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Captivating village house, spectacular views, close to beach/bars/shops/tavernas

Photo gallery for Captivating village house, spectacular views, close to beach/bars/shops/tavernas

Property grounds
Front door with spiral stairs to upper balconies
View of house from street
complimentary fruit bowl, window to courtyard.
View of courtyard from rear balcony, view of Mirabello Bay and Sitea mountains.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 5968.8 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Pet-friendly
  • Fireplace

Explore the area

View in a map
elounda, lasithi
  • Place, Alykes of Elounda
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Place, Hiona Beach
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Place, Elounda Windmills
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Airport, Heraklion (HER-Nikos Kazantzakis)
    ‪56 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom 1

1 Single Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Single Beds

Bedroom 3

1 Single Bed and 1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Kitchen
Balcony

About this property

Captivating village house, spectacular views, close to beach/bars/shops/tavernas

The Kato house is a charming traditional village house with well equipped kitchen and bathrooms and comfortable beds. Outside its private, shady courtyard with soft seating/dinning/barbecue area is dominated by the sweeping view of Elounda, the Mirabello Bay and the purple Sitea mountains.-perfect for lazy lunches or dinning on warm moonlit nights. An outside spiral staircase leads to the upper balconies and sunbathing, giving almost 360o views of sea and mountains.An excellent wet room off the courtyard has a rain shower, WC, washbasin, perfect for showering after the beach,
Inside the open plan (new appliances) kitchen/dinning/living space with it's original stone arches, latticed wooden ceilings,curious alcoves,authentic artefacts, intriguing staircase and stone walls make this unique house cool and restful in summer and cosy and intimate in winter. There is a small bedroom (large single)with charming built in bed off the living room on the ground floor with built in wardrobe, olive beams, original features.The large mezzanine bedroom above the kitchen L/R has 2 single beds ( which can be combined to form one super king )and a romantic view of the stone fireplace below. The mezzanine bedroom has a sheltered balcony overlooking the bay and the mountains, a truly spectacular view, with the night time lights of Elounda harbour reflected in the sea.Perfect for watching early sunrises, fishing boats chugging out over the bay through the canal and romantic moonlit nightcaps.
The outside rear bedroom has a queen sized (5ft) bed with single bunk above.It has large picture window looking out on the circle of montains, olive groves and up to the picturesque protected traditional village of Pano Elounda, only a short stroll away. It has its own balcony and access to the courtyard below by the spiral outside spiral staircase. It shares the inside bathroom.
Staying in The Kato House perfectly combines the charm, comfort and tranquillity of village life with the best of tourist buzz!
The Kato house is fully certified by EOT, the Greek Tourist Board, certification number 5839.

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Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Pet-friendly
Fireplace

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Not suitable for children under 8.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
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 00001322793

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

About the area

Agios Nikolaos

Located in Agios Nikolaos, this holiday home is in the mountains and near the bay. Hiona Beach and Alykes of Elounda reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Nostimon and Sissi Mini Golf.
View more Holiday homes in Agios NikolaosOpens in a new window
Map
elounda, lasithi

What's nearby

  • Alykes of Elounda - 2 min drive - 1.9 km
  • Hiona Beach - 2 min drive - 1.9 km
  • Elounda Windmills - 3 min drive - 2.3 km
  • Christian Basilica Poros Elounda - 3 min drive - 2.3 km
  • Plaka Beach - 11 min drive - 6.5 km

Getting around

  • Sitia (JSH) - 90 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Vachus - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Jungle Bar Elounda - ‬19 min walk
  • ‪Leonidas Taverna - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪FooDDrink Olous - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Poulis - ‬12 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Captivating village house, spectacular views, close to beach/bars/shops/tavernas pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Captivating village house, spectacular views, close to beach/bars/shops/tavernas?

As of 27 Mar, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Captivating village house, spectacular views, close to beach/bars/shops/tavernas on 31 Dec, 2026 start from S$74, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

What time is check-in at Captivating village house, spectacular views, close to beach/bars/shops/tavernas?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Captivating village house, spectacular views, close to beach/bars/shops/tavernas?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Captivating village house, spectacular views, close to beach/bars/shops/tavernas located?

Situated near the bay, this holiday home is within 2 miles (3 km) of Hiona Beach, Alykes of Elounda and Elounda Windmills. Christian Basilica Poros Elounda and Kolokýtha are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

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. 31 out of 37 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 37 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 37 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 37 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 37 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.4/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ringo B.

