City Life Port Hotel

Greece , Crete
HERAKLION, L Ikarou 50
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75 reviews shown

6/10

Pleasant

26 Oct 2025

Jennifer

Close to port. The rooms are older but Clean. Budget minded and would stay here again. No bugs, no frills, but felt safe

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Sep 2025

Ricky

Sadly, this review does not allow me to highlight some of the actual benefits of this property.
The greeting was amazing the place as a fantastic façade and very inviting, but sadly, the rooms are very dated, and there is housekeeping products all over the floors.
The rooms are extremely dated and the crew covers are disgusting and should be replaced immediately.
It was what I required, which is absolutely location to the port for an early morning ferry.
It did not help the strikes on time whilst this is not the Hotel’s fault. It did add sadly to the dissatisfaction.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

05 Sep 2025

Kirk

6/10

Pleasant

30 Jul 2025

Chris

Staff at check-in was wonderful! So kind and friendly. The room itself was outdated and in need of some serious updating. A fine place to stay for one night that is close to the port though.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2025

joslyn

easy location to port and airport. nice people and waited for me to come after hours! clean and nice room for the price.

Business_and_leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

14 May 2025

Scott

Great location for ferry port and central bus station access, but a bit of a walk from the main city center. Also not very many dining or shopping options in the immediate area.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

25 Apr 2025

Vicki

Very close to port and bus terminal

8/10

Excellent

05 Oct 2024

Jim

The room was small but spotless and the bed was very comfortable. I found a great Taverna 5 minutes walk away and it's 5 min from the bus station and 10 min walk from the Port

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

04 Oct 2024

Stephen

Great staff and comfortable mattress

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

12 Sep 2024

Juan

Heraklion budget hotel.

It s a budget hotel centrally located close to the port. It is not boutique by any stretch of the imagination. It is small, clean and adequate for a budget conscious traveler.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

14 Aug 2024

Eric

Close to airport

Was suitable for one night as close to airport and early flight in the morning. Friendly staff. No complaints.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jul 2024

Verity

Very helpful staff with check in

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2023

Victor

Walking distance to old town

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

25 Aug 2023

Melanie

This property was atrocious. We went to checks in and there was billed proof glass at the counter, a huge panel of security monitors visible in the lobby and it is on a terrible street. I attempted to give it the benefit of the doubt and when I went upstairs the hallway has wires dangling from what appeared to be a ripped out security camera. The room was dirty as is couldn’t even use the restroom, I saw evidence of bed bugs and there was literally a window that showed into the room from the hall that passing guests could look in. We were in the room 1.5 minutes bf immediately leaving and notifying reception we would not be staying bc it was dirty and unsafe - they refuses to reverse the charge they made just moments before. I immediately booked another location and filed a charge back. DO NOT BOOK HERE. You have been warned

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

12 Aug 2023

mary

The staff were the best. So helpful and knowledgeable and friendly. The area of town wasn’t the nicest. It was a short walk to downtown, buses to everywhere, the old port, and the cruise ship terminal. The hotel was clean and quiet.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

07 Aug 2022

Kathie

The location was perfect for the ferry. The beds were uncomfortable, it’s on a busy street, and the bar was not particularly accommodating. Our room was not ready and we had to wait over 30 mins for it despite arriving 2 hours after check in time.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

04 Jul 2022

Marco Antonio

None

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jun 2022

mary

Love this place- closest thing to airport hotel

Fantastic. Dubious at first, but probably the closest thing to an airport hotel, with good basics you can’t take for granted in Crete, like a hairdryer, great AC, extra towels, and it was scrupulously clean. Close to pharmacy, bakery, supermarkets, and the divine restaurant Taverna Vardis. Luggage storage, a cafe, nice patio kind of lounge for drinks even if facing the main road. Offered a breakfast you order the night before. For the breakfast, they set your table and have it waiting at the time you select. Good food, French Press style coffee. My mother was discharged from the hospital (hip replacement) straight to the hotel and they were SO helpful. Gave us privacy and support where we needed it. Tiny lift but worked a treat.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

23 May 2022

Bruce

Great little hotel only problem was no hot water

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Aug 2021

adam

The staff was professional and helpful. Everyone wore masks and hygiene was a top priority. The rooms were clean, cool, and quiet.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Oct 2019

Verified traveler

We liked the bed and the balcony. Their elevator is a tad small.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

04 Oct 2019

Amandeep

Do not stay

Hotel did not live up to expectation. Not like the photos. Gave us a room we did not book (we got a smaller one). The bathroom was tiny and as a petite woman I barely fit in shower. My husband struggled.
The staff were not helpful. The lift was small and we could not even fit a stroller in there. Not once did the staff offer us any help taking it up or down staircase.

