Lovely family villa with stunning sea views, private pool, games room & wi-fi

See all properties

Save

Entire home

Note: wooden railings now replaced with aluminium as shown in next photo. .

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

9.8

Exceptional

4 bedrooms0+ bathroomsSleeps 8160 sq m

Popular amenities

Hot tub

Pet-friendly

Washer

Pool

Barbecue grill

Kitchen

Explore the area

Plaka, Crete

Almyrida Beach12 min walk
Kalyves Beach13 min drive
Port of Souda19 min drive
Chania (CHQ-Ioannis Daskalogiannis)43 min drive

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Basement Bedroom

1 Double Futon

Ground floor Bedroom

1 Double Bed

Upstairs double bedroom

1 Double Bed

Upstairs twin bedroom

1 Single Bed

1 half bathroom

Bath and shower

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Balcony

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

This lovely hillside villa with stunning sea-facing views is on the edge of the popular village of Plaka with a good choice of tavernas and supermarkets in easy strolling distance. It is a short walk downhill to the beach at Almyrida with its lively water sports centre and even more tavernas, bars, shops and hotels.

The villa sleeps six comfortably and the basement games room, can if required, be made up with a further two single beds for a small additional charge.

Sea breezes provide welcome relief from the heat and mosquito screens on all the windows and patio doors provide protection from insects whilst allowing the air to circulate. Fans in the bedrooms and living area keep the villa cool.

On the ground floor there is a large open-plan living/dining area with a terrace overlooking the patio and pool. The well equipped kitchen includes a large fridge, washing machine and dish-washer.

There is a downstairs bedroom with double bed & large shower room with toilet and basin. The accommodation upstairs comprises master bedroom with double bed and guest bedroom with two single beds. The bathroom has an attractive corner bath, large shower, basin and toilet. The basement doubles as a 4th bedroom with a sofa that converts to two single beds.

There is also a table tennis table, TV, and well stocked bookshelves.

There is parking on the private drive. The fruit trees and plants in the large garden plot below attract a variety of birds and beyond that is forestry land.

Regular pool cleaning and maintenance is included in the rental. The pool is just under 10 metres in length and great for keeping fit as well as keeping cool.

Car hire, including airport pick-up, can be easily arranged with local companies based in Almyrida.

The courtyard area provides a shady retreat and houses the purpose built outdoor BBQ.

Property manager

Amanda Aviss

Premier Host

Languages

English, French

Protect your payment — always book on Vrbo

If someone asks you to book through them or pay them directly before you book on Vrbo, report it.

Find out more

Amenities

Pool

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Pool

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Open staircases so not good for toddlers

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.

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

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip

Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

Property Registration Number 1042Κ92003151201

We should mention

Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed GBP 500, due to national regulations; for further details, please contact the property using the information in the booking confirmation

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Apokoronas

Located in Apokoronas, this villa is by the sea. Port of Souda and Old Venetian Harbor are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Georgioupolis Beach and Stavros Beach. Travelling with kids? Consider Art of Living Glass Factory and Maritime Museum of Crete. Kayaking and scuba diving offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with mountain biking and horse riding nearby.

Plaka, Crete

What's nearby

Almyrida Beach - 12 min walk
Kalyves Beach - 13 min drive
Port of Souda - 19 min drive
Loutraki Beach - 48 min drive
Marathi Beach - 49 min drive

Getting around

Chania (CHQ-Ioannis Daskalogiannis) - 44 min drive

Restaurants

‪Lagos Taverna - ‬19 min walk
‪Platia Café Bar - ‬5 min walk
‪Elena Tavern - ‬7 min drive
‪Costanita - ‬13 min walk
‪Gavalianos Kafenes - ‬7 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Lovely family villa with stunning sea views, private pool, games room & wi-fi pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Lovely family villa with stunning sea views, private pool, games room & wi-fi?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Lovely family villa with stunning sea views, private pool, games room & wi-fi?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Lovely family villa with stunning sea views, private pool, games room & wi-fi located?

This family-friendly Apokoronas villa is located by the sea, within 2 mi (3 km) of Almyrida Beach, Art of Living Glass Factory and Kera. Koutalas Beach and Kalyves Beach are also within 3 miles (5 km).

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Ian C.

6 Jul 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely villa with superb views

Had a wonderful stay at this lovely villa. We all enjoyed sitting on the covered terrace with superb views across the bay and up to the mountains. Check out Elpis in Plaka (just a short walk) and the beach front at Almyrida.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Emma D.

19 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Superb villa with stunning views

The villa exceeded our expectations. It is spacious, comfortable, well equipped and the most amazing views of Souda bay. The village of Plaka has a few amazing restaurants and the beach at Almyrida is great especially for younger children.

Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Ron B.

23 Sept 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Long time coming

Booked in 2019 arrived Sept 22 due to Covid. Villa very well positioned for amazing sunsets and vista across Souda Bay .Short stroll into village to lovley Taverna's well stocked small supermarkets. Good location to explore west of the Island if you can leave beaches of Almyrida and Kalives for a few hours

Stayed 10 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jo C.

5 Aug 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful villa and location.

A lovely comfortable villa in a really nice Greek village- lots of choices of places to eat within a few minutes walk and even more choice in Almyrida. The pool area is great and the view is beautiful. Loads to do nearby if you want to such as water sports, boat hire and the water park nearby is great. The only minor issue is that I knew it didn’t have air con when I booked it but as the weather was particularly hot and humid on some days the fans weren’t really enough. We would definitely come again as there is still so much more we would like to explore.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Maro K.

24 Jul 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely villa

We love western Crete and have stayed in Almyrida a few times. Decided on Plaka this time as villa looked so nice and it was.. Had good communication with owner before and after booking. Villa is spacious and comfortable. All facilities you need for holiday stay. Especially great views of sunset over Almyrida. Hope to visit again soon :)

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

7 Sept 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Brilliant

Myself and 3 friends have just got home from an amazing stay in Crete. The villa was very clean and well presented upon arrival and the balcony views out into the bay were stunning. If only we could have stayed for longer as there is so much to do on the island. A brilliant trip from start to finish. Thank you Mandy 😊

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020

6/10 Okay

Jennifer B.

21 Aug 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Lovely villa with view but not suitable for under 3s

We had a lovely stay this July/August at Julanda. The views, especially in the evening, were fantastic and we enjoyed many evenings on the terrace watching the sun set and having dinner. We found the villa fairly easily from the airport even in the dark, the cleanliness of the villa was great, and the villa was stocked with everything we needed for our full stay including, fresh bed linen, towels, full kitchen crockery etc. Unfortunately, the reason we cannot give it 5 stars is for two reasons, the lack of air conditioning and the unsuitability of the villa for our full party. We had a 22 month old in our party and the villa really is not suitable for children of this age. We were constantly on edge having to watch him as the stairs were very dangerous as they are not enclosed so a child could fall off the edge, falling 2-3 metres. There are no pictures of the stairs so we really weren’t expecting this. There are also no child stair gates available. The manager did provide us with some wood to block the stairs off but it made it quite difficult coming up and down the stairs for everybody else. Also the wood for the top 2nd floor rail on the terrace was rotten and one of the pieces is completely loose so the gap was big enough for a child under 5 to easily fall through, so we couldn’t have our youngest child up on that terrace either, as it can only take a second of not watching them for an accident to happen. With regard to the air conditioning, when we originally booked the villa we did not realise it did not have air con. We do think this should be stated in the description. Once we realised it didn’t have air con we read through the reviews and nobody seemed bothered so we thought it would be cool enough. Unfortunately we did not find this to be the case, although each bedroom does have a fan, in the height of summer heat this really is not enough and we found the evenings uncomfortably hot to sleep. Overall, I would definitely recommend this villa to a party with adults or older children but if you are bothered about air con or have young children this villa is not suitable.

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Andrea G.

11 Aug 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing Views

Just returned from a two week stay at this villa and had a fantastic time. The view every morning from the bedroom is stunning and the sunsets were unreal. Great location for restaurants, beaches, and shopping. The owner, Amanda, and Carina who looks after to property were always on hand and very friendly. Would definitely recommend this villa for anyone looking to stay in Crete, and would love to return!

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Helen R.

12 Jun 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Everything we wanted and more!

We’ve just returned from a fantastic stay at Julanda. The property was everything we could ask for, clean, spacious and in a great location for exploring the nearby beaches. The pool was a perfect size for 6 and the rooms were spacious with plenty of storage. The villa stayed cool, despite the high temperatures, and due to its elavated position there was a lovely gentle breeze on the hottest of days. The villa was well equipped with everything you’d expect and some extras too. Including games for the evening and snorkels and inflatables for the beach and pool. Waking up to the views from the balcony made our holiday to Crete even more special. The owner was reachable for any problems and advice and we’d definitely return given the chance! You can walk into Plaka to find a couple of shops and choice of tavernas selling lovely food and although you could walk to the nearest beaches and tavernas in Almyrida, with two young children we chose to drive to avoid the steep walks back up to Plaka. There was plenty of places to park, some lovely shops, including a fantastic bakery, pharmacy, supermarkets and seafronted eateries. We spent most of our mornings here enjoying the rock pools and snorkelling. We also went to Kalves and the beach is bigger and again has everything you could ask for. Would highly reccomend booking this Villa if you are looking for a peaceful holiday with lots of options to see more of Crete. The photos don’t quite do it justice!

