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Villa nr Almyrida☀️Private Pool Gated For Child Safety☀️Wifi +good mobile signal

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Pool
Pool
Pool
Pool
Room

Reviews

9.2 out of 10

Wonderful

4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 81410.1 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
    Parking available
  • Washer
    Washer
  • Pool
    Pool
  • Barbecue grill
    Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen
    Kitchen
  • Air conditioning
    Air conditioning

Explore the area

Map
Chania, Crete
    Historical - Folklore Museum of Gavalochori
    17 min walk
    Almyrida Beach
    5 min drive
    Kera
    10 min drive
    Chania (CHQ-Ioannis Daskalogiannis)
    46 min drive

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

Bedroom 4

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen
Dining
Living area
Exterior

About this property

Villa nr Almyrida☀️Private Pool Gated For Child Safety☀️Wifi +good mobile signal

This property is managed by 'Saint Basil Olive Grove - Rentavillacrete'

GREEK TOURIST LICENCE: 1042K91002898401

The villa sleeps up to 8 people in 4 double/twin bedrooms and has a private swimming pool. For people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility, the downstairs double bedroom is ideal, being next to the downstairs shower room and W/C with commode available. British plumbing and WC - no small pipes!

GOOD NEWS FOR PARENTS WITH SMALL CHILDREN! This villa has a downstairs kitchen which looks out directly onto the gated pool. This means you can see your children playing in the pool while you are preparing lunch! Many other villas in the area have not been designed with holidaymakers like you in mind because they have an upstairs (Greek Style) kitchen which means you may have to balance a meal and a drink on a tray while walking down a flight of stairs with a toddler following behind you or under your feet! We designed this feature BEFORE the houses were built - you are not an afterthought!

Our guests often comment that this villa is in the perfect location: within walking distance from two villages, close enough to enjoy their facilities but not too close to be disturbed by barking dogs, crowing cockerels and noisy human nightlife that happens in any and every Cretan village or town.

The villa is located in a peaceful private olive grove of 4.5 acres (17,000 square metres). It is one of only 5 villas in the olive grove, all of which are owned by us. The olive grove is secure, being fenced and hedged by colourful oleander, and surrounded by olive trees. It is the perfect base to explore the picturesque Apokoronas area on foot or by car, with its tiny white hamlets nestled on green mountainsides. Apokoronas is a designated area of natural beauty, protected in a similar way to a UK National Park. At all times there are breath-taking views of the White Mountains which are snowcapped until late May. Literally on your doorstep there are numerous foot-trails through this most spectacular area of Crete, a genuine walker’s paradise.

Close to the villa are two villages. Almyrida, by the beach, is only a 3 minute drive away or you can walk it in half an hour. Gavalochori, further inland, is only a 1 minute drive away and you can walk there in less than 15 minutes.

NEW CLEANING AND HYGEINE PROCEDURES FOR CORONAVIRUS

Guests visiting our villas can be assured we are following the appropriate cleaning and disinfection guidelines introduced by the Greek Government. You will have a fabulous holiday in Crete, so as well as bringing your holiday spirit, remember to follow the usual recommended practices such as washing your hands frequently, avoiding touching your face and safe distancing.

We will require a little more information from you than usual prior to your arrival to be held by us in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) for reasons of public health. This will be shared with the appropriate authorities for the purposes of contact tracing but only if they deem it necessary. So please provide us with the full name, nationality, age, address and appropriate contact telephone number /email of everyone who will be staying. Dates of arrival and departure will also be recorded.

As we need to carry out some additional villa preparation hygiene procedures (see below) before you arrive, regretfully we have to extend our normal check in time from 4.00 pm to 5.00 pm and we cannot accept a luggage drop-off before check in. However, please feel free to call or text John earlier in the day and he will let you know if the villa is ready for your arrival earlier. Remember, though the check in time may be 5.00 pm, there are plenty of bars and cafes by the beach close by in Almyrida where you spend an enjoyable first afternoon.

