Crete receives a lot of the well deserved attention as a Greek island destination and Chania, the western port city with its Venetian harbor and twists and turns of the old town is something that takes you by surprise even when you think that you are geared up to take the shock. Domes Noruz Chania is located on the seashores and within a few miles of that ancient town and on a quiet residential street where the street narrows and suddenly the sea opens up before you. It is a property with an adult audience, it forms part of the Autograph Collection of Marriott, and when the right traveler is at the right time of year, it can be a really smart use of points or credits or both.

Our visit here was arranged under the Fine Hotels + Resorts program offered by Amex with the help of two American Express Platinum Cards in terms of hotel credits. The when of it: the very first week of the season opening of the hotel in the end of April, meant that the rates were as reasonable as possible, approximately, $270 per night all in. It, also, had the good luck to come down on a birthday, and this, too, was a good thing, making the birthday in itself somewhat of a small celebration.

Getting Here and Getting Settled

About 16 miles of Chania International Airport (CHQ) make up Domes Noruz Chania, which is a mere 30-minute ride under normal conditions. Arriving, by the way, not at the airport in Heraklion but at the one serving your flight, then figure around 2.5 hours it is good to know which airport your flight will be serviced at before you plan a transfer. Upon arriving at the hotel, you will find yourself stumbling down an unexpectedly narrow residential alley to reach said hotel, which is a bit incongruent when it comes to a luxury hotel. There is free parking at the site and a free public parking just at the end of the road in case the small parking lot of this hotel is occupied.

The warm tone was established by the very check-in. It was evident that the hotel took the interest of elite guests, as Marriott Platinum status seemed to have actual weight here, and room upgrade to a two-level Wellness Loft was confirmed at arrival despite the hotel being reportedly on the verge of selling out on at least one of the nights. That is the sort of a result that makes membership of a loyalty program worthwhile.

The Room: Smart, Homey and Worth the Upgrade

The Wellness Loft is a split-level one-bedroom suite located on the second and third floors of the building a significant detail, as it implies a greater degree of privacy than the ground-floor rooms that feature plunge pools, which represent the lowest level. The bathroom, bedroom with a queen bed facing the sea and clever IKEA-style storage arrangements maximizing each square foot are all on the entry level. The secondary fridge is bigger than usual, and the standard minibar turns out to be a silent necessity continuously adding to the welcome amenities.

Upstairs, there is the small living room that leads to the true showstopper of the suite a whirlpool-equipped balcony with beanbag loungers and unhindered view of the Mediterranean and the island of Thodorou. View of sunsets here is rightfully unique. Another lower balcony is the one of the bedroom, where there is yoga equipment, a bench, and a deck chair, but most people will soon gravitate up to the bedroom.

Food and Drinks and the Chocolate Cake That Got a Paragraph of Its Own

Topos, the flagship restaurant, serves breakfast until 11am and spans the full gamut: hot (bacon, sausages, roasted vegetables), many types of egg preparation, Greek-forward (yogurt, hummus), pastry, and fruit, cereals and self-serve prosecco, should your morning require it. The rotation is on a day-to-day basis which avoids the monotony that afflicts the breakfast table of the hotel when the stay is longer. Two members of staff Giorgos and Efi were always extraordinary, yet attentive, warm and really enthusiastic.

Dinner in the restaurant was very good. A highlight was the red prawns pasta, which is served with a bisque sauce and marinated tartar. Dinner is also easy to forget in the moment, though there are several well-reviewed local restaurants, which are within a ten-minute walk in case you miss the window.

And now the chocolate cake. When checking in, the welcome amenity included a birthday cake labeled "Happy Anniversary" an understandable mix-up. However, by the very end of the evening there was another cake with the right message, and a bottle of rosé prosecco each time. 

Booking Strategy: When This Property Makes Sense.

This is a hotel that has a definite sweet spot and it is not the high season. The clear-cut view of it is the following:

• The weekends in the seasonal calendar (April opening, late October close) are priced much lower than the summer ones, and FHR credits go much farther with little or no additional specials to pay out of pocket.
• Cash rates are reaching $650-850 per night and point costs are reaching 95K-110K Bonvoy points a more difficult value equation to make compared to the competition present in Crete at that price level.
• Nights priced up to 110K points redeemed Marriott 85K free night certificates can be topped off with up to 25K additional Bonvoy points, making nights potentially redemption of high value during summer months.

Among the benefits that accrue to Fine Hotels + Resorts as a result of this joint venture include complimentary breakfast to two persons, property credit worth 100 dollars, room upgrade (subject to availability) and late checkout 4pm (additional benefits like massages, bonus points etc. are the same as those offered by Marriott Platinum elite).

Service: Well-Meaning, Uneven

The fair judgment of service in this case is that it was good-natured but uncultured. A number of the discrepancies are explicable given that this stay happened during the very first week that the hotel was open again after closing down during the winter. The supply of tea was never replenished in a five-night stay. An urn of spilled water in the breakfast room remained unattended, some half a dozen or so. 

None of these are disastrous but when added together, they do not add up to what you would expect of a Fine Hotels + Resorts hotel. The stays-merged-into-one gesture (so that in five separate bookings no single check-out and check-in took place) was an ingenious operational choice. 

Bottom line

Domes Noruz Chania is an actually nice place to stay at the view is real, the food is good, the elite recognition is meaningful and that chocolate cake will follow you home in memory. It is not a five star perfect experience and it is hard to explain why the peak season prices are so high when compared to the rest of the accommodation industry in Crete. But in shoulder-season stays, and with FHR credits in play, and Marriott Platinum status in the wallet, it is a comfortable, scenic and strategically sound choice.