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

Wonderful Stay

The house is as described (calm, ocean view, wood and stone) and Jessica is a caring and kindly owner. Definitely a recommendation.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Rachel F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had the most wonderful 2 weeks in this beautiful house. The house itself is quirky, traditional and just charming and the sea views are sensational. The walk up and down the hill each day definitely kept us fit(!) but we loved the location and found it a very special and memorable place to stay with everything supplied that we could possibly need.Our hosts were extremely kind and helpful and made us very welcome.We loved the experience of living in a greek village in such an authentic house, swimming in the turquoise sea every day and enjoying the delicious food on offer in the waterside cafés and restaurants of Elounda. We hired a car for 3 days to explore the area a bit more and some of the archaeological sites but found plenty to do and enjoy in and around Elounda.We're rather sad to leave and hope to visit again.We're very grateful to Jessica and Zach for a wonderful holiday.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Georg S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Jessica ist supernett und wir haben uns sehr sehr wohlgefühlt. Authentischer kann man hier nicht unterkommen. Der Weg zum Bäcker ist kurz aber hat ein paar Höhenmeter, für uns überhaupt kein Problem.
Stayed 8 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Marion S.

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

Elounda

Das Haus ist sehr besonders, liegt im alten Teil von Elounda am Berg. Ein sehr steiler Weg führt hoch, mit dem Auto (Mietauto) nicht zu empfehlen, da die Gassen sehr eng sind. Eine tolle Aussicht vom Sitzplatz vorm Haus und vom Balkon aufs Meer und die Stadt. Im Haus führt eine schmale Sambatreppe ins Schlafzimmer. Grosse Küche und Esszimmer, Geschirrspüle und Waschmaschine vorhanden.
Stayed 8 nights in Apr 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

frederique c.

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

Vue mer et typique

Très bon séjour chez Jessica accueil chaleureux accompagné de Déborah qui parle parfaitement le français (car notre anglais est pauvre) Jessica a tout fait pour que l’on puisse bénéficier de ses conseils Belle maison typique crétoise à Kato Elounda Proche de tout plages villages restaurants Parking assuré Confortable avec ses terrasses vue mer , son salon et ses chambres Cuisine suffisamment équipée Le séjour a été parfait grand merci Jessica
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nathalie P.

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

idyllique

Séjour très agréable. La maison est pleine de charme, elle surplombe la baie d'Elounda: la vue est splendide. Il ne faut que 10 minutes à pied pour se rendre au village où se trouvent de nombreuses tavernes. Nous espérons revenir lors de prochaines vacances !
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Markus L.

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

Perfect Place to stay

This house from Zacharias and Jessica a perfect place to stay. All around, the possibilities and the distnace to interesting places, more than 5 stars. As I understand, the house was done by Zacharias himself, he is a brilliant Stone and Wood worker. All around and also the view above the sea, perfect. We are sure, if we ever come again, we will stay at Jessica and Zacharias.
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Steph P.

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

Lovely House

Great house to base yourself in Elounda. Town and beach about 10 minute walk away. Restaurants were all great, serving good meals and a cheeky shot of Raki at the end. Lovely views from the house and a comfortable bed. The hill wasn't too bad coming up to the house, its a minute tops of getting your heart rate up. Harder work after a dinner and drinks but we have experienced harder climbs as we appreciate good views. Jessica was lovely and helpful, highly recommended. Day and Steph.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019
Verified

8/10 Good

Peter B.

Toplage und sehr speziell

herrlicher Blick auf die Bucht von den Balkonen, originell renoviertes altes Haus, ausführliche, freundliche Informationen der Besitzerin Anregung: besserer Mückenschutz
Stayed 7 nights in May 2019
Verified

6/10 Okay

Margaret B.

Charming house at top of a killer hill

Met Jessica's sister on arrival .Got a lift with luggage which was an experience .. did not realise how steep the hill up to the house was.. it was hard work after a lovely day in Elounda..the taxi will not take you up and only drop you off at the bottom of the hill .if you do not want to drive on holiday this house is not for you ..Elounda was amazing and we had a great holiday and met lots of lovely people which made our holiday .The house just wasn't for us great views but didn't see Jessica much for support or advise .
Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2018
Verified

8/10 Good

Gordon C.

Lovely old house needing some ongoing maintenance.

Met Jessica on arrival but no communication after that. Perhaps a brief owner enquiry mid stay to see if all ok would be good PR. Fitness a prerequisite for climbing the 2 spiral staircases. Lovely views but no afternoon sun in mid September. All in all a good stay.
Stayed 8 nights in Sep 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

VALERIE J.

