UK travellers hoping to bank one final stretch of sunshine before winter can pick up last minute October deals across Giannoulis Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio on Crete, with bed and breakfast rates starting from £88 per room per night based on two people sharing.
The timing will appeal to busy SME owners and frequent flyers alike. October is shoulder season on Greece’s largest island, when average daytime temperatures in Chania still reach 23°C and nights rarely dip below 16°C, and the autumn half-term falls within the month. It is also a natural fit for the growing number of UK professionals who extend work trips into holidays, with Crete’s flight times and end-of-season pace making it an easy add-on to a European schedule.
Adults-only options near Chania
For couples and solo travellers wanting a child-free wind-down, Giannoulis Santa Marina Plaza is a 51-room boutique hotel on the long sandy beach at Agia Marina village, 8km from Chania. Guests can use the outdoor pool, dine with a sea view at the a la carte or buffet restaurant, join morning yoga classes or book an outdoor massage under a gazebo.
Further along the coast at Kolymbari, 23km west of Chania and a two-minute drive from the village, the 78-room Giannoulis Grand Bay Beach Resort is also adults-only. It offers a pool bar, the Azzuro a la carte restaurant, the SeaLine a la carte taverna, a buffet restaurant, a small fitness centre, sauna and a wellness area with massage and beauty services. The area is attracting wider investment too, following the JW Marriott debut on the island near Chania.
Family stays for half-term
Active families are pointed towards Giannoulis Cavo Spada Luxury Sports & Leisure Resort, a 150-room property on a Blue Flag pebble beach 22km west of Chania. Facilities include a lagoon-style pool, kids’ club, two tennis courts, a paddle tennis court, beach volleyball court, running track, gym and a spa with indoor heated pool, sauna, hammam and jacuzzi. Deluxe Family Rooms have an open plan living area with two sofa beds and a king bed behind sliding wooden doors, with an option that adds a pool shared only with neighbouring rooms.
The 214-room Giannoulis Santa Marina Beach, on the sands of Agia Marina, adds three pools including a dedicated children’s pool, a kids’ club and four restaurants. October rates here start from £88 per room per night with breakfast, or £135 all-inclusive, based on two sharing. At the group’s other hotels, prices start from £93 bed and breakfast or £131 all-inclusive. With Crete named European Region of Gastronomy for 2026, the island’s food scene is another reason to linger.
Villa privacy and booking practicalities
Groups of up to six can book Giannoulis Ele Mare Villa, which opened in late 2024 on the 3km beach at Rapaniana village. The two-bedroom, three-bathroom villa has two sofa beds in the living area, a 30sqm private pool, a fully equipped kitchen, parking for three cars, private sunbeds on the beach and a welcome pack of wine and traditional Cretan treats.
UK passport holders can visit Greece visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, though travellers should check passport validity rules and the latest Foreign Office travel advice for Greece before departure. Deals can be booked via giannoulishotels.com.
