Restored Stone Thimonia (Small Barn)/Cottage Exambela Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 55773

A Corner of the Livingroom showing Twin Beds /Couch (Fireplace on Rt.)

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Location: Exambela, Sifnos, Cyclades, Greek Islands, Greece, Europe (Exambela is a small village on Sifnos, a Cycladic island)

Accommodations:  Traditional Cottage, 1 Bedroom + Other (See Description), 1 Bath (Sleeps 2-3)

Rebuilt/restored (in 1999) "Thimonia" (small Barn) in style of traditional whitewashed stone cottage--but with all modern conviences and comforts. Situated on edge of residential village of Exambela, with two small fields of 31 olive trees. There are two stone terraces and flower, fruit, herb and vegetable gardens. Private and serene with panoramic views of sea and mountains (ideal Feng Shui). Perfect for Artists, Writers, Academic Sabbatical. Owners cat, KAYTO, goes with the house.

Sleeps two ideally: one bedroom w/double bed. Living room has two couches which are 'proper' single size beds. BUT house is small with only one bathroom, so couches are really only sutiable for very short-term ie. a weekend guest(or two). It's 10 minutes by local bus to most beaches or a car or motorbike can be rented locally. Security deposit required. Year round rental of house is possible if booked adequately in advance.

Vacation Rental Features

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• Amenities
  • Air Conditioning
  • Washer
  • Linens Provided
  • Wood Fireplace
• Beds
  • Double Bed
  • Twin/Single Bed
• Entertainment
  • TV (No Cable/Satellite)
  • DVD
  • VCR
  • CD Player
  • Music Library
• Kitchen
  • Full Kitchen
  • Cooking Utensils Provided
  • Refrigerator
• Outdoor Features
  • Deck/Patio
• View/Location
  • Ocean View
  • Mountain View
• Communications
  • Telephone
  • Broadband Internet
• Other Amenities
  • Bedroom Air Conditioned; Central Oil Heating; TV & DVD (Satlite Available); Kitchen, Stove with both bottled gas & electric; Full sized Refrigerator; Full American Bath w/Tub; Cooking utensils and local pottery tableware provided; Ralph Lauren sheets & towels & comforters; Clothes Washer; OUTDOOR SHOWER on Terrace; Internet Connection Available; Cleaning Lady Available; "KAYTO" RESIDENT CAT guards the house, PEOPLE ALLERGIC TO CATS NEED NOT APPLY. Rentor pays phone and electric for their time there and one house cleaning @ 50 euros.
• Suitability
  • No Pets Allowed
  • Not Suitable for Children
  • Smoking Not Allowed
• Activities (on site and nearby)
  • Shopping
  • Restaurants
  • Sailing
  • Boating
  • Waterskiing
  • Swimming
  • Snorkeling/Diving
  • Windsurfing
  • Hiking
  • Fishing
• Other Activities
  • Hiking & Rock Climbing to Mountain Top Monasteries, Churches w/Ancient Icons, Herb Sented Trails of Flora & Fauna, local jewelers, Sinfos is called "The Potter's Island" having supplied terracotta cooking utensils since ancient times, local potters are still active. Tavernas open year-round w/island grown fruits & vegs, fish, meat& cheese and local wine. Many beach/seaside tavenas open in season.

Rate Details (In US Dollars)

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• Guest Comments (13)
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Personal Currency Assistant™

IN-SEASON(May 01-Sep 30):$2300 per month;$6400 for 3 months(a $500 discount)
Minium Rental:$1150 for 2 Weeks. BUT,July&Aug rentals are 1 mo. min.
NO ONE WEEK RENTALS, NO BY-THE-NIGHT RENTALS
OFF-SEASON (Oct.01-Apr.30) $1800 per month;$4900 for 3 months (a $500 discount)
Minium Rental is $900 for 2 Weeks.
Tenants are responsible for Phone & Electric + One cleaning @ 50 Euros.
Yearly Rental:$22,000(a $2,100 discount)rent includes utitilies except oil.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.

Property Photos

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Guest Comments (13)