Appreciation

Très bien. Very nice holidays and welcome.
Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Anke K.

Wunderschönes Ferienhaus

Wir haben unseren Urlaub in diesem wunderschönen, sehr ursprünglichen Ferienhaus sehr genossen. Die Bilder sprechen für sich, alles ist exakt so wie beschrieben und wir fühlten uns rundum gut betreut vor Ort. Vielen Dank!
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

mr midgley

Tranquill and Charming

Beautiful house set in a terrific location . we had a fantastic stay and have no complaints about anything. I would highly recommend this Quirky Beautiful Traditional Cretan House. Jessica was very helpful and accommodating and we felt very much at home
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

ronan L.

Superbe location!!!!

Merci à Jessica pour cette tres belle maison .on a adore!!!!! Super accueil avec Zack et deborah Je conseille vivement
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2018
Verified

8/10 Good

Lynne J.

Charming and Quirky

Jessica met us at the church in the square in Elounda, and took us all up to the house with our luggage. She showed us around, told us about the history of the house and even made sure we had milk, water, tea and coffee and bread. The house is well equipped, washing machine, fridge/freezer, plenty of towels, tea towels etc. The beds were really comfortable. The views from Kato House are spectacular....looking out over Elounda, and the mountains. The only down side is the steep hill to get to it. We didn't realise how steep it was, and as we are all unfit and the wrong side of 40, it was a struggle for us all. We did discover, the second week, that there were steps down just by the church. Much easier, and taxis can take you to the bottom of the steps!!
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

David B.

Great villa with a beautiful view

We loved our stay in the modernised original village house above Elounda. We were greeted in the town and taken to the villa and settled in. We were made to feel at home in the well-equipped house and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Breakfast on the terrace overlooking the town was a delight. We'll certainly be thinking about a return visit.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Paul N.

Charming village house with stunning views, excellent in every respect

This was the first property we have booked on Owners Direct/HomeAway and we were not sure quite what to expect - but this charming old village house exceeded our expectation in every way ! The owner Jessica met us on arrival in Elounda and took us to the house, which is up a very steep hill that can not be accessed in car (except by the extremely bold) and so is a bit of a hike on foot. But the views from the house over Elounda are simply stunning and make that climb more than worthwhile. Despite the other village houses nearby, the location turned out to be very peaceful with no sound of vehicles, people, dogs etc - hard to believe that we were actually so close to Elounda which is about a 10-15 minute walk down the hill, slightly longer on the return ;-). The house itself is clearly very old but has been restored very sensitively with lovely stonework and exposed beam ceilings. It is tastefully furnished, extremely well equipped and spotlessly clean. Jessica is rightly very proud of this lovely house and made every effort to ensure we were welcome, comfortable and had everything we could possibly need for a great holiday - which is indeed what we had ! Jessica also provided us with a number of great suggestions for trips, places to visit and for eating out - many of which we did. The house is also ideally located for a couple of great restaurants on the adjacent small hill above Elounda, just 10 minutes or so away on foot and again with great views over the Elounda and the sea, away from the tourist hustle and bustle of the town itself. We could go on and on about how lovely this house is but the best way to find out is to go there yourselves - we would certainly love to go back one day.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Linda L.

The house in Elounda is exactly as described. Loyd worldly and quirky.

We enjoyed our 5 night stay. Our hostess Jessica picked us up in the square and drove us up the hill to the house. She also picked us up at 5am on our return trip. She provided wine, bread, milk, water and fruit on arrival. Answered all of our questions in a timely manner. Wonderful view from the balconies. Have to be a little agile to climb the stairs in the house and up the steep hill to the house. It was a good workout after a delicious meal in town which is only about a 6-10 minute walk. Would go again.
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2018
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Claudia F.

sehr schöne Unterkunft- perfekt für Familien!

Auch wenn das Wetter Ende Oktober/Anfang November nicht immer optimal mitgespielt hat, so haben wir doch eine wundervolle Zeit in einem sehr gemütlichen und liebevoll eingerichteten Ferienhaus verbracht. Vielen Dank an die sympatischen Gastgeber :-)
Stayed 10 nights in Oct 2017
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Anja H.

Ein wunderschönes Haus

Dieses sehr individuell gestaltete Haus ist ein herrliches Urlaubs-Zuhause. Wir haben uns sehr wohlgefühlt und können die Unterkunft wärmstens empfehlen.
Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2017
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Phyllis W.

