CHC Imperial Palace

I do not recommend this hotel.

Unfortunately, my experience did not meet the expectations I had for a hotel that advertises itself as a 4-star property.

The biggest downside is the location. The hotel is situated next to two busy roads, and the traffic noise is constant, both during the day and at night. If you are looking for peace and relaxation, this can be very disturbing. In addition, the soundproofing between the rooms is poor. You can clearly hear conversations from neighboring rooms, and during the day the noise from the traffic is combined with housekeeping staff talking loudly in the corridors while carrying out their duties.

Another disadvantage is the distance to the beach. If you don’t have a car, the walk can be quite tiring, especially in the high temperatures typical of Crete.

The biggest disappointment, however, is the hotel’s policy regarding drinking water. I find it unacceptable that in a 4-star hotel you are not provided with at least one complimentary bottle of water in your room or even a free glass of water with dinner. On a hot summer day, water is a basic necessity, not a luxury. Having to pay even for a simple glass of water at dinner shows a lack of consideration for guests, especially when you have already paid for a half-board stay. Saving a few cents on a bottle of water does nothing to enhance the hotel’s reputation—quite the opposite.

The room design is also disappointing. In the open-plan rooms, the shower and toilet are separated only by glass walls with sliding doors that provide virtually no sound insulation. As a result, if someone uses the bathroom during the night, everyone else in the room is inevitably disturbed. For a hotel in this category, I find this to be a poorly thought-out and uncomfortable design.

The exterior of the hotel is pleasant and well maintained, although there is nothing particularly remarkable about it. It is a typical modern hotel for this part of Crete. The swimming pool is clean, and the water temperature is pleasant, but it is not enough to significantly improve the overall impression.

As for the food, breakfast is rather average. The selection of cheeses is limited, many of the dishes are repeated every day, and there is little variety. On the positive side, the fruit and vegetables are fresh. Dinner is better, with a wider selection and tasty dishes. However, since I am writing this review on only my second day of my stay, I cannot comment on whether the menu remains varied throughout the week.

The one aspect that truly deserves praise is the staff. Every employee I interacted with was friendly, polite, and genuinely willing to help with any questions or requests. This is undoubtedly the hotel’s strongest point.

Overall, I believe this hotel does not deliver the level of comfort and service that I would expect from a 4-star property. There are simply too many compromises when it comes to comfort, peace and quiet, and basic guest services. Unfortunately, the negative aspects outweighed the positive ones.

Based on my experience, I cannot recommend this hotel.

This is a wonderful hotel, the staff are amazing. We've just returned for a second time, its quiet, close to the beach and the choice of tasty food is brilliant. This time we took elderley parents everyone couldn't have been more friendly, attentive and nothing was too much trouble. Elena, suggested some tailored days out to a winery, villages and a monastary. All with a great local taxi company, due to the mobility needs we had. We'd highly recommend, for anyone wanting a quiet friendly hotel.