• Features
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• 11/08/09
  Positive Rating
  Christine Sinclair-Rowe , Sunnyside, NY
  • What a wonderful time we had in you're lovely house in Sifnos. Everything was perfect, from the house, the beaches, the weather and the sweet and loving Kayto, who we became quite attached to. It was truly a vacation to remember for our 25th wedding anniversary. The house is lovely, rustic and warm, with everything you need. The views are astounding, watching the sun rise in the morning, and the chorus of animals waking will be something we will always remember. We will also always remember the ever entertaining Kayto, who caught a mouse and brought us a bird on our last day there. We miss him, and your very special place.
• 10/05/09
  Positive Rating
  S.Wood & P. MacLaren , Georgetown, Ontario
  • We have just returned home after a month at Thimonia. What an idyllic little piece of heaven! The cottage is very well equipped, the setting very peaceful, and the view spectacular, overlooking Kastro and the sea! The location is perfect. There is very easy access to bus service and it is within easy walking distance to several villages. There are many wonderful trails to hike, several of which begin close to Exembela. We hiked several trails,and, while not all are well marked,the directions available at Thimonia were excellent. After a day out hiking, sightseeing, or at the beach, it was always wonderful to come back "home"and be welcomed by Kayto. The best part of the day was relaxing on the terrace before dinner, Kayto cuddling on one of our laps, and looking out over the hills and the sea. Absolute heaven. We found Elaine extremely helpful. She responded to our questions and her advice was excellent. Evdokia, the manager/caretaker, was very kind and always available to help us if needed. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. Thimonia,Sifnos, and Kayto, are firmly embedded in our hearts. Highly recommended.
• 08/16/09
  Positive Rating
  MONTSE REUS , Barcelona/Catalonia/Spain
  • We have just arrived from our stay for two weeks in the Thimonia and we are already missing it. It was such a lovely and prefect place. This are just some of the items I would liket to highlight: sunrise was astonishing from the house, the lovely veranda, the nicely furnished house, the confortable bedroom (really fresh, not AC needed). Evdokia, the house manager was really nice and helpful. The views to the sea, the olive field, the fields embroidered with dried stones walls. The perfect pedestrian area around the house, but just 5 minutes from the house you can always park the car (even in the middle of august). The conveniently located market in the next village (but just a 10 minutes away with a lovely walk through pedestrian paths). The 15 minute location of Appolonia's city center where all the people in the island go in the evening to have dinner al fresco, to have a drink, etc. The lovely beaches of the island, all of them with pristine waters, great for snorkeling and relaxing, in most of them you can park the car almost in the sand and have a lovely lunch also in the sand, just 2 meters away from the water. And Kayto, I could write a lot about this lovely cat, great companion with really good behaviour. If I had to mention a negative point is that we had quite a lot of very windy days which could be a little annoying but appart from this little thing the rest, and specially the house, was perfect.
    
    Homeowner Response:
    This young Spanish couple's English is not perfect, but there comments are. EMH
• 08/05/09
  Positive Rating
  Eryk Polonski , Hudson, Quebec, Canada
  • Bravo Elaine and Peter! Your Sifnos Island property,with its stunning Exambela location is truly superb. We are so happy to have been able to call your home "our home", well, for at least the month of July. The listing on VRBO, with its photos and features, no matter how well presented, can never do full justice to your wonderful place. One has to be there to truly experience the serene and calming effect of your magical spot. In forty years of visiting Europe this was our first time in Greece. And our first time, thank God, without needing to rent a car. Your place is so ideally located to easily explore all the island has to offer. The local bus service is frequent, on schedule, and offers breathtaking, panoramic rides through the mountainous countryside to some of the most beautiful beaches : Vathy,,Chrysopiggi,Cheronosis,, and Platys Gialos, , to name a few. And It's easy to see why Sifnos is such a magnet for avid walkers and hikers, with its network of paths and stone paved walkways throughout the island. The locals are very warm and friendly, whether at the markets, shops, tavernas, or the neighborhood in Exambela. And your property manager,Evdokia is a great asset and very helpful. Last, but by no means least, we have to mention Kayto, the resident therapist. Had we not met him, we are sure that we would have still immensely enjoyed your Sifnos home as much as we did. But now having got to know this wonderful creature we cannot imagine the place without him. He was always there waiting to greet us (to be fed ?) when we returned from our day trips. A great companion at all times, always constant, Kayto truly sets the rhythm of your Sifnos home. Again many thanks for giving us this wonderful holiday experience. Cheers and All Our Best! Eryk and Olga Hudson,Quebec Canada
• 06/25/09
  Positive Rating
  Veronica Watkins , Fort Worth, Texas
  • I had the opportunity to stay at this wonderful, cozy, beautiful house in June 2009. The accommodations were amazing and exceeded my expectations beyond belief! You feel like you are entering into another world has you walk down the narrow paths to the house and enter through the front gate. The first thing you see is the garden and side walk path that leads to you the large sitting area. The views take your breath away. You are so secluded. It was my first time to visit Greece and I cannot tell you how happy I am that I chose this house and island to visit. If you are looking for a Greek island experience that feels like it takes you back in time about 50 years, this is the place for you. It is absolutely unforgettable. Elaine and the House Manager were a pleasure to deal will as well. The entire trip was great. I would highly recommend staying at this house. I hope to visit it again in the near future! PS…Kayto is a sweetheart as well!
• 02/06/09
  Positive Rating
  Betty , Vancouver, BC CDA
  • My husband and I stayed here for one month - July, 2008. It was truly one of the most memorable and enjoyable places we have every stayed, and we've travelled a great deal during our 30 years of marriage. Our only complaint would be the difficulty of dealing with the local cleaning/maintenance staff ... but that is a very minor complaint given the joy of waking to a glorious sunrise, exploring the gorgeous island of Sifnos, and enjoying the comfort of this beautiful cottage. We cannot recommend it highly enough!
    