We will be carrying out the following hygiene procedures:
● Floors and hard surfaces such as sinks and taps will be steam cleaned.
● All touch points (handles, switches, plugs and sockets) will be wiped and disinfected.
● Remote controls will be wiped and disinfected, then covered with a protective plastic cover/bag that will be disposed of after your stay. Your key will also be disinfected before arrival and placed in a plastic bag, and placed in the usual collection point under or in the BBQ.
● All decorative / non-essential cushions and bed runners have been removed.
● We will pop in mid-week during pool cleaning for a quick mid stay spruce up at a convenient time for you. Other than this we will of course not disturb you during your stay, unless there is an emergency or an appliance which requires immediate attention. If it is necessary for us to send an engineer (for example to attend an aircon unit) please remember to ensure social distancing at all times.
● Antiseptic handwash/gel will be available in the kitchen, as a backup to the regular washing of hands with soap and water to which we are all now very accustomed.
● A confirmation note of when and how your villa was cleaned will be placed on the dining room table, and a copy will be retained by us for our records.
● Your villa contains a selection of paperback books and useful guides. At the end of your stay, please place any books you have read or browsed into the supplied 'Book Bin' which will be removed by us and placed in temporary quarantine until the next changeover when they will be put back on the shelves.

SWIMMING POOL

● Your swimming pool is sanitised with chlorine tablets and other chemicals dissolving in the recirculating water mechanism. Viruses and bacteria cannot survive in this environment.
● Sun loungers. Please use the fresh pool towels provided to place between yourself and the lounger.

Property manager

John Fisher
Premier Host

Languages

Chinese (Mandarin), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish

Amenities

Pool
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

Similar properties

House Rules

Check in after 5:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17

Events

Events allowed: family gatherings and birthday parties

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings and birthday parties) are allowed on site; maximum attendees: 8
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
Property Registration Number 2898401

We should mention

Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed GBP 500, due to national regulations; for further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation
A car is recommended for transportation to and from this property

About the area

Apokoronas

Located in Apokoronas, this villa is in a rural area and near the beach. Historical - Folklore Museum of Gavalochori and War Museum of Chania are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Port of Souda and Old Venetian Harbor. Discover the area's water adventures with scuba diving and snorkeling nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with ecotours and horse riding.
Map
Chania, Crete

What's nearby

  • Historical - Folklore Museum of Gavalochori - 17 min walk
  • Almyrida Beach - 5 min drive
  • Art of Living Glass Factory - 7 min drive
  • Kalyves Beach - 15 min drive
  • Koutalas Beach - 18 min drive

Getting around

  • Ioannis Daskalogiannis Airport (CHQ) - 46 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Platia Café Bar - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Obrosgialos - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪Costanita - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Tsunami - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Atlantis Beach - ‬3 min drive

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 17 out of 24 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 24 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 24 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 24 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 24 reviews" "