Stayed 7 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Tom G.

22 Apr 2019

Amazing villa and place to visit

Waking up to the incredible views on our terrace will never be forgotten. The villa was exactly what we were looking for and our 2 year old son was happy nearly all the time! So much to do and see in Crete and the local people and amenities were lovely. Can’t wait to go back ASAP

Stayed 7 nights in Apr 2019

10/10 Excellent

Diane R.

22 Sept 2018

Perfect

Perfect holiday - Amanda and Julian were brilliant from start to finish - nothing was too much trouble Plaka is lovely and very friendly and the villa is in a superb location overlooking the ocean and a short walk down to the town The pool is great and the villa has everything you need I cannot recommend enough

Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Virginie C., Belgique

9 Sept 2018

Lovely place,amazing view

A very nice place,the view is spectacular,the house is well situated.decks are pleasant.the area is very nice and the beaches of kalyves are wonderful. A lot of good restaurants in almyrida and kalyves. We spent a very good time

10/10 Excellent

Michael B.

7 Sept 2018

Best Villa I have ever stayed in

This is the best villa I have ever stayed in. The pictures do not do the views justice particularly the sunsets over the sea. The villa is large and spacious with everything you could want from a Villa. Outside included a wide range of seating options and shady areas to avoid the sun . The pool was well maintained and very warm. My only slightly criticism of the villa was the location of the BBQ, which is outside the back garden in a small courtyard area. When the views are so great out the front it seems such a shame to avoid all those while cooking. Do not be put off my the lack of A/C, the high ceilings and the bedrooms french doors ensured it didn't get too hot inside even in July. The small village nearby offered a number or places to eat as well as a small locally run bar serving Cretan mezze and a range of local beers.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Malcolm J.

30 Sept 2017

FANTASTIC PLACE TO STAY

This is a fantastic place to stay, it is a spacious villa in great position. The view of the bay from the terrace is worth the trip alone, sitting on the terrace first thing in the morning with breakfast, or in the evening with a glass of wine is pure pleasure. Plaka is a great little village and it is only a very short walk to discover several bars and restaurants where the food is surprisingly good. It is a good base for walks around the headland and down to the beaches, and handy to reach the main road network if you want to discover more of the Island. A really great place to explore Greek countryside and then relax by the pool before strolling into the village in the evening for a great meal. I will definitely go back to this Villa.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Anthony B.

12 Sept 2017

Ideal holiday villa

My girlfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed our time at the villa. After a quick and easy drive from Chania airport, we were stunned by the breathtaking views overlooking the pool, which get even better from the upstairs bedrooms. A lot of our time was spent relaxing on the sun loungers and swimming in the pool, however we also managed to visit a lot of amazing sites, all within a short drive of the villa. For us the location was ideal as everything we needed was within walking distance, including the local village (less than 5 mins walk) with a good shop and some very nice restaurants/bars. Another 5 minute walk down the hill is a very nice relaxing beach, with plenty of amazing seafront restaurants! The villa was very clean and had everything we needed, including a table tennis table downstairs and a TV with plenty of channels/movies, great for when we needed a break from the hot sun. I am definietly going to visit Julanda again! And hope that others can have as good of a holiday that we did!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Robin K.

20 Aug 2017

A beautiful house in a beautiful setting

We (family of five with teenage kids and granny) spent a wonderful holiday at this property. The house is well equipped and maintained and we spent hours on the patio and in the pool. The games room and well stocked library were also very popular. The views from the house are every bit as good as the pictures suggest. Plaka is a nice little village with two small supermarkets and a pretty village square with several tavernas. You can walk down to Alyrida, where there is a good beach with numerous shops and restaurants. Two of us did a scuba diving course at Omega Divers, which we can warmly recommend. If you go further afield, Crete is simpy beautiful, with lots of great beaches and stunning mountain scenery. The people were all very welcoming and both Chania and Rethymno are well worth a visit. We can also recommend the car hire firm (Auto Club) that the owner put us into contact with. Their rates are much more reasonable than the big firms at the airport and they were very professional to deal with. The garden has the most amazing fruits and vegetables growing in it. Sadly, nothing was ripe when we were there in July, but I am sure that their are lots of great things to try in Autumn. Overall, this is a wonderful family home from home.

Stayed 12 nights in Jul 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Amanda A.