    Homeowner Response:
    My year-round Gardener and his wife, out cleaning lady do not speak English, only Greek. But they are good at their jobs and live right there in Exambela. I am please with Betty's comments. EMH
• 05/15/08
  Positive Rating
  Kees Meijer , Amsterdam, Holland
  • The best accommodation I ever had in almost 40 years of visiting Sifnos, this time in April 2008. Ideal location: secluded and quiet, while close to shops,restaurants and cafés, but no disturbance from the latter, even in high season. Splendid view over fertile valleys and whitewashed villages towards the blue sea and other islands in the distance. Extensive, fully grown garden with trees and flowers. Spacious terrace with views in the back towards mountains and monasteries on top of them. The house has been carefully restaured with authentic materials and provides everything you might possibly need (i.e. much more than the usual outfit in commercial accommodation). This includes a fully equiped kitchen and a cosy bathroom with plenty of hot water from the central heating system that also ads a lot of comfort on chilly evenings f.e. in spring. Sifnos, though in the last decades seeing it's share of (mainly Greek) tourism, still succeeds in keeping it's old ways and pace, especially in places like Exambela, though it's only a ten minutes walk to where it "all" happens, mainly in Apollonia, and only in high season. Beaches (half a dozen of them) can easily be reached by bus, rented car or scooter, but even better on foot, using the old and beautiful donkeypaths through unspoiled landscapes, wading through wild flowers - in spring time that is. A typical walk to one of the beaches will take somewhat over one hour. More ambitious and higher walks may take up to 4 hours. Detailed map with all these itineraries available on the island. Kayto, the luckiest cat on the island, if not in Greece, who lives here permanently, is a very friendly guy and surprisingly civilized for all the freedom he enjoys. He likes human company a lot and will join you where ever you are on the premises, though never obtrusively so. He cannot resist to get next to you on the couch, but never even tried the bed: when we left the bedroom door open, he would spend the night on a chair next to it! When closed, he would sleep in his own comfy basket. Taking care of him involves little more than pouring fresh water into his bowl every now and then, as his dispenser (and his hunting talents!) provide him permanently with ample food. The only drawback of his presence could be the sadness you feel when you have to leave him at the end of your stay... For all of this I would not hesitate to recommend the Thimonia to anyone looking for quiet and comfort in one of the most attractive and yet largely unspoiled places of the Greek archipelago. One may as well notice that it's rates are more than reasonable, compared to other accommodation on this and other islands. PS: Recommended restaurants with authentic Greek food: Liotrivi (Maganas) on the main square in Artemona and Apokofto on the homonymous beach near the Hriso Pigi monastery.
• 11/19/07
  Positive Rating
  Rick , San Francisco, California
  • Words cannot express the amazing experience I had at this house. I spent 3 months at this property and I have nothing but the highest regard for the property and its owner. The house and grounds are amazing. The view of the morning sun rising over the adjacent islands is breathtaking. Peaceful, quite and private. Days were spent reading, relaxing, walking through the olive gardens, and just appreciating the amzing view the property house as it looks out over the entire mediteraneun ocean. Everything is within a 5-10 minute walk including markets, transportation, internet cafe, villages etc. Just an ideal place for a holiday. Private yet ideally located with all modern conveniences. I have found my yearly holiday retreat.
• 07/04/06
  Positive Rating
  , ACT, Australia
  • wow! what can we say - the perfect greek cottage, near the perfect greek village, on the perfect greek island - not to mention the perfect greek cat to keep us company! to simply say how magical the cottage is, while true, fails to place it in context - sifnos is a world full of unforgettable people and places and sights, and the cottage is a private and peacefull home from which such joys can easily be discovered. both elaine (the owner) and vasaliki (the caretaker) are delightful people, who both made us feel so very welcome and comfortable - we cannot thank you enough for the wonders this holiday provided - xx
• 04/13/06
  Positive Rating
  Natalie Peters , Middlebury, Vermont USA
  • The house is idyllic in so many ways. Wonderful site on hill overlooking ocean and sky where light changes hourly..fun for my painting activities. House was a well stocked one and so very comfortable to be there. Quiet, yet within walking distance to groceries, etc. I had a very comfortable, delightful visit! Thanks!

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