We were a group of friends from the States looking for a place on Crete that could accommodate us comfortably- and we found it at Amari Villas. Located in central Crete in the moutains south of Rethymno it is perfectly positioned for day trips to the south coast as well as the northern coast cities of Chania and Iraklion.. What made the stay so special, however, was the owner, Manolis, his housekeeper Roumy, and Roumy's kitten, Rishko. Manolis is the perfect host. His attention to our comfort went beyone what anyone could expect. Throughout our two weeks at Amari, Manolis stopped by to give us ideas as to where to go, where to eat, and even took a small group of us on a visit to locat sites. He met us upon arrival, helped carry our luggage, and got us acquainted with the villa. Two welcoming baskets also awaited us- beer, wine, milk, cheese, bread, eggs, yogurt, fruit, and vegetables- mostly organic.
The villa itself is really two villas- attached. We rented both sides due to the size of our group (13) and it worked out perfectly. One can easily go from one side to the other through balconies or a passageway in the lower level. The villas are immaculately clean and beautifully decorated with remembrances of his grandmother whose house this was. It's completely updated with modern conveniences- air conditioning/heat, bathrooms, and comfortable furniture. There are balconies everywhere- one large enough for our whole group to sit together and enjoy the spectacular views of Mt. Idi and Mt.Samitos. Smaller balconies provide a bit more privacy where one can read a book or just be alone.
A feature that we all enjoyed was the home-cooked meals that Roumy prepared for us- using locally grown vegetables and fruit- and turning them into very tasty Greek dishes- moussaka being one of the favorites.
We are very familiar with home-stays, having rented in various parts of Europe and Central America. However, we've never rented a place that was so well attended to by the owner. Manolis really puts his heart into making sure everything goes well. I communicated with him for several months before we arrived and he answered all of my questions/concerns promptly with great patience, detail, and humor.
We thoroughly enjoyed Villa Amaris and recommend it highly to visitors who wish to get awy from the crowed tourist areas, but at the same time be near enough to visit them.