The Traditional Crete Villa is just that in every sense. It is warm, constructed by hand in the traditional ways by George's father himself, and decorated with accessories which provided a glimpse into the daily life of a traditional Crete home. At the same time the Villa has all the amenities of modern living.
The Villa is situated on a steep road up the mountain side off the national highway between Heraklion and Rethymnon. This provides for spectacular views with the seaface to the front and the mountain side to the back. The garden is beautiful, loving taken care of by George's mother and is where I was most at peace.
Maria and George were very efficient. From the point of enquiring about the villa, to booking and ensuring that the food provided met our taste, Maria was very prompt. George warmly welcomed us at the airport and drove us to the Villa where we met George's mother caring for the garden and the Villa. He was very thorough in explaining everything we needed to know about the Villa and also the bus timings. Both, were friendly and made sure we were comfortable and relaxed.
On arrival, we found a good amount of food in the fridge; enough to lay out a good breakfast for the whole time we were there and enough raki and honey-soaked nuts to enjoy the bliss every evening. The raki, fruits, honey and snacks are from George's own family production. We certainly appreciated this personal touch from the family. There is also a number of local wines available at the Villa. I have to say I loved drinking my early morning coffee sitting in the sun listening to the sounds of bells on goats grazing freely on the mountainside.
There is lots to keep everyone busy at the Villa, whether its the ping pong table, a splash in the pool or exploring the loving touches of construction and decoration around the Villa itself. The pool is cold which is welcomed on a warm afternoon. There is a Tavern on the opposite side of the highway along a winding road which leads to a small beach. The food there was very tasty and felt like home cooking. It is run by a family and is open from morning till 10.30 or so at night.
We did enjoy our time at Crete and this was largely due to the hospitality and care of George and Maria and our stay at the Traditional Crete Villa. I would definitely recommend not just the Villa but the whole experience.