JW Marriott Crete Review – Molecule

About 100 miles south of the Greek mainland, there is an attractive New Island oasis to remove your stress, and you’re hiding in the Marriott Hotel in Bonvoy Points.

Last month, the JW Marriott Hotel in Crete began to welcome guests to its 160-room hillside resort, which embraces the Aegean coastline outside the Cretan city of Chania.

In this place you can soak in the private infinity pool while enjoying views of the Dikti Mountains, this new high-end marine affiliate property lives up to the location claimed on the list of the most exciting hotel openings of 2025 listed on TPG earlier this year.

We were one of the first people to have a paid guest check. That’s what it looks like.

First impression

When pulled to the brand new JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa, it significantly entered every aspect of the property, diving from the gleaming reflecting pool around the hall to countless places.

That’s what it says about the Aegean Sea, which is just a few steps away from the resort.

The entire property is built on the hillside, with rugged terrain along the villas, restaurants and pool clumps, with the best view when climbing.

Once you arrive at the scene, you will feel calm immediately: soft music plays in the background, sea breeze blows gently, and the peaks on the top of the mountain enjoy your view.

No need to visit the front desk at check-in; the whole process takes place in the comfort of the sofa while drinking a free signature, non-alcoholic cocktail (lemon horse verb and fresh thyme).

Room

It is agreed that water is the focus of the property, which is largely the type of hinge (and the price you pay) of the pool type you get (or cannot get).

I booked a luxury swimming room on the property and it sounded hard to beat. Special prices include breakfast as part of the property’s opening, which is 346 euros per night (approximately USD 405).

However, upon arrival, the property made me better upgraded (thanks to my Platinum Elite identity in the Marriott Hotel program) to a luxurious room with a private pool.

Inside, the room itself follows the most prominent minimalist design in the entire property, with neutral colors accented by the brown wood element.

The room is set on two levels, with the bed and bathroom on the top, and the living room and sofa sections sinking below the top level.

The bathroom has a spacious soaking bathtub with skylights and large open shower area. Toiletries are from London Aromatherapy Assistant.

So far, the star of the entire space is the private infinity pool outside the sliding glass door. The pool has plenty of space for two guests (and possibly a few kids).

The terrace/pool deck comes with a dining table and two padded lounge chairs, as well as beach towels that are constantly replenished with housekeeping throughout the stay.

If I’m picky, then no ton Privacy when sitting on this special terrace; you are all close to neighbors and passers-by. If you are in a room higher on the hillside, you won’t enjoy the sea and mountains, if that’s important to you.

Other accommodation includes several rooms with a shared pool. There are also some rooms that do not include the pool. There are even some luxurious suites and multi-storey villas on the hill, some of which are still under construction (luckily, there was no problem with building noise during my stay).

Related: 14 Best All Inclusive Resorts & Swimming Rooms

Have a meal

JW Marriott Crete technically has six dining options, although some were still in the open phase during my stay.

In fact, during evening dinner time, there are only two full-service restaurants that both overlook the sea.

Favorite: Anoee, offering delicious, easy-to-share Cretan-style dishes in an outdoor setting that sloping into the surrounding rugged rock terrain. Highlights include a $21 Kalitsounia (cheese pastry) appetizer, Cretan Pilafi (a popular local rice), for $25 and Keftedes (Greek Meatballs) for $29.

Onalos, an upscale terrace-style seafood restaurant is just a short walk away.

During the day we had all the lunches (and had a few days of drinks) from Suncti, a poolside bar located under a bamboo awning.

During our stay, the lobby-style bar Eexis was on the main level of the real estate, stretching out from the registration room, enjoying cocktails, wine and beer and a great place to enjoy evening drinks while watching the sun set.

Next door, Fayi advertised the property’s “main restaurant” on the Marriott App, but during my visit it simply offered a spacious buffet breakfast that combines American and Mediterranean flavors. Of course, it should satisfy members of Platinum Elite (and above) Marriott Hotel members who are entitled to a free breakfast.

Cuccagna is an Italian restaurant with a brick oven that will be open the day I leave.

