Halepa Hotel by Christopher Deliso

Constructed in the 19th century by the famous Greek merchant Themistiklis Mitsotakis, and later a British consulate during the days of the Great Powers, the Halepa enjoys an appropriate grandeur in its lobby/sitting room, outfitted with piano, fireplace and couches set above a smooth black-and-white chequered floor. The lawn and roof gardens, elegant suites and location in a quiet suburb of Chania also lend the place a certain appeal, but a questionable addition means special attention is required when choosing rooms.

The hotel’s name comes from the northeastern waterfront neighborhood of Chania where the building is located. The Greek word ‘Halepa’ roughly translates as ‘place of arduous ascent,’ because it refers to the hilltop suburb looking down towards the Venetian old town. (However, it’s not that arduous). In the pre-World War I days, the area was home to the consulates of France, Russia, England (now, the Halepa Hotel itself) and other countries. Now the suburb is relatively quiet, far from the tourist throngs in the old town- from the hotel it is only a 30-minute leisurely walk along the shoreline to get there. However, the main road and surrounding streets can make things noisy.

Being a small hotel, the Halepa offers only limited facilities: a bar/lounge area, breakfast dining room, outdoor and rooftop gardens, a 20-person conference room and private parking in the back. The hotel is about 500 meters up from the city’s first swimmable beach, Koum Kapi. The hotel is located in the northeastern suburb of Halepa, on the main thoroughfare Eleftherios Venizelos St. and on a bluff across from the sea. Chania International Airport is only 15 km to the east, bypassing the crowded city center, which itself is a 20-30 minute walk from the hotel in the other direction. A local bus stop is located opposite the hotel’s entrance.

The rooms
While the hotel’s VIP suite conveys some of the spirit of classical décor, with big, billowing curtains and handsome wooden chairs, most of the other double rooms are sparsely decorated and not particularly lavish. The 42-room new wing addition, meant to absorb some of the costs of renovating the main building, unfortunately gives a schizophrenic character to the hotel – the gulf between old-style suite and average, modern double room is wide and guests should be sure of which they are getting. Also, while the rooftop garden allows great views of Chania and the bay around it, unrestricted building in the neighborhood has unfortunately marred the view from some of the rooms.