Hotel Eleftheria

With its hillside location, the hotel is a quiet escape from the bustling center of Chania and offers gorgeous views of the water. The Hotel Eleftheria has a plain beige stucco façade and its 66 rooms are split amongst three buildings. The grounds are gorgeous, speckled with palm trees and colorful potted flowers everywhere; there are multiple seating areas outside for guests to enjoy the garden's tranquility.

The lobby is bright and open, but has basic furnishings, like leather couches and small potted plants. There is a TV, single computer, arcade game and couple dozen books for guests to utilize.

Most guests head down to the beach or hang out at the large swimming pool; although it's more popular for couples, there is a a children's section in the pool and a colorful playground area with swings and slide.

Hotel Eleftheria is perched on a hill in Agia Marina in Crete, the largest of the Greek islands. The hotel is a 10- to 15-minute walk from the beach; since it's a longer walk up and down a hill, the hotel provides free shuttle service to and from the beach several times each day. It's secluded hillside location makes for a peaceful stay.

The hotel is just under a 15-minute drive to the city center of Chania, a popular tourist town with many shops and dining options. The Chania International Airport is a 30-minute drive away.

For travelers with cars, there's a free parking lot at the hotel. Other areas in Greece that may be worthwhile exploring are Rethimnon, which is an hour's drive away and Heraklion, Crete's capital, is two hours away.

There are 66 rooms at Hotel Eleftheria; 57 are doubles, which can be converted to triples and the remaining 9 are family rooms, which are connecting double rooms that share a bathroom. Many of the rooms have had an update and are more modern and stylish than the others. A newer room, like the Superior Garden View Room, has marble flooring, white bedding with a colorful blanket, a flat-screen TV, and unique touches like stripes on one wall. This room also has a kitchenette fully equipped with hot plates, a mini-fridge, and dishware. The bathroom is clean and sleek with a walk-in shower and new fixtures.

Rooms that haven't been updated have more basic furniture, including two twin beds pushed together to form a double, and old tube-style TVs. Bathrooms have shower/tub combos and cheesy shower curtains with an under-the-sea theme.

All rooms have balconies or terraces -- some with better views than others -- air conditioner units, safes, and mini-fridges.

The large swimming pool, with a children's area, is surrounded by lounge chairs and umbrella shades; guests have not reported problems with chair availability. For kids, there's a colorful playground with a play structure and swings in the garden.

An outdoor pool bar, serving snacks and drinks, has a pool table and modern wicker seating on a covered terrace. The on-site restaurant offers a free breakfast buffet for guests who opt for the half-board; guests have mentioned that although the food is good, the options are limited and repeated often. Served in a space with floor-to-ceiling windows, the casual restaurant also serves dinner.

A small but attractive gym has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the garden; there are a few cardio machines and several strength-training machines available in the bright space. There's also a sauna and souvenir shop at the hotel.