Moody staff, Mis sold us the room and no apologies or remorse at it. Definitely would not recommend

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

14 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

There arev 3 main problems. It is on the busiest street in town. All forms of vehicle roar past ALL 24 hours. Plus its on a hill so they upshift or downshift. Plus the airplanes turn here ALlL the time. You get a huge roar that shakes the room. Plus neighbors and outsiders can be loud ALL the time. I got no sleep. You are not close to the water. A gas station and warehiouses are in front of you. My room also had a telephone pole in front of my view. I have pics and video of all of this. Also the plumbing is bad. They ask you not to flush your tp. Plus the bathroom is awful and tiny. The reason they wont submit a pic. You can touch the walls length wise. Width wise you can touch with one arm. It hasnt been renovated either. Plus the sceptic odor doesnt stop. It also gave me a burning throat. Not sure if it was the ac blowing right on me or sceptic posoning or somebody sick entrerring my room or contaminated linen. Nothing else i did or ate seems to be the cause. Stay closer in town. It was safe. If you stay here dont pay extra for a view. You just get more noise. I also observed another guest have some issue with the parking. Wifi was good and the bedroom was in decent condition. Bus stop was right outside.

10/10

Exceptional

01 Aug 2019

Elizabeth

Good for ferry connections.

This hotel is well situated for Heraklion port. We were able to walk to the port for our early morning ferry to Santorini. The hotel was clean and staff very helpful. We were in room 101 which is directly above reception and a view of the port. My only comment would be is that the bathroom is tiny. But hey ho that’s the Greece we love.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jul 2019

denise

Great stay

Great hotel located near both ferry and bus station. Staff was very helpful and recommended a great taverns for dinner. Room is small but updated and great value.

6/10

Pleasant

25 Apr 2019

Verified traveler

Choose elsewhere

This hotel has a very seedy feel to it. The front desk attendant made sure to remind my husband and I twice that outside guests are not allowed in the hotel, which lead us to believe that perhaps this hotel was in an area known for prostitution? The walls are paper thin, you can hear every noise in the hotel. The room was quite compact, but we only stayed here whilst in transit. It’s conveniently located a short walk to the ferry terminal and to the downtown area.
The shower was a sprayer hose, but no where to put the hose up so you have to shower with one hand... a simple fix, but like a lot of other details in this hotel, overlooked.
Not worth the money.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Nov 2018

Verified traveler

Close to the ferry port which was my only requirement for my one night stay before an early ferry. Single twin bed room was very small but worked fine. One issue was the door bell kept ringing after midnight all night long and even on the 3rd floor it was quite loud. Otherwise, the woman at the front desk was very sweet recommending a nice restaurant for dinner and helpful for ferry questions.

6/10

Pleasant

12 Oct 2018

Eva

Nice hotel near to the city center and to the airport, the staff was polite and friendly, but the cleanliness was bad.

6/10

Pleasant

12 Oct 2018

Verified traveler

Nice bed, quite area but some cleaning issues of the bathroom and a bad smell overall. The room was smelling like a cesspit and not well ventilated

8/10

Excellent

03 Oct 2018

Hunter

Location

It’s in the walking distance to ferry terminal and old town.