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

9.4/10

Location

8.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Carine U.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Vacances
Nous.avons été super bien. Les hotes sont.d'une super gentillesse et nous avons vu de magnifiques endroits
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Erika S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Tolle Unterkunft
Obwohl der Übergabezeitpunkt 17:00 war, hat uns John bereits mittags mitgeteilt, dass wir bereits das Haus übernehmen können. Die Schlüsselübergabe lief sehr einfach und perfekt. Der Pool war wundervoll. Jederzeit weiter zu empfehlen .
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Ralf L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location
Eigenes Reich mit schönem Pool
Für zwei Personen schon dekadent große Villa mit insgesamt 3 Schafzimmern von denen wir je nach Laune das am Pool oder im Obergeschoss genutzt haben. Die baugleichen anderen beiden Villen auf dem Grunddtück waren durch die vielen Olivenbäume kaum zu sehen, die anderen Gäste kaum zu hören.Bettwäsche und Handtücher, auch zum wechseln, war ausreichend vorhanden. Der Pool wurde 2 x wöchentlich gereinigt und war nur am Ende zu kühl. Die gut ausgestattete Küche würde von uns intensiv genutzt im offen angrenzenden Wohnzimmer mit Poolblick konnte geschlemmt werden. Oder draußen auf der überdachten Terrasse direkt am Pool. Der Mietwagen war zum Einkaufen und für die Besuche der schönen Sandstrände in der Nähe sehr von Vorteil. Der Fußweg von 20 bis 30 Minuten pro Richtung war aber auch mal ganz schön.
Stayed 21 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Carla H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wunderschöne Villa mit traumhaftem Pool
Wir verbrachten unseren Sommerurlaub 2021 in der Villa Helios. Unsere Erwartungen wurden noch übertroffen, die Villa erfüllt in Einrichtung und Ausstattung alle beschriebenen Kriterien. Der Pool ist ein Traum, herrlich groß, sauber, wir verbrachten viel Zeit nur hier. Aber auch die Entfernung zum Strand ist moderat, wir zogen den Strand von Kalyves dem von Almyrida vor, aber das ist Geschmackssache. Vermieter John war überaus freundlich und allzeit hilfsbereit. Wir fühlten uns rundum wohl und haben uns nach 2 Jahren Corona endlich richtig erholen können!
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Ingo G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Super schön
Hervorragend
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Heike H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Entspannter Urlaub in der Natur mit angenehmer Nähe zum Dorf.
Wir hatten einen sehr entspannten Urlaub inmitten der Natur eines Olivenhains.Es ist ausgesprochen ruhig und ausser ein paar Ziegen hört man fast nichts. Das Haus empfing uns ausgesprochen sauber. Der Pool ist für ein Ferienhaus sehr groß und lädt ,mit den Liegen drumherum , zum verweilen ein. Die Kücheneinrichtung ist nahezu perfekt,der Geschirrspüler der in der Beschreibung erwähnt wurde fehlte allerdings. Daher wäre es schön wenn gute und mehrere Küchenhandtücher vorrätig wären. Aber das sind Kleinigkeiten.Wir haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt und John war ein sehr hilfsbereiter uns sympathischer Vermieter.Der Pool wurde regelmässig gereinigt und es war sehr schön das John dies zuvor per SMS angekündigt hat. Man kann in 15 Minuten zu Fuß das nächste Dorf erreichen indem wir in 2 wunderbaren Tavernen sehr gut gegessen haben. Nach Almerida sind es 10 Minuten mit dem Auto. Dort gibt es zahlreiche Tavernen und Geschäfte. Wer also die Ruhe und die Natur liebt und dennoch nicht ganz abgeschieden wohnen möchte der ist hier genau richtig.
Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Serenela B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful villa, great stay.
We stayed with our daughter at the villa for 2 weeks and have thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Helios. The villa is in a perfect location, 5 min drive to the beaches and restaurants in Almyrida. It is a remote and quiet location but still close to everything, which is what we wanted. Very clean and well stocked with what you might need in the kitchen for cooking, as well as a great BBQ area for those relaxing evenings by the pool when you don't want to go out. The pool is perfect for children, the water was always clean and warm and got cleaned 3 times a week at least. The layout of the terrace allows you to see the pool at all times, which is great with kids. Going out in the evenings, we particularly enjoyed the food at Dimitris taverna, which the villa owners also gave us a 10% discount for the first visit. John and Tina have been the perfect hosts, at our disposal with any questions we had and even advice on places to visit. Great family holiday, thank you for everything!
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2020

10/10 Excellent

Helen R., Whitworth

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Absolute peace and serenity
What can I say. This has been an absolutely fantastic experience in a covid world. John and Gina went above and beyond to make our stay stress free. Nothing was too much trouble. Even the directions given for our drive from the airport made us laugh. The villa was spotless and changeover at the middle weekend spot on. The villa has everything you need and the pool deck area was exceptional. You do need a car and then you can venture anywhere. We had so much nice food, all the local places in Almyrida, Plaka and Galavochori make you feel very welcome. All in all we could not have had a better stay and would recommend staying on St Basil's Olive grove if you ever go to Crete
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2020

8/10 Good

vincent d.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Calme et vue sur les montagnes blanches
Très bonnes vacances, surtout après cette période de covid-19, ça fait un bien fou. La vue sur les montagnes blanches est fantastique, et la grande piscine toujours ensoleillée a été le régal des enfants. L'emplacement est très calme. Vous n'entendez que les clochettes des chèvres d'à côté. Almyrida n'est qu'à 2 km, mais comme il y a des montées, nous avons préféré le faire en voiture. La plage est grande, ce qui permet d'être tranquille. Prévoir des chaussures de mer car il y a des cailloux au bord. Et masque et tuba pour observer les poissons. La très belle ville de chania n'est qu'à 20-30 min. Et John est très gentil et toujours à l'écoute, et il vient régulièrement nettoyer la piscine. Bonne adresse à conserver et à conseiller.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2020

8/10 Good

Marion H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Quiet location
If you are looking for something remote this place is right for you. Pros nice large pool and terrace Well equipped kitchen Comfy beds Cons. Arabs television Only 2 GB per day

8/10 Good

Clas J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
fin villa i lugnt avskiljt område. Nära till fina bad (med bil) bra restauranger mm.
Rekommenderas till alla som uppskattar lugnt fridfullt läge mrf närhet till dt mesta.

