There are plenty of hotels to choose from in Chania and where you will stay will depend on your budget and whether you want to be on the beach, in the old town or in the new town.

Personally my first choice is probably the Hotel Ammos which is located on the beach about a 45 minute walk from the old city. In fact one of the reasons I would choose this hotel is because you can walk the entire way on the beach. Its a beautiful hotel, well decorated with modern art and with an owner who seems to enjoy renovating it every year so you are always in a new hotel. The rooms are large and spacious and have small kitchens and the hotel is right on the beach. It also has a pool and is a favorite hotel for families with children many who come every year. The hotel has its own restaurant which has a nice selection of Cretan traditional food, typical Greek cooking and a few international favorites. The owner Nikos Tsepetis is very knowledgeable about Crete and especially about where to eat, as is evident in the fact that he wrote the restaurant section of this site. There is a small fish pond, beautiful gardens and unlike most hotels there is parking if you have a car, which you should if you plan to explore western Crete.

If the Ammos is full (as it often is) and you want to be on a beach (a nice beach-not a city beach) then you can try the Aqua Blue Villas located in the picturesque seaside settlement of Georgioupolis, with convenient access to the major sights and attractions of the island and right on the beach. There is also Iolkos Hotel Apartments which offers self-catering on Glaros Beach. Hotel Alexis is located in a quiet neighborhood at the edge of Chania Town, overlooking the town and the sea, close to the beach, the Venetian Port and the Chania old town. The Golden Bay Hotel is right on the beach in Agii Apostoli, 2.5 miles west of Chania. Rooms and apartments include cooking facilities, balcony and views of the sea or pool. For more hotels on or close to the beach in western Chania use this link to Matt's Crete Hotels

For those who want to be in the old town and stay in a 17th Century Venetian Palace, as many of us would, then I suggest the 5-Star Hotel Casa Delfino Hotel and Spa which probably would be out of the budget of most of us. Especially me. However we went out to dinner one night with some friends and I met the owner and he invited us to stay for free and it was one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in. The rooms are magnificent and there are suites available for those who want to take the next step up. Ours had a jucuzzi for two, a very comfortable bed that a small family would be happy in and a living room dining room area that was bigger than the one in our apartment in Athens. The courtyard is beautiful and has the world's largest cactus and serves as a sitting area for the cafe which makes excellent espresso. Its a block up from the sea and for what it is worth is a favorite of Tipper Gore.

The first place we stayed which I also loved was the Hotel Porto Veneziano which is a modern looking three story building in the inner harbor by the Venetian shipyards, the Sailing Ship Minoa Museum, and all the best restaurants and cafes. Most rooms overlook the harbor and the old town and in my opinion in terms of location if you are staying in town then this is the best area to stay in. The rooms were large and the beds comfortable, the staff were helpful and they had a little cafe with tables on the street where you can sit, drink coffee or something stronger and watch the fishing boats and the people walk by. We did not have any meals here except breakfast but people who reviewed the hotel on Booking.com raved about the food. It is rated as 'Exceptional' by reviewers which for a 3-star hotel is pretty good and also means if you don't book it quickly you probably won't get a room there. I will just add that I really liked staying here and leave it at that.

Other highly rated hotels, in case the above are booked already, include the Erietta Suites in the old town, which features self-catering accommodation with free WiFi. Diamond Luxury Suites enjoys a privileged location whether you are in the city for a holiday or for business. Each room has a different design and décor. Classical and contemporary, past and present, all blend harmoniously with each other, creating an environment of discreet luxury that will take you to another era. All the sights, taverns and the cosmopolitan city life are only a few steps away. The Palazzo di Pietro Hotel has proven to be one of the better "traditional style" hotels with its main building materials being hewn stone and wood. The building dates back to approximately the year 1200! The Porto Del Colombo Hotel is an imposing, tall, 600 year old building, has gathered a rich history over the passing of the centuries. During the days of Turkish Rule, the building housed members of high ranking Turkish military. In the beginning of the 19th Century, the building was used as a French embassy and later was inhabited by the great Greek political figure, Eleftherios Venizelos, who also used it as his political offices until his move to Athens, when he took power as Prime Minister of Greece. A traditional hotel with personality, the Doma Hotel is a converted neoclassical mansion decorated with Cretan objects and photos from a bygone era, Built at the beginning of the 19th century, the Doma hotel originally it housed the Austrian Consulate. Located outside the walls of the old Venetian harbour with a breathtaking view of the Bay in Chania and within walking distance of the Venetian harbour.

If you want to stay somewhere special right in the old town Residenzia Vranas has spectacular rooms with an amazing view of the harbor and is probably the best location you will find in Chania. If that is full then try Domus Renier which is close by. The Kriti Hotel is situated at the most privileged position of the city of Chania. It is in the crossroads between the famous medieval Venetian city, a sandy beach, and the Market square.

You can find hotels, villas, apartments and holiday homes at Matt's Hotels of Greece Crete Page. If you think you will need assistance with ferries, tours, and hotels in Athens and other islands then it is best to book through a reliable Greek travel agency like Fantasy Travel or Dolphin Hellas or Aegean Thesaurus Travel.