Elia Estia

Comfy, cosy and great bolt hole, in the very heart of the old town, but by being 1 street back you lose the noise of the harbour restaurants etc. Taxi can drop you pretty much at the door, unlike many in the old town. Great hotel group, nothing is too much trouble. Cute little balcony overlooking one of the many archaeological sites. Excellent air con, comfy bed. Kitchen not ideal for much self catering but surrounded by wonderful places to eat from street food kiosks to grand restaurants, who needs to cook. Small food shop 100yrds. Fridge and kettle + coffee maker are pretty much all you might use, but there is a 2 ring hob. Yes like so many in the Old Town its stairs, 4 flights but as lifts are not allowed in these amazing historic buildings it is the same for all. Close to all you need 10 min walk to main bus station, 10 min to modern shopping area. 2 mins to harbour with restraurants, museums and boat trips.

You’ll walk up 50 marble steps; elevators are forbidden in Old Town. You’ll have trouble finding taxis; streets are pedestrian-only. You’ll talk with Reception by phone and email. Your reward will be one of the most magical balconies in Greece, at the top of Chania’s Old Venetian Harbor. We booked the 4th floor One-Bedroom Suite at the Elia Estia Erato building of Elia Hotels and loved every minute. Elia Hotels Group has renovated historic buildings around Chania into over 20 boutique hotels and apartments. It’s not the Ritz, but you can get that in the US. In Greece, the glitches are worth it to experience Chania up close. Old Venetian Harbor doesn’t just glitter like a storybook–it is a storybook, with more history than anything Disney could imagine. On the stairway landing was a full set of knight's armor (photo). Our balcony had a panoramic view of colorful baroque buildings, dramatic fortresses, an historic mosque and the medieval lighthouse–all reflecting in the harbor at sunset and at night (photos, video). Below us around the harbor were two dozen fine seaside restaurants. In walking distance were huge 16th century monuments to explore and beaches with even more great restaurants. Mr. Antonis Yiakoumakis, Ms. Despina Liakou, and Ms. Maria at Elia Zampeliou Hotel Reception a few streets away (which was our Reception Desk), helped us so much! They showed why Crete is famous for hospitality–even when coping with historic buildings. Historic buildings, for example, don’t have a lot of furniture. There were no drawers for clothing, no place to put modern clam-shell luggage. But when we asked for a luggage stand, they somehow got a large extra table up 3 flights of stairs for us. When I needed smaller bills, Mr. Yiakoumakis personally took me and my 50 Euro bill door to door among local tavernas as waiters whizzed by with heavy trays, until we found a cashier with change. The ambiance was superb, the local food is fantastic, and most important, the people are wonderful. If you need anything, call or email; they answer quickly. When we asked for a few extra towels, we got a weeks’ worth. When the city tore up a nearby street, Ms. Despina personally escorted us to and from our building. Need something? Just ask! :)