One of Greece’s most popular islands is getting a JW Marriott resort this year

It may be the early days of January, but it’s never too early to start pining for summer. And this coming August, Marriott Bonvoy loyalists — and those who just want to get away to Greece — can look forward to the first-ever JW Marriott resort on the island of Crete.

Now accepting reservations for stays beginning on or after Aug. 1, 2025, the JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa is located on Marathi Beach near the city of Chania. The closest airports are the nearby Chania Airport (CHQ), mainly serving domestic flights, and Heraklion International Airport (HER), Crete’s major international airport, about two hours away by car.

The new-build resort sits on over 100 acres of land and will have 160 rooms, suites and villas designed to look and feel modern and elegant, with layers of “authentic Cretan heritage” woven throughout. For guests in suites and villas, expect a private pool or jacuzzi.

Dining at JW Marriott Crete will include an open-fire seaside Cretan restaurant, an upscale seafood restaurant, an Italian spot open for dinner, a buffet and a la carte Mediterranean restaurant open all day — plus both a poolside bar and a main bar.

Throughout the resort, there will be plenty to do, including lounging around multiple swimming pools or sunning at Marathi Beach, hitting up the Anoseas Spa for a massage or other treatment and basking in the beauty of Greece.

“The debut οf JW Marriott Crete Resort & Spa will redefine luxury hospitality in the Mediterranean, and also reinforces Greece’s position as an attractive destination for luxury brands and international jetsetters,” according to Stelios Koutsivitis, president of Swot Hospitality, the company operating the hotel developed by Crete-based Vasilakis SA.

How to book:

Reservations are now open for stays from Aug. 1, 2025, onward, with the lowest cash rates at the end of the season in October for about $290 per night. Unfortunately, Marriott Bonvoy point rates are not yet available.