This was our first trip to Crete and when I first came across Villa Balance on AirBnB, it seemed too good to be true, and I kept wondering if there was a catch somewhere. I need not have worried at all - Kostas and his team at Etouri very quickly put my mind at ease with: (1) super-responsive communication, with responses that were never longer than 1 hour, even in the middle of the night!; (2) a very professional yet always pleasant and helpful tone; and (3) total honesty about ther area and villa. Our flight from Athens was delayed and as result, we did not arrive at the Villa until around midnight. Despite our late arrival, we were met by Mikos and Mr. Nektarini, the owner, who quickly checked us in and pointed out all the key things we needed to know about the Villa and immediate neighborhood. Mr. Nektarini and his lovely wife had very kindly and thoughtfully stocked the fridge and kitchen pantry with a variety of fresh breads, fruits, olives, eggs, pasta and even a huge wedge of local cheese. Of course, there also a bottle of great local wine and a carafe of raki! On the third day of our stay, Mrs. Nektarini even dropped-off some amazing home-made desserts for us.
I will say that Etouri, which is the owner’s professional hosting company is in a class by itself. Their attention to every little detail that guests need to know about, use of technology to ease communication and provide a “self-service” process where it make sense, is the absolute best I have ever experienced. It is clear they have closely studied their guests’ user experience journey and refined their interactions accordingly. In addition to contacting the Etouri team through the AirBnB app, or text, there is a “hotine” telephone in the Villa which also immediately connects you to a concierge at Etouri, who is able help with absolutely anything you might need while on holiday. It truly does combine the best of a self-catered holiday with the convenience of a 5-star hotel.
In terms of location, Villa Balance is about 5km from the Old Town in Rethymno, which is itself very centrally located on the northern shore of Crete. We were able to do easy day trip from here to: Old Town Chania; Elounda as well as Plakais on the southern shore. However, in our opinion, Rethymno is far superior to any of the towns we visited, and we usually ended up going into Rethymno most days, or one of the surrounding areas, which are only 5 to 15 mins away by car. The variety of shops, restaurants and other activities is more than enough to do something different every day for a whole week.
In the end, our favorite thing about the stay was the Villa itself. It is modern, comfortable, and truly Architectural Digest worthy! Mr. and Mrs. Nektarini clearly did not cut any corners or spare any expense in the design and building of this amazing Villa. Everything is exactly as shown in the photos. It was incredibly hard to leave Villa Balance at the end of our stay, but we will be back for sure!
Thank you! Mr. and Mrs. Nektarini and Etouri for such a wonderful experience.