25 Jul 2017

Beautiful views, great place to stay

We had a lovely time staying in this clean, well equipped villa that has fabulous views across the water. The pool was most welcome given the heat wave and we loved sitting with a glass or three of beer or retsina on terrace to catch a light breeze and gaze out over the hills and the water. Downstairs the basement games room stayed beautifully cool so the occasional game of table tennis was not out of the question! The villa was a great base for exploring Crete and also had a nice local village for eating out without having to drive. We look forward to returning. Lisa

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2017

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Carrie M.

30 Aug 2016

Perfect holiday villa

We cannot recommend this villa enough. A very easy drive from Chania airport, complete with excellent directions. The property itself was immaculately clean, very thoughtfully furnished (exactly as per descriptions) and extremely comfortable. The pool was perfect - we went as a family of 5 with children aged 7, 17 and 20 and everyone enjoyed their time here. The table tennis table was a real bonus! The wifi was a must for all and worked perfectly. The owners were extremely helpful and replied almost immediately to any questions or concerns. The village of Plaka has some great restaurants or it is a 5 minute drive to the nearest beach/town. I cannot think of anything to improve our holiday here! Totally relaxing and fun.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

patricia D.

20 Jun 2016

Joyous time at Julanda Villa

We enjoyed an enchanting holiday at thie lovely, spacious villa in the charming town of Plaka in the prefecture of Chania. Julanda is a gorgeous pergola design, 3 good size bedrooms and 2 bathroom, corian-countered kitchen, very efficient for eating-in, and - best of all - a lovely pool and deck with panoramic sea views. The owners have very Cretan-style vegetable and fruit gardens on one side of the property where we were encouraged to help ourselves to the ripe produce. We enjoyed lushly sweet tomoatoes, cucumbers, onions, courgettes in our salads. It was a another delightful connection to this special place. Julanda is 5 minite walk to the varied and charming tavernas of Plaka, an authentic Greek village. We enjoyed many delicious meals, retsina and raki - and never needed to worrry about driving! Despite being at Julanda in the middle of a major heat-wave, we were always comfortably cool and slept well, due to the elevation and abundant cross breezes provided by the clever architectural design of this holiday home. My husband and I are Canadian, and both agreed this trip was well-worth the long flight from Toronto. ay

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Alison P.

11 Jun 2016

Fantastic Villa

We have found our dream holiday villa! Villa Julanda has spectacular sea views, a lovely pool and is ideally positioned on a quiet hillside overlooking woodland and the sea yet within easy walking distance of the shops, tavernas and beach. The house is beautiful; stylishly furnished, well equipped and spotlessly clean. The living space is well apportioned and has the added advantage of a downstairs bedroom and bathroom.We enjoyed just being at the house, lazing by the pool, playing table tennis in the games room and reading on the terrace where shade and a gentle breeze made outdoor living a delight on even the hottest of days. The village of Plaka is very pretty and the local tavernas are excellent. Fotina's in the village square was a highlight! The surrounding area is delightful, with much to do and see. We enjoyed trips to Chania, Rethymnon, Lake Kournas and Octopus Bay (great for swimming and snorkelling). The area provides good walks and birdwatching too. We will definitely return next year!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Anne Cathrine M.

31 Aug 2011

Perfect for families with children....

....or for everyone else! I agree with an earlier writer who says - "everything for everybody"- that is just what we felt! We are: me, my husband, our three boys and one of them with his girlfriend (7, 12, 17 and 18 years) and a couple of grandparents. We arrived as one big happy family and left a week later, even happier - as this had been our best holiday ever! The villa was perfect, and could easily room 8 people aging 7 to 70, with all our different needs. The children loved the table-tennis, and we all loved the private pool! The house was well equiped, cleen and very well maintained, we found everything we needed, included in the kitchen. Several nights we chose to make dinner in the house, eating on the terrace, while watching the fantastic view and sunsets! At daytime we often went to the beaches in Kalyves, but this was no hurry, since the children had a great time in the pool, and we had some lazy mornings on the terrace. It was very warm at this time of year, so we chose to go by car to the beach, too high temperatures for walking! The house has no air-conditioning, but with electric fans in all the bedrooms, we slept allright. Plaka is a small village, and the children can safely walk on their own to the minimarked. All people we met were very friendly. This place is also a good starting point if you want to explore more of the island. We went to the mountain village Agrioupolis (or something like that) and to the fresh-water lake. Everyone liked that. And we went to the "Octopus taverna". Perfect place for snorkelling (but make sure to go when it is calm weather), and we loved that! We easily found all this places, thanks to the ever so helpful owner of the villa. He gives you a lot of accurate and good information. We even got hand drawn maps! So that is my best advice - trust the owner, everything he says about the villa and different places is true, and the information he gives you is very precise and very helpful. Especially if this is your first time to Crete, as it was for us. We also got help with renting cars - much cheaper than through the air-port companies. We would definitely go back, if we get the opportunity! AC - from Norway

