Absolutely stunning villa that the pictures don’t do justice to. The place is brand new, spacious, well equipped and comfortable. The pool is big and the views are spectacular. There is an outdoor table and chairs, sun loungers and a large grassed garden. In the evening the garden and pool are all illuminated. I can’t think of anything that we needed that this villa didn’t have.
Kamilari is a lovely quaint village. We chose the area as we wanted to be away from mass tourism but not totally isolated and this really hit the spot. The village is quiet but has several very good tavernas and has a nice gentle friendly buzz about it in the evenings. There is also a mini market, deli, and a couple of shops selling local produce and crafts. There are a number of nice beaches a short drive away. We made a couple of visits to nearby “Red Beach” next to Matala. It’s a beautiful sandy beach with turquoise waters and a cool little bar selling cocktails. It wasn’t too crowded in October (despite fabulous weather) and you can park nearby for free. Be warned; however, that it’s a 20 minute hike over rocky headland to get from the parking to the beach and this would not be suitable for persons with certain disabilities. It’s well worth the effort though. It takes about 10mins to get here by car from the villa.
Stavros who owns the villa was a great communicator from beginning to end and one of the nicest and most genuine people you could hope to meet. He was always available to help with any issues or to provide local advice but he also always respected our privacy. When we arrived he had left us some wine, cheese and some snacks which was a lovely touch. He even gave us a sample of his olive oil that he had produced which was unbelievably good. So good in fact we asked to buy some more from him....he obliged our request and wouldn’t accept any money for it. Stavros and his villa are what makes the Air BnB platform so good. If we return to Crete again in the future we will undoubtedly stay here.