Hilton Opens First Greece Resort With 85 Private Pools
Hilton is making Crete the centerpiece of its Greek expansion, and the first property opens in Chania within the coming weeks. The Hilton Chania Old Town Resort & Spa is a seven-floor, 85-room hotel where every single room comes with its own private pool, a concept that Hilton management says exists nowhere else in the entire Hilton portfolio worldwide.
The Chania property is also technically the first active Hilton-branded hotel in Greece right now, since the historic Athens Hilton was converted into a Conrad. It will include a conference center for around 250 people, targeting international corporate events and congresses to keep the property running year-round, not just in summer.
"Hilton chose Crete because of the island's growing appeal and its potential to shift toward a 12-month tourism model" — Carlos Malliároudakis, COO of Hotelleading
The hotel is being operated by Hotelleading, part of the Cretan Tsilédakis Group, which has partnered with Hilton on two additional Crete projects already in development. The first is a roughly 140-room family and all-inclusive property in Georgioupolis, expected to open in 2028. The second is a luxury resort of up to 200 rooms and bungalows in Episkopi, Rethymno, slated for late 2029 or early 2030.
Carlos Malliároudakis, the Chief Operating Officer of Hotelleading, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency that Hilton chose Crete because of the island's growing appeal and its potential to shift toward a 12-month tourism model. The Chania hotel specifically targets the American market, with Hilton's Honors loyalty program already credited with driving a measurable increase in US visitors to the city.
The new Chania property will also feature a Fauchon Café Pâtisserie, marking the Parisian brand's debut in Greece, alongside an L'Occitane en Provence Spa. Once all three Crete properties are complete, the Tsilédakis Group estimates total employment across its Crete portfolio will reach 1,000 people, with most hired locally.
