Fly to Chania and find the smaller locations around Kalives to the East, Kolimbari to the West.

Plenty of good quiet beaches to track down, good grub, lots of history and other bits to explore, some beach watersports stuff at the busier places such as Agia Marina, fun water park at Limnopoulis. Chania itself gorgeous and can do boat trips from there etc.

We did have our own place until recently but we took our three kids regularly from 18 months to 18yrs and always had fun.