6/10 Okay

etienne l.

Liked: Communication, location
Villa bien située mais un peu trop simple
Une villa très bien située avec de jolies petites villes à côté mais trop simple pour ce tarif. (Pas de machine à café juste une cafetière à piston) Grand espace extérieur (super terrasse) mais petit à l'intérieur. Piscine bas de gamme. Le propriétaire de la villa et le gérant ont répondu à nos différentes questions et résolu des pb de climatisation dans 2 chambres par contre pas d'intervention possible le dimanche pour cela.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019

8/10 Good

Rudi B., Freiburg

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Einfach schön
Wir verbrachten eine sehr angenehme Zeit
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

emmanuel l.

Superbe maison, idéalement située
Nous avons passé un excellent séjour dans cette maison, idéalement située, à 3 mn d'Almyrida (en voiture). Maison au calme, très bien équipée pour 8 personnes, 4 chambres spacieuses avec climatisations individuelles, piscine privée parfaitement entretenue, linge de lit régulièrement changé, personnel efficace, disponible et réactif. C'est un très bon point de chute pour visiter tout le nord - nord ouest de la Crête. Nous recommandons sans hésitation ! Merci !
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2018

10/10 Excellent

Andy S.

Great villa and child friendly pool area, in a really quiet location.
Villa and surrounding areas all well maintained, clean and met our expectations. Owner (John) met us upon arrival and ensured that everything was as we expected and gave us some tips on things to do to make our stay comfortable. Additional villa maintenance team (Mark & Andy) ensured that bedsheets/towels replaced every 2-3 days, and pool cleaned - Note that you do have to do your own 'bug' removal activity from the pool every morning (but all part of the charm of having access to your own space!). Incorporation of 'English' plumbing was a nice touch. Villa is in a great location for visiting this part of the island, although we didn't travel too far as had decided (last minute) to take our grand-daughter with us, so child friendly beaches were more on the 'go to' list. Local beach served us well in this aspect as the far right-hand side hand a very shallow area that she loved. You really do need to have a car, and we found the owners recommendation of rental company 'spot on' for price and service. Thanks John and team for ensuring that we had a great holiday ... Andy, Jane and Lily
Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2018

8/10 Good

Helen T.

Basic but lovely villa
We stayed in villa Helios for 2 weeks in July. There were 5 adults and 2 children (8 and 3 yo) in our party. The villa was in a quiet location, about 10mins drive from Almyrida and about 45mins from Chania airport. We enjoyed being this far away but you definitely need a hire car for the duration of your stay. We used the car hire company recommended by the owner and they were the cheapest around, also offering a service to show you to the villa, which I would recommend if you arrive at night. The owner was very quick to respond to any queries we had before we arrived. The bedding and towels are changed every 3/4 days and there is a manager available nearby if you have any problems and who can sort anything out very quickly. The villa is basic but has pretty much everything you need whether you plan to stay by the pool or travel the island. The only suggestion we have made to the owner is to provide a mop/brush for the inside of the property as we found the floor become dirty quite quickly when you’re around the pool all day with kids. There are plenty of shops and restaurants to visit nearby and the beach had a lovely shallow area for children. The 3 other villas are far enough away that the noise cannot be heard but close enough if you had a larger group that you want to stay with. My husband and I stayed in the bedroom on the ground floor and we were provided with a pull out bed for our daughter (the stairs are a bit dangerous for small children as they are tiled and no stair gate) and there was a bathroom on the ground floor too, so we had all we needed. The only negative was that we all suffered a little bit with lack of sleep due to the aircon - there’s no control for the temperature (and it can get cold) and it can only be put on for a minimum of 30mins and maximum of 2 hours so in the height of the season it meant getting up through the night to keep cool or turning it off when it was too cold. All in all, we enjoyed our stay and would recommend this villa to large groups or families with children.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2018

10/10 Excellent

Gordian H.

