We started our excursion in Chania at 7.30am where we took the bus to Omalos and then entered the park about 9am. On reaching the gorge in the morning on the northern approach it was cold and cloudy, but this soon gave way to sunshine and blue skies on the southern descent. We reached our half way point of Samaria village at midday where we stopped for some snacks and a little rest to enjoy the view. We eventually reached Agia Roumeli about 2.45pm. I think we could have completed the journey a little quicker if I hadn’t stopped every 10 mins to take pictures, but the scenery was just too fantastic not to try and capture on camera.

The park is full of amazing views, beautiful flora and just a breathtaking feeling of peacefulness (although in the summer it is supposed to get very busy). I think we probably saw about 20 people during the whole day, most of the time it was just Rose and I walking along in complete isolation. The trip isn’t for the unfit though, as it is a 16km trek over pretty uneven and steep ground in places, but was well worth the effort (and blisters).

As it was approaching the end of the tourist season we had no trouble finding accommodation and saw about 3 or 4 “pensions” that we liked the look of. We were walking back through a particularly charming little street when we were approached by an old Greek lady saying in very broken English that she had a lovely “balcony room, no passport needed, we can pay cash in advance”. I thought this all sounded a little dodgy, but on inspecting the room, it looked great. I still had a few reservations and preferred the idea of staying somewhere that had proper business cards, a reception and where they could actually speak English, but in the end we opted for the room at Casa Latina and got a great deal for 25 euros a night – bargain!

Rose and I took various walks around the harbour, checked out many of the restaurants, where we had authentic Cretan food, music and hospitality (usually in the form of free Raki and desert) and enjoyed the architecture, sunshine and views around the city. It really was an amazing town and I think we both missed it once we left.

I got in contact with The Ammos Hotel’s owner Nikos Tsepetis and he was incredibly friendly and helpful in not only giving me information about the hotel and its location, but also about the other plans we had for our stay in Crete. I had a good feeling about the hotel after looking at the website and exchanging emails with Nikos, so we booked a 6 night stay.

We arrived very early in the morning (7am) at the Ammos after our (mildly dodgy) cab drive from the port of Souda in Chania. We were greeted by a friendly note on the hotel reception saying that the key was in the door of our room and we were welcome to check in early, have a snooze and they would see us a little later on when the hotel opened.

Both the hotel, rooms and grounds were beautifully crafted with a great attention to detail that made you feel like someone had gone to a lot of trouble thinking about how to make your stay not only pleasant and comfortable one but inspiring. The decor throughout was contemporary with an organic, down-to-earth and welcoming atmosphere.

The staff at the Ammos (headed up by Nikos and Dimitria) were wonderful. They were friendly and went out of their way to help you with anything concerning your stay. They made our stay a pleasure and offered many tips for excursions and activities.

The food at the Ammos was great. We didn’t eat there every day, as we wanted to try different tavernas, but when we did, we were impressed by the quality and quantity of food, the presentation and the ambience. The waiting staff were very friendly and good to chat with.

You don’t often find many gems like the Ammos Hotel where the staff, hotel and experience leave you with that feel good vibe and it reminds you that there are decent people out there who will go out of their way to help you for nothing in return but a smile and a thank you.

We were sad to leave the Ammos and hopefully we’ll return one day. I would recommend the Ammos to anyone who wants a relaxing and intimate experience, couples young or old.

Thanks again Nikos!