Greece - Korina Miller [391]
BUDGET
Hania Camping ( 28210 31138; camhania@otenet.gr; Agii Apostoli; caravan/camp sites per adult/child/tent €7/5/4; ), 3km west of town on the beach, is shaded and has a restaurant, bar and minimarket and pool. Take a Kalamaki Beach bus (every 15 minutes) from the southeast corner of Plateia 1866.
Pension Theresa ( /fax 28210 92798; Angelou 2; r €40-50; ) Run by the kindly retired doctor Georgios Nikitas, this creaky old house with a steep spiral staircase and antique furniture oozes atmosphere. Some rooms have a view, though the best is from the rooftop terrace (which has a communal kitchen). Rooms have TV, air-con and lofts with an extra bed, though some are snug. It’s small, so book ahead.
Monastiri Pension ( /fax 28210 41032; Agiou Markou 18 & Kanevarou; d & tr €40-65; ) This older budget place has a stone arched entry and antique family furniture in the communal area. Bathrooms are a basic add-on, but rooms have fridge and some have air-con. The front rooms have sea-view balconies.
Vranas Studios ( 28210 58618; www.vranas.gr; Agion Deka 10; studio €40-70; ) Vranas has spacious, immaculate self-catering studios with polished wooden floors, balconies, and all mod cons (plus an internet cafe attached).
Casa Veneta Studios & Apartments ( 28210 90007; www.casa-veneta.gr; Theotokopoulou 57; studio/apt €50/60; April-Oct; ) This old-town place has new, freshly painted self-catering rooms on three levels, and friendly service. Wi-fi works in the reception area. Prices drop in low season.
Pension Lena ( 28210 86860; lenachania@hotmail.com; Ritsou 5; s/d €35/55; ) This friendly pension in an old Turkish building has a cosy, old-world feel with scattered antiques; the front rooms are best.
Also recommended is Mme Bassia Rooms for Rent ( /fax 28210 55087; Betolo 49; d/tr €50/65; ), with classy rooms in the Old Town and friendly service. Other hole-in-the-wall budget places can be found by pounding the pavement.
MIDRANGE
Ifigenia Rooms, Studios & Suites ( 28210 94357; www.ifigeniastudios.gr; Gamba 23 & Parodos Agelou; studio/ste €50/150; ) These six refurbished Old Town houses run from simple rooms to fancy suites with kitchenettes, Jacuzzis and views. Some bathrooms are very basic and the decor’s a little contrived. A new suite for couples has Jacuzzi and rooftop terrace, though opening the heavy entrance hatch while standing on the spiral staircase below requires considerable dexterity.
Ionas Hotel ( 28210 55090; www.ionashotel.com; Sarpaki & Sorvolou; d incl breakfast €60-80, ste incl buffet breakfast €130; ) This boutique hotel in the quiet but hip Splantzia quarter has a contemporary design. Rooms have all mod cons and there’s a rooftop terrace.
Madonna Studios & Apartments ( 28210 94747; madonnastudios@yahoo.co.uk; Gamba 33; studio €70-110; ) This charming pension has five traditionally furnished studios with unique individual touches, set around a lovely flower-filled courtyard.
Nostos Hotel ( 28210 94743; www.nostos-hotel.com; Zambeliou 42-46; s/d/tr incl breakfast €60/80/120; ) A renovated 600-year-old Venetian building, the superlative Nostos has split-level self-catering rooms; balcony rooms have harbour views.
Hotel Doma ( 28210 51772; www.hotel-doma.gr; Venizelos 124; s/d/tr/ste incl breakfast from €65/90/120/150; 1 Apr-31 Oct; ). If ever there was a place where one could retreat to write a mystery-suspense novel, this would be it. Long a refuge for famous writers, politicos and actors, the hotel’s singularity lies in the original wood floors and furnishings, scattered antiquities, flowering back garden, and even a collection of exotic Asian headdresses. Although it’s a 20-minute walk from the centre, public buses serve Halepa (it’s at the Attika stop), and there’s street parking behind. The front-facing rooms and breakfast hall enjoy sea views, while the top-floor suite has its own rooftop terrace, with kaleidoscopic views.
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MEMORIES OF VENIZELOS
Few people can boast a family home like