Sehr erholsamer Aufenthalt in hervorragender Umgebung
Wir durften volle 4 Wochen in dieser Villa mit zwei kleinen Kindern im Alter von 4 und 2 Jahren verbringen. Ab dem ersten Tag der Ankunft bis zum Abreisetag konnten wir unseren Aufenthalt uneingeschränkt genießen. Von dem Willkommen am späten Abend inkl. Welcome Pack in einem sauberen Haus, liebevoll gestalteter Außenanlage inkl. großem und sauberen Pool bis zum Abreisetag mit kulanter Abreisezeit nach Rücksprache, können wir dieses Haus uneingeschränkt empfehlen. Zimmer sind alle klimatisiert. Aufteilung der Zimmer sehr gut gelöst. Alle wichtigen Dinge hervorragend beschriftet und auch vorhanden.Lediglich ein Geschirrspüler ist nicht vorhanden, was jedoch verschmerzen lässt. Willkommensmappe mit vielen nützlichen Informationen vorhanden. Mark, June und Andy kümmern sich fantastisch um die Gäste und sind bei Sonderwünschen immer gewillt zu helfen. Wechsel Handtücher, Bettzeug und Reinigung Pool erfolgte regelmäßig in kurzen Abständen.Das Haus liegt sehr ruhig in einem Olivenhain eingebettet. Jedes Zimmer hat eine eigene Terrasse - der Blick auf die Lefka Ori ist unvergesslich. Abstand zu den Nachbarobjekten ist ausreichend bemessen, so dass man als Gast nichts von den umliegenden Objekten mitbekommt und so die Privatsphäre absolut gewahrt bleibt. Auto wird klar empfohlen. Nächste Einkaufsmöglichkeit das Dorf Gavalochori ( nur 2 Min mit dem Wagen) .Ans Meer nach Almyrida nur ca 3 Min mit dem Wagen. Wir dachten selbst vor Ankunft ob die Distanz zum Meer zu groß wäre - das ist sie aber definitiv nicht. Man genießt den Luxus der Abgeschiedenheit, eines einzigartigen Panoramas, der Ruhe und ist trotzdem schnell an den entsprechenden Punkten. Wir geben hier eine klare Empfehlung und danken für 4 unvergessliche Wochen.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Tom G.

Lovely quiet villa & private pool in rural Crete
Villa Helios lived up to it's name, being well appointed to bask in sunshine during our stay. It's an extremely well set out villa with 4 double bedrooms, two bathrooms, dining/lounge area & cosy kitchen and convivially coped very well with 7 busy adults. The outside space with verandah, own swimming pool, barbecue area etc., is fantastic, and also quiet, being screened from the road and other (not too nearby) villas by beautiful long established olive trees. It's a really, really lovely place to stay, within easy walk of local village, cafes, shops etc., - we will certainly return soon!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Marisa c., Barnsley

A beautiful villa in a stunning location
The villa was absolutely perfect, I can't fault any aspect of it at all. It was really clean, spacious, very comfortable and we felt at home straight away with everything we could possibly need at our disposal such as cooker, washing machine, kettle, iron, microwave, a proper bath, towels etc. The customer service from John and his team has been second to none.....to be honest I was e-mailing constantly with questions and John replied really quickly and was really helpful and not at all frustrated with me for bothering him constantly. It was very quiet at the villa, only the sound of goats in the distance and crickets chirping away, it was absolutely perfect. At first we didn't hire a car as we like walking and thought that it would be a fairly easy walk to Almyrida and Gavalochori but the hills are a killer (especially in the heat) so we did eventually hire a car, and we are so glad we did as we were then able to explore quite a lot of Crete which is a stunning island. We stayed for 2 weeks but wish we had stayed longer...I could honestly live there, I especially liked Gavalochori which is very quiet and traditional and the food there was really really nice and the locals are very friendly too...especially the family who own the supermarket there. I would like to thank John and his team for such a perfect dream holiday, definitely worth every penny and we will be definitely booking again next year.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Diana P.

