more sense. The space meant everyone had their own room and balcony, the pool meant no sharing or booking slots, and being self catering meant we could eat breakfast at the villa and head out for dinner without being tied to any schedule. For larger families or multi-generational groups, it’s hard to argue against it.

If you’re specifically looking for a villa in the Nea Chora area, close to the beach and within easy reach of the Old Town, Villa Giota is the obvious choice. It’s one of very few private villas in that location with a pool.

💡 Planning tip: If you want to explore more of Crete, hiring a car is a game changer. Compare rental prices with Discover Cars car hire search to find the best deal.

Our family experience at Villa Giota (Best family villa in Chania)

When we arrived, we were greeted by the lovely owner and her daughter, who went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. They’d even left a thoughtful food hamper with all the essentials, plus a homemade cake and the juiciest sliced watermelon I’ve ever tasted. It meant we could settle in straight away without rushing out for supplies.

Every room had its own balcony and TV, so there truly wasn’t a ‘bad room.’ One of the bedrooms was on the roof with its own private terrace, the perfect spot for sunset views. There was even a huge cupboard full of pop-up beds, should we have needed extra sleeping space.

The ground floor was bright, open plan, and led straight out to the garden and pool area. Outside, there was everything we could possibly need, sand buckets, plenty of towels, a shaded dining area, and a huge built-in BBQ that we used one evening. The whole villa was beautifully equipped and felt designed with families in mind.

Each morning, the owners popped by very early to clean the pool, using a clever robot that swept up any leaves or bugs overnight, such a nice touch.

The location was perfect: a quiet residential street, just a few minutes’ walk from Nea Chora Beach and Golden Beach. There were loads of restaurants and breakfast spots nearby, plus a supermarket and a bus stop taking you straight into Chania Old Town.
👉 Read my best beaches in Chania guide
👉 Read my best restaurants in Chania guide
👉 Read my Chania Old Town guide

A handy tip: the villa is just within the taxi catchment area, so fares shouldn’t cost more than €7, we only learned this on our last day after being overcharged a few times, so it’s worth knowing from the outset.

Villa Giota overview — A top villa in Chania with pool

> Location: Just outside Chania Town, close enough for easy access, quiet enough for total relaxation, and only 250m from the beach
> Parking: Free private parking is available on site
👉 Planning to explore Crete beyond Chania? Compare car hire prices here with DiscoverCars
> Bedrooms: Four spacious double bedrooms (each with a balcony)
> Private pool: Yours to enjoy any time of the day
> Kitchen and dining: Fully equipped for self catering
> Family friendly: Safe outdoor areas, shaded spots, toys, towels and plenty of space indoors

Villa Giota is one of the best family villas in Chania with a pool. It combines the practical things families actually need with a location that makes the whole holiday easier

Villa Giota, Chania, Crete

Why it is the perfect family villa in Chania

> Private Pool Fun – Kids can splash around whenever they like
> Plenty of space – Separate bedrooms and living areas give everyone room to breathe
> Flexible dining – Cook or head out, no schedules, no stress
> Close to Chania beaches – Nea Chora, Agii Apostoli and Golden Beach are within walking distance
> Easy access to Old Town – Explore the harbour and then retreat to your quiet villa

Restaurant Tip: If you’d rather let someone else do the cooking, check out my 👉 Best Restaurants in Chania guide for family friendly options nearby. Or treat yourself to a 👉 Chania food tour with GetYourGuide here for an unforgettable evening sampling local dishes.

Things to do near Villa Giota

Staying at Villa Giota puts you within easy reach of:

> Chania Old Town – The gorgeous venetian harbour, boutique and souvenir shops, and cafés and tavernas.
👉 Read our Chania Old Town Guide

> Chania beaches – There are plenty of beaches nearby, both family friendly and some more secluded spots just minutes away.
👉 Read our Chania beaches guide

> Limnoupolis waterpark – We spent a fantastic day at this Chania waterpark.
👉 Read our Limnoupolis Chania waterpark review here
👉 You can book a tour including transport to Limnoupolis with GetYourGuide here

> Day trips – Visit Elafonissi (the famous ‘Chania pink beach’) or Balos Lagoon.
👉 Book a day trip to Elafonissi with GetYourGuide
👉 Book a boat trip to Balos with GetYourGuide

Is Villa Giota the best Villa in Chania?

For us, yes. The pool, the space, the location, and the owners’ thoughtfulness made it exactly the kind of base a big group needs. If you’re searching for a family villa in Crete that works for mixed age groups, we’d book it again without hesitation.

Where to book Villa Giota

You can check availability and book Villa Giota here:
👉 Check Villa Giota prices with Booking.com
👉 Check villa Giota prices with Agoda

Villa Giota FAQs

Villa Giota has four double bedrooms, each with its own balcony, sleeping up to eight people comfortably. There’s also a large cupboard of pop-up beds if you need extra sleeping space, making it a good option for larger groups or families with young children who need a travel cot.

Yes – it’s well set up for families. The outdoor space is safe and shaded, there are sand buckets and towels provided, and the pool is private so there’s no competition for space. Nea Chora beach is a short walk away which is one of the most family friendly beaches near Chania Old Town.

Villa Giota is in the Nea Chora area, around a 10 minute taxi ride from Chania Old Town. There’s a direct bus stop nearby too. Worth knowing that the villa sits just within the standard taxi catchment area, so fares shouldn’t exceed €7 – something we only found out on our last day.

Yes – free private parking is available on site, which is useful if you’re hiring a car to explore more of Crete.

More Chania related guides: