Review: Domes Noruz Chania, Autograph Collection
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An affordable hotel with Marriott Bonvoy points
The Domes Noruz Chania Hotel, Autograph Collection is category 7.
This means it costs 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to stay overnight. At the time of our stay, in the middle of summer, it cost nearly CA$ 850 for one night…!
The Domes Noruz Chania Hotel, Autograph Collection is for adults only. It is particularly appreciated because of its exceptional location, but also because of the luxury of its facilities.
Whether you choose to pay in cash… or points, this one will be very expensive!
This hotel is the kind of little pleasure you get for a couple getaway for example!
To earn Marriott Bonvoy points in Canada, the easiest way is via one of these 3 credit cards:
- <a class= “thirstylink” title=“The Marriott Bonvoymᶜ American ExpressMD card,The Marriott Bonvoymᶜ American ExpressMD card.
- The Marriott BonvoyMD Business American ExpressMD* Card
- The American Express CobaltMD Card
Each one offers a nice welcome bonus and the ability to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on each of your purchases.
You could have both Marriott Bonvoy cards and collect your points in your Marriott Bonvoy account!
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $150 | |||
| $191.88 |
As for the card Cobaltmᶜ American Express, it allows you to transfer your Membership Rewards points to Marriott Bonvoy points at a rate of 1:1.2.
With the 5 membership rewards points per dollar you earn on:
- grocery stores
- restaurants and bars
- convenience stores
- food delivery at home
it is like earning 6 Marriott Bonvoy points per dollar!
Our review of Domes Noruz Chania, Autograph Collection
As part of our one-week trip to Crete – without the kids – we stayed 2 nights at this Domes Noruz Chania hotel, Autograph Collection.
Location
The Domes Noruz Chania Hotel, Autograph Collection is conveniently located on the northwest coast of Crete, close to the city of La Canée / Chania.
His address: 5 Strati Pantelaki Street, Agioi Apostoloi Chania-Crete, Greece 73100
Arrival
About a 25-minute drive from Chania Airport, domes Noruz Chania, Autograph Collection is located at the end of an alleyway overlooking the beaches.
If you are in a rental car, a valet will take care of your car. Our luggage is taken care of too, and we will see them back in our room.
The Domes Noruz Chania Hotel, Autograph Collection had agreed to an early arrival at 2pm due to our Titanium Elite status.
During check-in at the reception, we were offered a welcome cocktail to enjoy on the sofas of the adjoining bar.
It must be said that this cocktail bar is rather original!
After some formalities, we are invited by one of the receptionists to visit all the hotel facilities: swimming pools, beach, spa, gym, restaurant… before finally reaching our room.
Anecdote of blogger’s spouse/travel hacker: it is usually necessary to allow “time” to take all photos and videos BEFORE you can enter the room.
The lounge
Our room is“Wellness Loft”type … i.e. 3 categories above the standard room, reserved with points. Thanks to Titanium Elite status for this new upgrade!
At the entrance to our room, a welcome gift awaited us:
In the evening, another welcome gift offered by the hotel manager with a handwritten note. Always very appreciated!
We are on the 1st level of our Loft which consists of a living room and a bathroom, as well as access to the terrace.
We appreciate the shades of colour chosen!
Under the stairs – watch your head… – is a Nespresso coffee machine:
As well as a well-stocked mini-bar!
Wall storage is practical and well hidden! These include toiletries, as well as sweet treats.
Here is an overview of this first floor.
The room
Our room is upstairs. Surprise: our king bed is “encapsulated” by windows, with a large-screen TV hanging from the ceiling.
We also appreciate the colour shades chosen.
2 bathrobes are placed on our bed. Which is the norm… but weird here considering that the shower – and the bubbling bath – lie down.
It is possible to choose your pillow from different types.
Always appreciated: USB sockets at our bedside tables.
Behind the bed, a sink and toilets.
Finally, a view of the living room from the bedroom. I must admit that I did not necessarily like this bed layout. This forced us to play with air conditioning for lack of air because of the windows.
The bathroom
The bathroom is made up of a large shower and toilets.
The sink is actually… in the living room. With a very common water inflow system in Greece – especially in Chania – coming from the ceiling. Original!
The terrace
The centerpiece of this loft is its terrace.
It consists of a sofa and a lounge chair…
… and a bubbling bath (for one person).
Our loft overlooked the “relaxation pool.” Suffice to say that the terrace was quiet.
Here’s a picture of the loft from the terrace.
Anecdote: Sir has finished his photos! I can enter the room…
… and enjoy the bath on the terrace!
Hotel amenities
The relaxation pool
Coming down from our room, we immediately access the “relaxation” pool.
The hotel is reserved for adults, so there are no children playing, shouting, jumping in the water (our daily life ;)).
However, it is nice to relax by a swimming pool without any music or noise.
The pool with music
Towards the beach is the hotel’s largest swimming pool.
As you can see, even in the middle of summer, few people to disturb us.
Different types of sun chairs are available.
Different spaces allow you to relax by the pool, while admiring the landscape/beach.
And there’s a bar with great cocktails!
The beach
Let’s go to the beach now!
The beach is not private as such. Public beaches surround it.
However, the configuration is such that only those staying at the hotel benefit from it.
We appreciate the boxes to leave our precious objects / phones.
The gym
The gym is located under the main pool, close to the spa.
The facilities are modern and few people use it.
There is also an outdoor area for training.
The spa
See you now at the spa! This one is free and it is possible to access it at will (unlike the Domes of Elounda – Autograph Collection).
A large pool heated to 30 degrees is present. At the bottom are sauna and steam room.
Drinks/fruit are also available.
Breakfast
Thanks to Titanium Elite (also possible with Platinum Elite) status, we were entitled to a free breakfast each morning.
This is a restaurant with indoor and outdoor spaces.
It’s a buffet, but it’s possible to get eggs served your way.
The sweet part:
The salty part:
This buffet was perfect, as was the table-service.
Bottom Line
This hotel was opened in 2016 and is therefore very new.
Gradually, its points rate increased according to the evolution of Starwood Preferred Guest to Marriott Rewards, and finally to Marriott Bonvoy.
In our view, it is worth the 60,000 points requested per night (compared to the other “Domes” hotel on the Island, charged 85,000 points per night now), especially in the summer when rates are particularly high.
However, off-season, it would not be uncommon to find rates around $250-300 per night, which does not justify the use of points in this case.
If you are travelling to Greece as a couple/without children, I highly recommend this hotel, especially for:
- The quality of its facilities
- proximity to Chania
- the professionalism of the staff
- Annual fee
- $120
- Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$600Total$600$100 deferred bonus, excluded from the first-year estimate and not counted in this total.Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
- $600
- Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months
- Up to 70,000 points
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