OUTSTANDING VILLA, OUTSTANDING LOCATION
Outstanding villa! Outstanding location! This was our first time in Crete. Four adults, four children, arriving at night! Fortunately the owner who is most helpful gave us great directions and the most important advice ...... to bring a torch! We made it, found the house quite easily, and of course the first thing the kids do is jump in the pool (yes, at 11.00 pm!). That kept them happy and cool! Next morning we awoke and ... OMG where did those magnificent mountains come from? They make a breathtaking background to the villa when you open the bedroom shutters for your first morning on this glorious island. The villa was very clean, and notably had high quality linen and we loved the memory foam mattress toppers as my husband suffers from a stiff back. The pool was excellent. We wanted for nothing except for our holiday to be longer! The only negative was the ants on the patio, but the housekeepers later advised that if we kept the outside areas clear of crumbs and bits of food that inevitably fall on the floor (4 children, remember!) the ants would go away ..... and they were right. next night we were ant free! Recommendations? Monica's taverna in Gavlachory stands out as our absolute favorite we would be happy to eat there every night, though we did venture into Almirida for lunch and some beachtime fun. There is a shallow area on the west side of the Blue flag (clean!) beach which is overlooked by cafes and tavernas so we felt comfortable letting our twin 8 years olds supervise the 6 and 5 year olds paddling (only 30 yards away and in our full view). This is oneof the best holidays we have ever had, made almost perfect by thoughtful owners who have designed the house with families like ours in mind and particularly referring to the gated pool and the downstairs kitchen which looks out over the patio and pool. Five very deserved stars!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

4/10 Poor

Neil R.

Very tired and in need of some TLC and a deep clean!
We could not determine what was worse the very old uncomfortable double mattress (with or with out topper) the non functioning air conditioning or the light pollution from the all night pool lights(9.00 pm till 4.00 am) and the noisy overhead fan ! We didn't sleep very well at all !! No air-con in lounge ! No gate lights. No welcome pack or Cold drinking water , devoid of basic condiments and not even full TOILET ROLLS !.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

ian M.

A tiny slice of (early season) paradise.
Probably a mistake to tell anyone about this as I would for very selfish reasons not want this place to become too popular at Easter. Seems the season in Crete doesn't really start until June, and this makes no sense as the weather when we were there was nigh on perfect and not those blisteringly hot days that make August there unbearable. The advertised walk to the local village was bang on accurate and we did it a number of times as it was a highlight, and the random encounters with Goats and the like on the way added immeasurably to the experience. When you get there, the small but perfect choice of taverna's was just what anyone would want and of course, the Easter celebrations in Greece are legendary, and you must try the local beer (Charma, pronounced harmer, but it didn't do too much damage) and the raki is, of course, to be respected. The villa was spotless and very well appointed and the managers (Mark and June) were about as nice a couple as you could ever want to meet, even bringing some cushions from their own home to soften the hours of sun bedding. Although difficult to find in the dark the supplied Google map link worked and not a single wrong turn was made, and all the pre-supplied instructions were well worth reading through before hand. Good size pool but good God the water was cold, early season issue that I hadn't considered. However, it did wake you up. Yes, we would go again, in a heartbeat.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Misha M.

Lovely place to chill
We like to go to Crete in April to see the spring flowers, go walking and exploring while the weather is not too hot. Villa Helios proved to be a good choice as it is in the middle of beautiful countryside with every kind of ramble literally on the doorstep. The house has more space than we imagined and very well laid out. Views towards the White Mountains from the upstairs bedrooms are truly spectacular. We especially liked the colourful mediterrainean plants and shrubs growing around the house. Although just two of us this time, I can imagine it would be an excellent base for family holidays. Very good value, the owner (John) is a pleasure to deal with and responded to my questions very quickly. Will be returning with more friends sometime soon.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Neelam G.

Excellent villa, fantastic views, peaceful surroun
Excellent house, good size and facilities. Views to die for. Stayed in late September 2016 and the pool was still warm. Family loved Almirda, esp shallow sandy beach. Lazy days by the pool, slightly less lazy days visiting local villages for days out. Lovely tavernas in nearby 'real' village Gavalochory and they do live Greek music some nights. Definitely return with more family!

About the host

Hosted by John Fisher

Host profile image
This property is managed by 'Saint Basil Olive Grove - Rentavillacrete'

Why they chose this property

What makes this property unique

The views of the mountains are truly spectacular.
The peace and quiet of the olive grove.
It's nice to be near village life, but not too close!

Languages:

English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese, Korean, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Indonesian, Norwegian, Swedish, Croatian, Czech, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Swahili, Chinese (Mandarin)

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests