Favela Living Space — Hotel in Municipality of Chania

PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW. IT IS LENGTHY BUT YOU WILL BE THANKFUL||First, it is important for me to mention that I was a female, solo traveler, looking for a hotel that was conveniently located, safe, and offered great amenities. ||With that in mind, I’ve spent countless hours searching sites, and reading reviews... but what stood out for me about FAVELA (aside from the location, reviews, and price), was the actual website and the depictions of the “fun, fearless, female” independent traveler and the representations cultural diversity. That is honestly what drew my attention to the hotel. My only hope after booking, was that my actual experience matched what I saw. ||... Well FAVELA did not disappoint. Shortly after my booking, I received a WhatsApp message from Georgia the owner of the hotel, who maintained correspondence with me up to the moment that I arrived at her doorstep. While still in the USA, she asked about some of the things that I was interested in and offered suggestions. She even connected me with an amazing tour guide (Yiannis Guided Tours) who assisted me in customizing a tour package. Both individuals corresponded with me before I boarded the plane to Greece. Having that level of correspondence with individuals in the receiving country, was important for me, especially since safety was a concern as a solo female traveler. ||Although, Chania was not the first place I visited in Greece, Georgia communicated with me often to inquire about how my Greek experience had been going thus far. Because Favela does not offer the “front desk traditional concierge service,” Georgia arranged her schedule to ensure that she, the tour guide (Yiannis), and i could all meet for an earlier check in so that my 4 hour guided tour of Chania could begin. Kudos to Georgia for being accommodating and flexible!||Prior to my trip to Elafonissi beach on day 2 (a trip that Yiannis assisted in booking), I inquired about whether she had beach towels available. Although she did not, she had her staff leave one new beach towel for me on the door knob by dinner time (and at no additional cost). Now this is what I call going above and beyond to enhance the guest experience. ||Day 3 was another Yiannis Guided Tour adventure. Meanwhile, Georgia was also away on an adventure of her own. She and I remained in touch throughout our travels, again, with her checking to ensure that all of my travel needs were being met. Sidebar: I know some who are reading this may be thinking “i do not want to have her imposing on me throughout my trip.” And to that I would say that my treatment was certainly customized based on my need for safety and comfort as a solo female traveler. Also, because we have quite a bit of commonalities. But I digress :)||On day 4, I spent walking about the town, saying goodbye to Yiannis, souvenir shopping, and enjoying more of the nice restaurants that Georgia had recommended (of course she has a list of places to eat and nightlife establishments). No matter where I had gone to and mentioned her name, the owners knew her family and spoke very highly of them. I was fortunate to meet her adorable daughter as well. ||Regarding the accommodations (what you’ve been patiently waiting for): ||FAVELA is what I would refer to as “prime real estate” (remember, safety and convenience were priorities for me). The hotel is located on the main road in the heart of Old Town. Needless to say, everything is generally within five minutes walking distance of FAVELA and there is no shortage of activity just steps away from the hotel. It is a premiere location if you wish to have “have it all at your fingertips.” I stayed in the master suite on the main level (the suite had two rooms). The balcony was amazing. Most evenings, I would enjoy a scoop of gelato and would watch the activity walking to and from the harbor. What a delight. Inside, the room was tastefully decorated. Georgia has a chic-modern-bohemian, fusion style, that enhances the “boutique-flair” of the hotel. On a daily basis she offers delectable treats (baked cookies) and olive oil based toiletries (the olive oil soap works wonders on the face). The floors are hardwood, so the rooms are sanitized daily. Her staff were responsive within minutes to provide things that were needed, but for the most part, not much is needed, since most of your time will be spent out of the room. ||The only drawback to the room was the loud music that could be heard from the Gelato shop just below.. Though, one must be realistic about “the one thing that they are willing to trade off” if they absolutely have to trade off anything. For me personally, I would have preferred to have a noisy hotel room on a busy street, with loads of activity... just so that I could have everything else remain exceptional... because after all|NO ONE SLEEPS UNTIL 6AM IN CHANIA. And by then, the Gelato shop has been closed since 3am :-)||I would definitely stay here again and would recommend it to a friend/relative. If you decide to stay at Favela, please mention “Tawanna from NYC” so that the owner will know that this review was helpful. She may even throw in an extra cookie or give an bar of the AMAZING...

Great location right in the midst of the old town with unique rooms.||I booked the single room which I knew to be quirky from the photos available online. It is small but very comfortable and well equipped. The high ceilings make it feel more spacious as does the use of a glass partition for the shower and toilet.||On arrival there was a snack, olives and raki waiting for me. There is a coffee machine and fridge in the room which on a longer stay would prove very useful. A small bottle of water was in the fridge which is always a welcome sight on arrival. There is a hairdryer and iron available too which is not always the case in smaller properties.||The air conditioning worked well and was easy to adjust to suit.||The location is terrific with the bus station under 10 minutes walk away and the harbour less than 5 minutes away. I really enjoyed exploring the little back streets as well as the harbour and cathedral square which is a minute away.||All the eating, drinking and shopping options you could wish for are on the doorstep.||Access is via 1 flight of stairs with a keybox to collect your room key from. There are only 3 rooms. Ideal for independent travellers who like the room they stay in to have character.||There is noise from the nearby businesses but I found this reassuring rather than disruptive. I slept very well which is not always the case with a 1 night stay. The church bells were a distinctive alarm call at 7.50am.||Nice accommodation in a great location which I will be happy to...

Favela Boutique is on Chalidon which is the Main Street in Chania Old Town and less than 5 minutes walking distance to the harbour and shops. I stayed with Georgia for 11 nights in Oct-Nov 2017 and had a wonderful visit. Georgia is attentive and so friendly offering to help with my itinerary, bus timetables, where to eat and what to visit and any questions I had! Travelling as a young girl on my own, having someone check I was ok, happy and eating well was very thoughtful and it was nice to know she was only a phone call away. My room was comfortable and always cleaned well by maid service - I especially loved the espresso machine! I hope I will be able...