6/10

Pleasant

03 Oct 2018

Verified traveler

Good location

1. location is good.
2. Non-smoking still have smoke smell.
3. What they said have free parking means you just park your car in street. They did not have parking provided. Not as mentioned in the website.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Sep 2018

Lynda

Very comfortable beds, view of harbour from our balcony. Helpful staff, good location. I would recommend the menu breakfast rather than the buffet which is expensive.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Sep 2018

Verified traveler

We had a great time at Elia seaside.The staffs were frendly and responsive....Great view a everything within vicinity

6/10

Pleasant

06 Aug 2018

sanna

Close to port to catch a ferry

Just over-night stay after arriving with the ferry to the port and prior continuing towards Chania the following morning. For that purpose this hotel works well- great location for that, clean, easy to find and friendly personnel.

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jul 2018

Dennis

Convenient base for visiting Heraklion

We were back at the Life Hotel for the fourth time within a few months, this time to see the Minoan and Mycenaean exhibition at the Archaeological Museum. I needed to do the short trip into town by bus because of my wife's problems with the last steep pinch of the walk. Joanna was on Reception. She explained exactly how to use the ticket machines. I needed to print off my boarding passes for the flight home. The pleasant-mannered lady proprietor was on Reception. She explained exactly how to email her the passes for printing. Every request was handled with courtesy and charm. The location is two bus stops from the city centre and on the road to the airport. It was for us a real find.

10/10

Exceptional

29 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

Ideal stopover base for Crete

We loved the Life Hotel so much we went back to it on our last night in Crete.It is well placed and run by people who give you a great welcome and can give reliable advice about excursions and car hire and local restaurants

10/10

Exceptional

24 Apr 2018

Verified traveler

welcoming and helpful staff

We were particularly impressed by the cheerful and very helpful attitude of the staff

6/10

Pleasant

05 Nov 2017

Verified traveler

Good location and friendly, helpful staff

The shower fixture would not hold for a real shower only a hand rinse. The wind sounded as if it was coming through the wall s and pipes all night.

8/10

Excellent

11 Oct 2017

Matt

Good hotel.

Good hotel with friendly and helpful staff. The hotel is very close to the city centre, and the Intercity bus/coach station. The local city bus to Heraklion airport (number 1) stops right outside the hotel, tickets are €1.20 if pre purchased, or €2 if bought on bus.

6/10

Pleasant

28 Sep 2017

Helen

Ideal for a stopover

We arrived in Crete on a late flight and stayed here overnight before driving to the other side of the island. The hotel is small and does overlook the harbour - although we hadn't realised it was a harbour with large ferries rather than fishing boats :-) The staff we spoke to were lovely and helpful. I hadn't realised that I need to take the credit card I had booked with, with me but the guy on the desk just refunded it and used the one I did have with me with no problems.

8/10

Excellent

13 Sep 2017

Verified traveler

Nice hotel close to ferries.

Nicely tucked in near to the port, the hotel had friendly staff and nice rooms.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Aug 2017

Verified traveler

Good location, friendly and helpful staff. Room was clean and reasonably comfortable, but very small. WiFi was decent.

4/10

Poor

22 Aug 2017

Pleshette

No bang for my buck$

Tiny towels, too few, weak air conditioning, shower nightmare. Curtain too short - water all over the bathroom. Flat pillows.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

22 Jul 2017

Demetrios

Life Boutique is conveniently located near the port and is walking distance to the center of town. It's clean and well-maintained.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

06 Jul 2017

denise

Hotel close to port and bus station

There are no restaurants close to this hotel unless you want McDonalds. There is a stop for the bus that runs to the airport right outside the hotel.
Unfortunately the rooms are not sound proofed and you hear all the traffic and people in the rooms next to you.
The bed was comfortable though.

6/10

Pleasant

08 Nov 2016

Oliver

Fine for 1 night

We needed to catch an early ferry from the Iraklion port and Life Boutique was perfectly located just a couple hundred meters from the dock. It was fine and functional for a quick stopover, but wouldn't stay there for an extended trip.

Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Sep 2016

Hamish

Good value stop-over for early morning ferry

Booked this for one night due to proximity to the ferry port. Not what most would consider a boutique hotel to be, but fitted our purpose. Room very basic but OK, good wi-fi, aircon and very helpful staff. Right under the flight path and on a main road, so not quiete!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

12 Sep 2016

Verified traveler

Great place close to bus terminal and ferry

Loved this little hotel. Wish it had a pool. Great place near bus terminal and ferry terminal...and not too far to walk into town

4/10

Poor

08 Sep 2016

Whittney

Only good for location

We booked this because it was close to the port, which is really the only reason why you'd stay here. Other than that, the rooms are small, felt dirty, and everything needs updating. Even though the receptionist was nice, we will not be staying there again.

