On rare occasions when you travel around the world does a home becomes a destination. Gina’s home at Marathi Beach, Openness by the Sea, is the one in Crete. It is truly an architectural masterpiece driven by the spectacular location overlooking the crystal-clear waters of the azure Mediterranean and with the stunning mountains of Crete in your periphery. Form certainly follows function at this vacation spot driven by the simplicity of design as it takes advantage of the setting in such a unique way that it resonates with all your senses. For us as a family, we enjoyed Gina’s spotless home, the modern kitchen and living room areas with bedrooms overlooking the ocean, the outdoor courtyard built around the shade of the olive tree juxtaposed to the lounge seating and a fabulous jacuzzi that make it a dramatic setting. The outdoor stone shower with the privacy of the hot pink flowers and olive trees, luxurious Olivera bath products, overlooking the expansive blue ocean is an experience. The private little cove is a jewel in the sea giving you thrilling spot to jump off the rock or ease down the naturally carves steps in the edge and swim in its shallow waters. Another favorite spot in the home was the elevated lounge seats where we took in the night skies and watched the yachts anchored in the bay.
Openness by the Sea is walking distance to Marathi beach where the soft sand and calm waters are fun to enjoy a swim, nibble on some taverna cuisine and people watch. It is a 20-minute drive to the beautiful old town of Chania, which has some fabulous restaurants, the best experience being The Palas. Our entire stay was enhanced because Gina and Katia were fantastic in their communication and helped make it a memorable trip for our family. Thank you for a memory of a lifetime.