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

27 Mar 2011

Great place to stay

We had a wonderful relaxing week, the villa was a great place to stay. The facilities were brilliant - The pool, great - The terraces, with their great views - tranquility both in the early morning and for the early evening 'sundowner' - The well equiped kitchen making the 'stay in evening meal' easy to manage - The bedrooms and bathroom facilities all a good size. - and table tennis what more can you say, everyone must have a game, regardless of age . The proximity of Plaka village with its selection of tavernas makes it really easy to pop out for the evening and experience the local fayre . Also a great place to use as a base for the more traditional sightseeing tours as once out the village area , the road network is pretty good. All in all a superb villa to stay in, can't really ask for more

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

13 Nov 2010

A Villa With a Superb View

Villa Julanda has breathtaking views and is perfectly located for exploring Crete. The villa is well maintained, clean and we very much enjoyed the terrace area to the extent that we spent most of our time outside. The kitchen is well equipped and catered well to the needs of 2 families with 5 children. We dined sometimes at the villa, and also went down to Almyrida restaurants, where we found the food tasty and fairly priced. Also the Plaka village has several restaurants to choose from and a small super market, in case you do not wish to walk or drive down the hill. As to Crete, we were positively surprised that the weather was so warm (average +27C, warmest day +35C) even in mid-October. We had plenty of opportunities basking in the sun and enjoying lazy days by the poolside. We visited Knossos, Iraklio, Rethymno, Chania and Elafonisi from the villa and took a drive on the mountains to lake Kourna as well. As Finns with hundreds of thousands of lakes we wouldn’t call it exactly a lake but the trip was fun and the mountain region is just wonderful! If you want a centrally located home base in a tranquil village location away from the buzz of Almyrida, a comfy villa with a private pool and spectacular views, this is the place for you.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Anne Mette O., Danmark

23 Jul 2009

An extraordinary nice evperience

The villa is located in a small village about 75m above sea level. The nice sandy beach of Almyrida can be reached by foot at a distance of 1,1km, though the walk back to the villa is steep and hot during summer. The area offers several good inexpensive restaurants. Of these we preferred the Taverna Estiatopio in Almyridia and Taverna Elpis in Plaka, not to mention the “Octopus” taverna Obrigialos in a small bay about 6 km away. At Obrigialos the water is crystal clear and ideal for snorkeling. The owner’s description of the house is accurate, and the “stunning views” from the villa terrace is really breathtaking beautiful all day round, a real pleasure. The property including the pool was clean and well maintained. The owner and the service personal were very nice and helpful. Our over all impression of the stay was extraordinary nice, and the villa is already recommended to several friends.

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

10 Jul 2009

A Party of Seven

Villa Julanda was an excellent choice for our Cretan vacation! We were 7 adults of various ages, with two rental cars and ten days to explore the island. The villa provided us with a central home base and we took advantage of the kitchen and outdoor dining table. Most of our best meals were eaten as we watched the sun set from the patio talking about our various adventures. Its central location between Hania & Rethymno meant easy travel in any direction. We explored Knossos and the countryside around it, plus Elafonisi and Falasarna on the south-west coasts. The pool provided a respite for those who didn't want to travel too far on any one day. And some of us really appreciated being able to walk into Almirida and further into Kalives! The villa was clean and well maintained and suitable for 7 adults. We had no problems at all and would highly recommend it to anyone at all. Thanks Julian & Mandy!

About the host

Hosted by Amanda Aviss

We love to travel and now that we are fortunate to be retired we fit in lots of trips all over the world but agree that there is nowhere that beats Crete for value and beauty.

Why they chose this property

We used to have a second home in France but decided to swap it for Crete because the weather is so much better. When we first built in 2002 our kids were still at school and this was the ideal family destination as there is so much to do in the surrounding area. Now they have grown up they still enjoy holidays here and like us never seem to bore of this beautiful part of the world.

What makes this property unique

The stand-out benefit of this villa is its location in the most attractive part of Crete. It is a quick drive from Chania so no time wasted on a long transfer from airport to holiday home. It is great to be able to enjoy the beautiful views of the sea and countryside whilst being only a short stroll from all the facilities of Plaka and Almyrida. You can throw away the car keys at night-time and work your way through the many tavernas and cafes in easy reach without having to worry about driving. If you want to go further afield you will be spoilt for choice.