10/10

Exceptional

09 Aug 2016

Gianna

Nice hotel close to centre and sites of interest.

The hotel is in a walking distance from the port, the coach station and bus station. The room was at all times clean and tidy .Breakfast was very good ( exceeded expectations).
Staff were very polite, friendly and happy to assist with any enquiries and questions on a 24/7 basis.
Visitors can walk to city centre and visit archaeological sites or any other sites of interest , as the town has a lot to offer in terms of night life, sites of interest or even shopping. The sea is also very close( walking distance).Visitors can also take the coach ( coach station is in a 5 minutes walking distance) and escape to other areas of interest or the beach.
Overall an excellent hotel , in a great location, with excellent service and staff.
Hotel price was really a bargain.

8/10

Excellent

06 Jul 2016

Karien

Great in-transit hotel

The hotel is located a short walk (about 7minutes) from the town centre. It's great if you're in transit (as many people who travel to Heraklion are) - it's very close to both the port and the airport. The breakfast is very basic.
The staff are all very welcoming and helpful.

Family

8/10

Excellent

13 Apr 2016

Bruce

super convenient location

Can't beat the location for convenience to the ferry port in Heraklion. Also, the bus terminal is very near, as is the airport. The room itself is adequate and clean, but there seems to be a lot of extras offered. There's even a pool table!

8/10

Excellent

21 Aug 2015

Peter

Got the job done in a pinch

After the place we originally booked turned out to be a disaster, we needed to find alternate accommodations ASAP and the Life Boutique Hotel came through. The staff was very friendly and the place was clean. The room and bathroom were small but clean, and the A/C blew cold, which was key. It's a short walk from the port, which suited our needs.

6/10

Pleasant

30 Jul 2015

Julien

Does the job for one or two nights near the port.

Very convenient for its proximity with the port. The air conditioning was efficient and recent. The fridge can get noisy. Not a pb of you use earplugs. A tip : walk 20 minutes and have a wonderful latte with a piece of cake in the morning at the Hacienda.

6/10

Pleasant

03 Jun 2015

Sam M

Walking distance to ferry port

Near everything with reasonable price

6/10

Pleasant

14 Oct 2014

hairy

Hotel close to town and the port, good location

Was ok experience, staff polite and helpful. Was put in a family room for 90 Euro, but room was not a good room (a very small window that opened only a bit),so changed to a smaller room but no refund given. Did not think that the room we were given was worth 90 euro.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

08 Oct 2014

Manette

Close to port!

Good for an overnight or couple of days stay. Walking distance to port and city center.

4/10

Poor

17 Sep 2014

Verified traveler

Close to Port

I was put on the first floor. The room was very loud - could hear people coming and going til very late. Bathroom shower did not drain well. Room window opened to ventilation shaft. Very close to port, so good for catching an early ferry. Would not stay again. Would not recommend.

8/10

Excellent

02 Sep 2014

Ollies

Excellent location if you are arriving or departing from Heraklion Ferry terminal, as it's within walking distance, also very close to the main bus terminal. Bathrooms extremely small, and breakfast not very good, mainly cheap bread,cereals, processed meat and cheese. Would prefer to be charged a bit more and get a better quality of food. Staff very helpfully and friendly. We discovered a great Asian restaurant close by to enjoy an evenig meal.On balance we would stay here again if in transit.

10/10

Exceptional

09 Aug 2014

Sarah

Fantastic Stay, Totally Underrated!

My friend and I were skeptical about staying here, based on previous reviews, but decided to book anyways and it was a great decision. The staff is super friendly and helpful, the air conditioning worked perfectly, we had a balcony overlooking the port, and the cleaning service is awesome. Also, it is located a mere 5-7 minute walk to the port and about 10-12 minutes walking distance from all of the bars/restaurants and shops. Our only setback was getting lost looking for the hotel because google maps lists the wrong address. Upon calling reception, she navigated us perfectly to the correct address. Would absolutely stay here again if we were in Heraklion!