Fantastic time,perfect house

We were delighted to stay in this very authentic Greek house, extremely comfortable,especially the beds. The view was just amazing,every morning I just loved to sit out with my coffee and marvel at the view. The house was very well stocked , e.g lots of towels , kitchen equipment, a good coffee maker!. We will be returning. I don't think anyone would be disappointed.
Stayed 13 nights in Sep 2017
Archival

8/10 Good

Stephanie P.

Erwartungen wurden erfüllt!

Wir haben Anfang Juli ,zu zwei Erwachsenen unseren Urlaub verbracht. Mit 40° im Schatten wurden wir auf Kreta empfangen. Mit Jessica haben wir uns am verabredeten Ort in Elounda getroffen und wurden sofort sehr herzlich begrüßt und zu unserer Unterkunft begleitet. Da man mit dem Auto auf Grund der engen Gassen nicht direkt bis vor die Tür gelangt, wurden unsere Koffer von Jessica's Mann direkt per Roller bis vor die Tür gebracht. Klasse! Unsere Erwartungen wurden erfüllt und wir haben uns in diesem sehr liebevoll eingerichteten, kretischen Haus sofort sehr wohl gefühlt. Es mangelt an nichts, sogar der Kühlschrank ist für die Erstversorgung gefüllt. Wir können dieses Haus nur weiterempfehlen. Für Menschen, die nicht gut zu Fuß sind, ist diese Unterkunft jedoch nicht zu empfehlen, auf Grund des Anstieges und im Haus verbindet eine enge ,kleine Stiege das Untergeschoß mit dem Obergeschoß. Wir haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt, entspannt und kommen sicher nochmal wieder. Jessica: many thanks for your warm welcome.We had a great time, we will come back.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Daniela E.

Traumurlaub

Selten gibt es Orte an denen wir uns so wohlgefühlt haben wie in diesem Haus in Elounda. Es war ein wenig wie Urlaub bei Freunden machen und das begann schon bei der herzlichen Bergrüßung. Alle Empfehlungen, ob Restaurants oder Ausflugsziele waren großartig und gut beschrieben. Die Beschreibung des Hauses trifft zu 100 Prozent zu, da muss man einfach wiederkommen.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Anna F.

Super charming, adorable house!

We stayed here last Spring on a trip for my birthday, it was perfect! The house is so cute, it's like something from a fairy tale. The views from the terrace are fantastic. Hanging out in Elounda was great fun. There's a beach right at the bottom of the hill and the town has loads of great places to eat and drink. The next town over is also lovely and not too far a walk (or a quick bus ride). We had a great time, I'd highly recommend it!

About the host

Hosted by Jessica Whittington

Host profile image
I am a commercial lawyer from Northern Ireland. My partner is Zacharias Petrakis, a specialist stone mason/builder from Pano Elounda. For the past 10 years I have split my time between Crete and the UK. Zach and I restore and build properties in the area, mainly for non Greeks.We now live in Pano Elounda in another restored village house. I have four children all presently working in Ireland, Berlin and Scotland who love coming out to stay in the Kato House in the summer, as do many other members of my large family who come from all parts of the world here to meet up.

Why they chose this property

My entire family fell in love with this house when I saw it. For us it was a rare chance to buy a traditional house with modern comforts, close to the village centre but still with a quiet village feel and wonderful view. We had loved Elounda for years but didn't want a standard new build. We lived in the house for a few years before we finished the one we currently have and have loved it winter and summer. Zacharias was initially against buying the house, he didn't like the lack of on street parking, Greeks don't walk! But even he has come to love it and he has added some wonderful features, including the elliptical stone fireplace, which in winter can be enjoyed from both the living room and the kitchen. The latticed wooden ceilings inspired him to do the same in other restorations. I love being able to walk straight up in to the mountains from the house and have spent many hours on foot (with the dog) exploring the mountain footpaths and the old villages. There is information in the house about all the local walks and day trips combining walking. We particularly love gorge walking, there are several great gorges in Eastern Crete, some of which can be walked even in the height of summer.

What makes this property unique

Having been a tourist myself for many years for me the priorities are cleanliness, comfortable beds, a well stocked kitchen ( with large fridge washing machine and dishwasher) and lots of hot water and towels! Because we are on hand, our guests know that any problems will be sorted very quickly. I don't think there is a comparable traditional house for rent in the area. Its very good value for money. We want everyone who stays to have a great time.

Languages:

English, Greek
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