I had my dear friend Steff coming to Macedonia and Greece for the first time this May and I really wanted to show her as much as possible. Since we didn’t have too much time, we decided to spend 3 nights in Chaniotis, Greece and booked the Tresor Sousouras Hotel i.e. previously known as the Hanioti Palace.
I’ve never been to this hotel before, but I’ve heard generally good things. I wanted something in a popular summer town, but also affordable and nice. Therefore, we went for the half board option and hoped for the best.
Due to some unexpected flight cancellations and delays (yes, both!), we set off from Skopje quite late in the day and therefore arrived in Chaniotis late at night, around 10 PM local time. We were sad to miss the dinner as well as a bit surprised by the empty streets; however, the month May is far from being the summer peak season.
We arrived at the hotel easily, with the help of the car’s navigation system, and parked along the street. There was nobody at the reception and we were a bit worried whether someone will provide us with our room key.
Luckily, we announced that we were arriving late during our flight cancellations and were able to find the receptionist easily to check us in. To our surprise, the staff, also, kept prepared dinner meals for the three of us so we can eat something upon our arrival. That was a very nice surprise and a start of a wonderful holiday.
The building itself is not a new one as the hotel was built many years ago. However, it is well-kept and everything inside is very nicely furnished.
The hotel has a beautiful garden, pool bar and pool area. Guests can relax on sunbeds, have a drink and enjoy the nature at its fullest.
There are two options when it comes to parking. The first is to park along the street if you’re lucky enough to find free spots during the high-season.
The other option is to give a 5 EUR deposit and then use one of the reserved hotel spots right of the entrance. If you go with the second option, you’ll get a key and a dedicated spot for your car. During check out, you’ll return the key and get your deposit money back.
The room was nothing special, a standard room in a Greek hotel I’d say. It wasn’t too big, the third bed was small and not that comfortable, while the absence of power sockets was ever-present.
However, it was clean and cosy – ensuring you relaxed afternoon naps. One fail was the hairdryer hidden behind the TV; we discovered it by mistake while we were looking power sockets and just couldn’t believe our eyes.
Possibly the hotel’s biggest pro was the staff. At least the one we met. Literary everyone was extremely nice and welcoming, friendly and useful. We really enjoyed greeting the lady at the reception or chatting with the gentleman in the restaurant.
The food was tasty and well prepared. However, as we arrived prior to the beginning of the season and there were only 10-15 guests in total, there wasn’t a wide variety of selection.
There was usually one or two meat dishes and a few side dishes like potatoes or pasta. Nevertheless, we understood their logic of not preparing too much food that would be wasted later, so we were completely fine with our breakfast and dinner offers.
So, what are some things we noticed during our stay at Tresor Sousouras Hotel? Well, the hotel is not on the beachfront and doesn’t offer free sunbeds to guests. There are two main options I’d say when it comes to going to the beach on foot.
First, you can get to the beach and pay for sunbeds and umbrellas or use your own. However, keep in mind that the space left for free-spirited travelers is not that big as most of the beach is used by hotels or bars.
Renting sunbeds and umbrellas was fairly expensive I’d say as we paid 5 EUR for 2 sunbeds and one umbrella, but the person in charge told us that the price would go up to 7 EUR the following day.
I believe all the offers were pretty much the same, around 7-8 EUR and we couldn’t find a place that offered free sunbeds if you buy drinks. We were told that there were some beach bars that offered sunbeds with drinks almost at the end of the Chaniotis beach, but that was just too much walking really.
The water and beach in Chaniotis are both nice. There are, however, certain parts that are narrow and therefore you’ll end up among many people. Also, the beach towards the entrance of the town has more pebbles and rocks inside the water. When you go towards the town center and exit, the area is sandier. The sea, nonetheless, is clean and wonderful.
My friend Steff wanted to try as many authentic specialities from Greek cuisine as possible and therefore we had lunch every day as well. Out of the several spots we tried, I personally liked the Colibri Tavern (TripAdvisor page) the most.
Well, all in all, Tresor Sousouras in Chanioti, Greece was a generally good choice. The hotel has a nice garden, a large pool and extremely friendly staff. Moreover, the food was tasty, and everything was very clean.
The rooms could be improved for sure; but compared to other accommodations in Greece, they are actually pretty standard. After all, we had a great time and enjoyed our short summer holiday.
The Tresor Sousouras Hotel (Hanioti Palace) in Chaniotis, Greece offers a wonderful accommodation with an ideal location nearby the center of Chaniotis, helpful and professional staff, and very tasty Greek cuisine.