Family

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jul 2014

Adam

Good Overnight Stay

The hotel was fine for an overnight. Location-wise, I took a taxi from the port to the hotel, but when I left, I walked from the hotel to the bus stop. Most tourists find that a day or two in Heraklion is enough, and they go there in order to get to someplace else. The neighborhood feels safe to walk around at night. It's not hard to get to the tourist strip. I would book someplace else next time, but this was affordable and decent. I chose it because it was close to the port, bus stop, and the Agios Titus, Leondari Fountain, and Eleftherios Square area, which I greatly enjoy at night.

8/10

Excellent

21 Jun 2014

Erin Wilson

2 minute walk to the port 10 minutes from airport

The Life Boutique was perfect for us as it was so close to the port and airport. The staff were fantastic.

4/10

Poor

12 Jun 2014

Handy for getting to the port in the morning

The room was 'okay', air con did not work, and I was too tired and frustrated to complain. I only stayed one night as I had to leave early morning to take the ferry. That's the good point, 5 min walk from port.

6/10

Pleasant

15 Oct 2012

Jenny

Remote neighbourhood

We arrived at night and had to pass by an abandoned site which seemed to be the gathering place of homeless folks to get to the hotel. It's about 10min walk from the port and outside of the town. The reception staff were friendly and the check-in was quick, though we noticed there were very few occupants in the hotel.

Our room is clean and suitably furnished, though the bathroom, being longish in shape, was a bit cramped. Our room balcony faces the petrol station so no nice view there. The neighbourhood was nothing to shout about especially at night, mainly car dealers and random retail shops. No eateries nearby, so best to have your meal somewhere else prior arrival. The hotel breakfast was quite lacklustre.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

02 Nov 2011

Richard

Life Hotel near port

Hotel is near port but on a very busy street. Desk staff were only slightly friendly.

8/10

Excellent

15 Sep 2011

Miki

Close to port

We stayed overnight as we needed to be close to the port at a reasonable price. The hotel fulfilled that function and the staff were very friendly and helpful.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

08 Sep 2011

Verified traveler

Life Boutique Hotel - great for a couple of nights

Spent 1 night here in transit from plane to ferry. Right on the bus line from airport to city, and 200 metres from the port. Who could ask for more?
Room was very tastefully decorated and bathroom was nice and modern. All mod cons - fridge, hairdryer, air con, HUGE comfortable bed. There was a small problem at breakfast when they said that breakfast was not included in the price, but when I showed them my confirmation e-mail, they said they woudl take that up with Hotels.com.
We re-booked for our 1 night return trip 2 weeks later, and the desk people recognised us and were very friendly. We paid for breakfast this time - at only 5 euros each it was more than a bargain. Reception are good with assisting with enquiries, and holding bags. We would definitely go back again for 1 or 2 nights in transit from plane to ferry.
Recommended.

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jun 2025

Andreas

Alles top

Sher gut gelegenes, ruhiges Hotel in der Nähe des Hafen von Heraklion. Nur ein paar Minuten zu Fuß zum Hafen, um unsere frühe Fähre zu erreichen. Alles top

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Apr 2025

Judith

Kind service

They waited for my late arrival. It was very close to ferry port which I appreciated.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

25 Aug 2024

Laurent

Court sejour. Accueil excellent

Court séjour 3 lits simples. Grand lit confortable mais 2 petits lits un peu durs.
Accueil excellent. Top niveau
Très propre et d'apparence remis à neuf

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

20 Aug 2024

carine

Proche du port

L'intérêt de l'hôtel est la proximité du port

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jul 2024

Tanya

Personal sehr freundlich!

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

15 Jun 2024

Marita

POSIZIONE STRATEGICA

Struttura semplice, ma pulita, letto comodo con topper, gentilissimo e disponibile l'host, ottima posizione per vicinanza a tutto (stazione autobus, porto e città).

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Aug 2023

domenico

Personale cortese, disponibile e simpatico, la stanza con finestre solo nei cortili.

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

27 May 2023

martine

Très bon établissement personnel accueillant