Abandoned hilltop hotel

July 11, 2006

I'm quite intrigued by some of the abandoned modern buildings around us in Hania. I've already had a good nose around the old Aptera beach complex right by our house, but on the walk to town I also pass another abandoned hotel complex, perched above the Venetian walls to the west of the old harbour.

The car park is still in use by local drivers and an army of soldier ants, but otherwise this hilltop complex is completely deserted. Behind the apartments are some more remains of the Ventian architecture, sadly falling into disrepair and filling up with rubbish.

I didn't venture into the apartments themselves, as although they look sturdy enough, I've no ambition to end up on Κυδων's Crete News and Life programme as an idiot British tourist who got injured in an abandoned building.

I'm not sure why this complex has fallen into such a state, it seems to have a lovely location. Reading around about Hania on the internet, I think it may be an example of one of the hotels that was put up very rapidly in the old town to capitalise on the tourist boom in the 60s and 70s, without getting proper planning permission. I don't know what damage was done to the Venetian structure, but the vantage point has some spectacular views across the city to the east, and out over the islands of Lazaretta and Theodorou to the west, and would have been a great place to stay.