Throughout the property, I found the dishes well prepared, fresh and full of local flavor, even though many venues are still working hard to serve as the resort increases the number of guests.

convenient

No doubt as a traveler always seeks a great pool, the top amenities of this resort are three main pools (one of which is a wading pool, while the other is adults- overlooking the Aegean Sea and Crete mountains.

Beachfront cabin

If your atmosphere is closer to the sea, you can use the cottages on the Rocky Coast for free.

From there, you can put yourself in the water with just a few steps along the dock to the ladder. Or you can walk to the narrow Zero Entrance Beach.

Fitness Center

In the main building, the gym is equipped with brand new aerobics and weightlifting machines. In addition, there is a yoga room for various yoga and Pilates group exercises.

spa

The property is also opening a spa that looks like it will be a major attraction when it comes to sharing from Renderings TPG shared earlier this summer.

Yacht Tour

In addition to the property’s main amenities, on-site concierges can also connect guests with private boat reservations departing from nearby marinas. Full-day tours start at €1,500 ($1,759)… It’s an attractive option, but the budget for this trip is not on.

Related: 30 Best Marriott Hotels You Can Book with Points

Location and logistics

This new JW Marriott hotel is located on the northern coast of Crete on the west side of the Greek island.

The resort is about 20 minutes’ drive from Chania International Airport (CHQ), a seamless trip, thanks in part to a private black car transfer, the reception took place before arrival. Transfer is 35 euros (USD 41).

It is about 25 to 30 minutes from the center of Chania and its old harbour of Venice and has numerous shops and restaurants. You can use the same private transfer service arranged by the resort, which costs €40 (approximately USD 47). Given this extra cost, I recommend you put this visit aside for an afternoon and evening.

The property is about a five-minute walk from the public beach area and a handful of beach bar-style restaurants, but don’t expect a lot of stuff nearby when it comes to convenience stores, pharmacies, etc.

The resort is the fourth Marriott hotel in Crete and the first JW Marriott. This is the second near Chania (the first is Domes Zeen Chania, a luxury collection destination in Crete).

How to book

Over the next six months, JW Marriott Crete has a nightly price of as low as $343, or 44,000 Bonvoy points.

Guests who wish to book JW Marriott Crete with points and miles have some options.

Of course, the easiest way is to use the Marriott Hotel Point in your account. Personally, I bought it Marriott Hotel BonvoyBoundless® Credit Card (See rates and fees), which also helped a lot in improving my Marriott Bonvoy Elite identity. The card comes with an annual fee of $95.

You can also transfer credit card rewards at a 1:1 ratio from a few major plans, including:

When booking JW Marriott Crete, you will need to use a credit card that gets the most Marriott points, as well as a credit card that may offer automatic Bonvoy Elite status for value-added advantages. These include:

• Marriott Hotel: In a hotel participating in the Marriott Hotel Program, automatic Platinum Elite Identity and 25 Elite Night Points a year, spend 6 points to earn money on qualified shopping.
• Marriott BonvoyBevy®AmericanExpress® Card: Earn 6 points per dollar a year in hotels participating in Marriott Hotel Program, Auto Gold Elite Status and 15 Elite Night Points per year.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountifor® Credit Card: Earn 6 points per year on qualified shopping at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, Auto Gold Elite Status and 15 Elite Night Points per year.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn 6 points per dollar a year in hotels participating in Marriott Hotel Program, Auto Gold Elite Status and 15 Elite Night Points per year.
• Marriott Hotel Bonvoy Unlimited Credit Card: Earn 6 points per dollar a year in hotels participating in Marriott Hotel Program, Automatic Silver Elite Identity and Elite Night Points 15 times a year.
• Marriott Hotel BonvoyBold® Credit Card (See Rates and Fees): Spend 3 points per year to earn money on hotels participating in the Marriott Hotel Program, automatic silver elite identity and annual level 5 elite night points awards.

The Marriott Hotel Information Wealth Card has been independently collected by Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

JW Marriott Crete appears on the list of most anticipated hotel openings of 2025 for a reason, and the property has a direct access to the Aegean ocean and incredible mountain views thanks to its glittering infinity pool. As services and amenities grow bigger over the coming weeks and months, this is an attractive option for any traveler looking to redeem the Greek Islands.

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