We had a great time staying at Iannis' guesthouse in Kalathas, he was incredibly welcoming and always there (either in person or via whatsapp) to provide us with recommendations or answer questions. The guesthouse has a really nice pool with a great view of the ocean and is 10 minutes driving from Chania Airport.
To Chania city it's about 20 minutes - I would definitely recommend renting a car, as public transport is a bit sparse and taxis are pretty expensive, whereas renting a car is pretty cheap.
From Kalathas you're in a decent driving distance to many of the attractions in the Western part of Crete, such as Elafonisi, Samaria Gorge or Balos.