Stefanos' Villa Irena is quaint, unique, and lovely. It is comfortable, and nicely decorated. He provided fresh fruit, bread, jam, butter, rusk, salt/pepper, cooking oil, and juice in the refrigerator. There were ample fresh linens and toilet paper. The kitchen is basic but we were able to cook 2 nice meals during our stay, and did not feel like we needed more. The main attraction of the apartment is the large balcony with a beautiful view of the ocean, the mountains, and the stars at night. It is a 5 minute drive to a small village where you can buy groceries, and various personal items at the mini market. The is centrally located making it very easy and fast to reach all of the best beaches in South Rethymno. Stefanos was warm and friendly, and told us about the surrounding areas. He had 2 laminated maps with information on how to reach the surrounding beaches, the atmosphere/terrain at the beaches, and also explained which ones had amenities and tavernas/cafes. If you are looking for a relaxing remote quiet getaway that is convenient to beautiful beaches and stunning views of the ocean and countryside-this villa is for you! I would highly recommend it, and would love to stay here again if visiting southern Rethymno in the future.
A couple things worth mentioning:
1. You must have a car, scooter, or motorcycle in order to get around in this area. If you rent a car, keep it fairly small. I wouldn't get anything larger than one of the small hatchback vehicles the rental places offer. Southern Crete is not really built for SUVs or larger trucks unless you are a very skilled driver. The streets and driveways can be very tight, and are often a single lane.
2. If you are wanting to cook-the mini market in the village is small, open limited hours, and has a fairly basic selection of grocery and personal items. You might want to stop into a supermarket in a larger town on your way in as there is not another market within a 30 minute (or more) drive if the mini market is closed when you arrive, and there is no guarantee that the other markets will be open.