Samaria Hotel

Samaria Hotel is an elegant hotel popular with couples and, to a lesser extent, families and business travelers. Despite the busy city street outside, it's peaceful and relaxing inside, with a minimalist design scheme throughout. The lobby has green-marble floors, modern neutral-tone furniture, and a wall of bookshelves next to a bar. The upscale yet welcoming space also hosts live piano music on occasion. The Mediterranean restaurant has the hotel's most eye-popping color use, thanks to bright red chairs alongside black tables and panoramic windows. The bar and bistro is a particularly striking space, filled with dark-wood paneling, coffered ceiling, checkered tiling, and brown-cushioned booths with lots of brass detailing. The pretty pool and surrounding deck provide another area for guests to lounge on-site.

The Samaria Hotel is centrally located in Chania's 1866 Square, immediately next to a central bus station. It's a 10-minute walk to the Old Venetian Harbor -- a popular area with restaurants, shops, and museums. The Archeological Museum of Chania is five minutes away by foot, and only 15 minutes to the farthest point of the Old Town. Nea Chora Beach, a popular sandy strip, is a seven-minute drive from the hotel. Day trips to Samaria Gorge -- a national park with hiking trails -- are popular, and it's a 70-minute drive away. The ferry from the mainland comes into Port Souda, which is a 10-minute drive from the hotel. Chania International Airport is a 20-minute drive. The hotel has parking available for a fee.

Spacious guest rooms have comfortable, minimalist furnishings in a neutral-tone color scheme. Warm wood flooring continues up a paneled accent wall and much of the furniture is the same shade. Beds have white, quality linens and brown bed runners that match the sofas in each room. All rooms have furnished balconies, though some overlook the pool and aren't very private. Also provided are work desks, minibars, and coffee- and tea-making facilities -- or a Nespresso machine in higher-end rooms, as well as flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and safes. Marble bathrooms are designed to please. Rainfall showerheads are fitted in showers or tubs, plus they have high-end bath products, hairdryers, and bathrobes and slippers. Executive Suites have both bathtubs and separate showers. The three Penthouse Suites come with spacious terraces with expansive views. The Luxury Penthouse Suite encompasses the entire top floor and includes designer furniture, two balconies, and an outdoor whirlpool. 

Samaria Hotel has amenities appealing to couples and business travelers, but it lacks spa services found in most upscale stays. A highlight is the well-reviewed free breakfast buffet, which includes a variety of international and Cretan dishes, and even a glass of sparkling wine. The restaurant also serves Mediterranean dishes for lunch and dinner, either indoors or on the poolside patio. The 1866 Cafe is also open from the morning until late, serving coffee, alcoholic beverages, and snacks. The courtyard pool is inviting with a waterfall feature at one end, though the bistro terrace uses a lot of the surrounding space and there are not many lounge chairs. The basement fitness room is small, but it has a few modern cardio and weight-training machines and free weights. A tiny business center with two computers and a printer is available, as are two conference halls. Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, while private parking is available for a fee.