Hotel Poseidon

From the Nida Plateau/Valley it’s literally a downhill coast all the way to Heraklion. It was time to turn in the car and the replacement Fiat Seicento S performed well. The Fiat was actually kind of fun to drive and it was very easy on gas which is good when a U.S. gallon totals up to about 8 bucks.

Heraklion is where I originally flew into Crete. The morning after the first time arriving I went for a run along the waterfront past the ferry port. I noticed an old hotel atop a hill overlooking the port that looked like of cool. I searched for it on the net and it had decent reviews. With a price of 35 euro a night I booked in at the Hotel Poseidon for my return. I figured I’d drive there, check in, then call George to turn in the car.

The Hotel Poseidon was built in 1962 with an extra floor atop added a little later. The construction, like most buildings in Greece, is a simple concrete design with balconies for each room. Over the years the property has been reasonably well maintained but not too much in the way of updates which gives it a nice retro feel. It’s a little like stepping back in time which I really like and the place just has a good vibe. The counter at check in looked 1970’s, the common room looked 60’s as well as the breakfast area.

The hotel has always been a family run business and the staff is super nice and friendly. Very genuine. Everyone I conversed with spoke good English. My room was very simple with a small bathroom, decent bed, and fully functioning air conditioner. The hotel is located right beneath the flight path for the airport so it gets a little noisy with jets flying over during the day but from my balcony I thought it was kind of cool. The noise was not a problem at night.

Anyway, once I got situated the hotel I called George from the front desk and he offered to escort me via scooter to a place I could park near his office. George was happy to see me and asked about my trip. He said I must have a coffee with him but being evening time I asked if I could have a beer instead. He replied, “Of course!”

Back at the office I visited with George for awhile and we talked about various subjects. He told me about the economic problems with Greece, the banks, and taxes. He said it was really hard to get ahead with overhead and taxes. I had already paid George for one week but owed him for two more. I told him I could pay cash which he really appreciated and I didn’t ask for a receipt. George is a good man. I get it.

After settling up with George and getting something to eat he gave me ride back to the hotel. We parted with laughter, smiles and a handshake. In the end everything had worked out well and if I need to rent a vehicle again in Crete I’ll go back to George.

I really liked the Hotel Poseidon. I felt like taking a layover in Heraklion because I was little tired and the city was sort of growing on me for some reason so I booked in for 1 extra night. I wasn’t ready to hop a ferry off of Crete just yet.

For the my last day in Crete, aside of a good morning run, I took it easy, bought a ferry ticket and sat out on the balcony watching ships, low flying jets, and the sea.