Giovanni's studio

Giovanni's studio is a three-star hotel in Chania, on the northwestern coast of Crete, sitting on Omirou Street in the Parygoria neighborhood. With a rating of 9.6 from 67 guest reviews, it punches well above its category — the kind of small, independently run property where personal attention tends to show up in the numbers. Chania is one of the most architecturally layered cities in Greece, with a Venetian harbor, Ottoman-era mosques, and a tightly woven old town that rewards slow exploration on foot.

The surrounding area has the character of a residential Cretan neighborhood rather than a tourist strip, which suits travelers who prefer to wake up somewhere that feels genuinely local. The streets here are narrow and the pace is unhurried, making this a natural base for anyone spending several days in the city rather than passing through.

For guests arriving by car — not uncommon when exploring western Crete, where renting a vehicle opens up the Samaria Gorge, the beaches of Elafonissi, and the villages of the White Mountains — the free on-site parking removes a real logistical headache in a city where street parking near the old town can be genuinely difficult. Guests who prefer a smoke-free environment will find that the non-smoking rooms policy is consistently maintained, which matters when you are returning after a long day outdoors and want the room to feel like a clean reset. Check-in is straightforward enough to fit around an afternoon arrival, and checking out in the morning leaves time for a coffee in the harbor before heading onward.