The JW Marriott brand will be expanding to Greece, and this is a property I’m pretty excited about.
In this post:
Details of the JW Marriott Crete, Greece
Marriott has announced plans for the JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa, which will be opening on Greece’s largest island in 2025. The 160-room property is expected to span 100 coastal acres, with all suites featuring a private pool or jacuzzi.
The property’s design is described as blending modern elegance with authentic Cretan heritage. The hotel will feature five culinary experiences (including a Cretan restaurant and a beach dining venue), multiple swimming pools, a fitness center and spa, and a beach club. Beyond that, details are limited as of now.
The JW Marriott Crete will be located on the outskirts of the town of Chania, along Marathi Beach. The property will be a short drive from Chania Airport (CHQ), and a roughly two-hour drive from Heraklion Airport (HER).
Below you can find some (rather low quality) renderings of the property.
Why I’m excited about this new JW Marriott property
Greece is one of my favorite places in the world — I love the climate, the food is delicious, and the country has so much to offer, and even the islands are so varied.
Crete is my favorite “popular” island in Greece, as it has so much to offer. It’s quite large, and I also like how the culture is a bit more diverse, given how close it is to Africa. It’s also not quite as touristy as a place like Mykonos or Santorini (which admittedly aren’t my favorite places in Greece).
Anyway, it’s exciting to see more points hotel options in Crete. When I visited Crete a couple of years back, I stayed at Domes Zeen Chania, a Marriott Autograph Collection property. That’s in the same area of Greece as this property. 
The town of Chania is super charming, and is worth a visit.
I also loved Blue Palace Elounda, a Marriott Luxury Collection property. That’s currently undergoing a major renovation, and will reopen as a Rosewood. The hotel could definitely use a refresh, though it’s unfortunately probably going to be much more expensive, and won’t be bookable with points.
Bottom line
A JW Marriott has been announced for Crete, Greece. the 160-room property will open in 2025, and will be located near the town of Chania. I adore Crete, so I’m always pleased to see more points hotels opening there. This property looks like it could be quite nice, and I’m excited to learn more.
What do you make of the JW Marriott Crete?
Visit Crete every summer and never go to Chania . Bypass the whole area as it’s just a vacation factory .Instead head down to the south of Crete through the town of Spili and rent a villa near treo Petra beach . That’s the real Crete .
For those unfamiliar with Crete & the Greek Isles, I want to point a couple things out. It looks like Ben's stay in Crete was May 2021, right after Greece opened up for the first time during Covid, so his impression of Chania is probably influenced by that. Yes, Crete is huge compared to Santorini. There are definitely parts of Crete not overrun by tourists, but Chania is not one of them. Several cruise ships...
For those unfamiliar with Crete & the Greek Isles, I want to point a couple things out. It looks like Ben's stay in Crete was May 2021, right after Greece opened up for the first time during Covid, so his impression of Chania is probably influenced by that. Yes, Crete is huge compared to Santorini. There are definitely parts of Crete not overrun by tourists, but Chania is not one of them. Several cruise ships dock in Chania, so during the day it can be packed. I was there in June 2022, when more cruise ships were running, and it was hard to get around some of the streets in the old town because it was so packed. For reference, in June 2021, we were in Santorini, and the streets were quiet by comparison, but I know that is because of Covid & canceled cruise itineraries.
After checking out Chania and the western part of Crete, we stayed a couple nights in Agios Nikolaos, more to the east. While still a touristy area, it did not receive an influx of cruise ship passengers while we were there, and we found it much more charming and manageable.
Wait - wasn’t Greece the country where a Marriott hotel kicked you out after you pointed out the power lines disrupted the view* - and then they** posted anti-gay comments on this blog?
* among other problems
** presumed by IP address geolocation
I stayed at Domes in Chania 2 years ago. Wasn't impressed. Also, did not like the long walk into town. Location does nothing for me
We loved Chania! I stayed in Domes Noruz Chania and used my Bonvoy points, as it is an Autograph Collection hotel (we wanted to book Domes Zeen as it is walking distance from town, but it had no availability). I agree with @NK3, this hotel is far from town. We had a great time in Chania and being near town was important. I am also not so sure about JW Marriott. I have been in...
We loved Chania! I stayed in Domes Noruz Chania and used my Bonvoy points, as it is an Autograph Collection hotel (we wanted to book Domes Zeen as it is walking distance from town, but it had no availability). I agree with @NK3, this hotel is far from town. We had a great time in Chania and being near town was important. I am also not so sure about JW Marriott. I have been in a couple of their resorts and they all just feel flat and corporate. Not a brand I chose to holiday in. In any case, I believe it is good to see more chain hotels. More choices for spending our points!
Looks like another generic chain hotel, that just happens to be in Greece.
And it's isolated from what makes Greece a destination.
Like other chain hotels in Greece it will have zero authenticity at inflated pricing aimed at the chain hotel crowd.
The renderings do not scream "authentic Cretan heritage." It looks much more like a bland upscale resort, that would not be out of place in Oman or Cabo. And it is definitely on the "outskirts" of Chania. It is almost more an Chania airport hotel, about a half hour drive from the Old Venetian harbor. By comparison, Domes Zeen Chania is much closer to the areas that make Chania so special (10 minute drive or...
The renderings do not scream "authentic Cretan heritage." It looks much more like a bland upscale resort, that would not be out of place in Oman or Cabo. And it is definitely on the "outskirts" of Chania. It is almost more an Chania airport hotel, about a half hour drive from the Old Venetian harbor. By comparison, Domes Zeen Chania is much closer to the areas that make Chania so special (10 minute drive or 40 minute walk).
This place reminds me of the Royal Senses, part of the Hilton Curio Collection. We stayed there a couple years ago and it was one of the worst hotel experiences we have had. I do not understand why someone would travel all the way to the Greek Isles, and then stay at a bland, isolated resort (though we unfortunately did). Stay closer to the town so you can take a stroll to a local taverna at night.