Hotel Ilion, Nafplio:
I stayed here for three nights. The hotel is within close walking distance of the KTEL bus station. When I checked in, staff gave me 2 keys: one for my hotel room, and one for the side entrance. The side entrance is a door in the wall surrounding the hotel. After checking in, staff prefers that guests use the side entrance. My room door opened to a semi-private courtyard; the side entrance was about 20 feet from the room.
This was my 4th solo trip and 3rd solo trip to Europe but my first time in Europe staying in a non-hostel, private hotel room. Minor problems: The mattress was very hard. Bathroom has a window that can be opened but there is no exhaust fan; humidity in the room was too high. Hangers did not fit well in the closet because the closet rod was too close to the wall. Lighting and plumbing worked fine. Room came with a working refrigerator. Staff gave me one small free bottle of water; the water in Nafplio was a rust-brown color and undrinkable. Air conditioner is near the ceiling. It is operated with a remote control. Staff provided the same sort of maid service you get at an American hotel. A power strip with the bedside lamp plugged into one of the slots was on or by the bedside table. The windows have old-fashioned shutters that open swinging outward and when closed and locked, block out 100% of the light from outside. Windows also have curtains on the inside. I could hear the muffled sound of church bells and voices from outside before going to sleep, yet the room was still quiet because few or no motor vehicles go on the paths surrounding the hotel. Hotel provides a breakfast but I did not check it out. I give the place 4 stars.
El Greco hotel, Heraklion, Crete:
I stayed here the night of October 4, 2018. I took the ferry from Piraeus to Heraklion, then I took a taxi from the parking lot by where the boat arrives, to the hotel, so I can’t say whether the hotel is easy to walk to from the ferry. Lighting and plumbing worked fine. Room had two twin sized beds that, with some effort, could have been pushed together. Room also had a small couch and a desk. The sheets were folded up when I arrived. I had to unfold the sheet and tuck it under the end of the mattress opposite my head. The hotel provided me a free map of Heraklion. They provide a breakfast consisting of apples and various pastries. Hotel desk employee let me store my luggage from 7am until late evening on the day I arrived, and for half of the day after checking out. Free luggage storage for guests is available in a closet in the lobby. I was on floor 4, which would be called the 5th floor if the hotel were in the USA; the hotel had a working elevator. I give this hotel 5 stars, I would stay here again.
Cocoon City Hostel, Chania:
I stayed here for one night in October 2018. Free luggage storage is available in a closet near the front desk and/or in lockets with keys. Towel rental is 3 euros + a ten euro deposit, which I guess is not so expensive considering that my printed confirmation says I was supposed to pay twenty euros, equal to approximately 23 U.S. dollars. But I paid with a credit card and my credit card statement says I was only charged $16.15 U.S. dollars. I was in a mixed gender 4-person room. Room had a sliding glass door leading to a large balcony with two drying racks and some kind of table. The men’s room was not more than 15 feet from the room entrance. The men’s room had 4 toilet stalls and 4 shower stalls, and more than one sink. Hostel has a communal kitchen. Rules stated that food was not allowed in the rooms - I didn’t ask if they had had problems with pests. There is some seating in the kitchen and more seating in the lobby. I give this place 5 stars.