From the time that we booked the house we felt welcome. The hosts could not have been nicer. We were a party of 8 children and adults. The youngest children were twins of 9 months and cots were provided for them as well as a playpen. Our hosts met us at the airport and settled us in. They are very cultured people with a great deal of knowledge about Crete and their own city of Heraklion. They advised us about where to go for trips, the best tavernas etc. They took a party of us to a very special taverna in Heraklion where we heard traditional Cretan music. The family are all musicians. George went to a local farmer and got us some delicious organic eggs. One evening our hosts made a beautiful barbecue which we enjoyed with them and some of their neighbours. Maria played the flute and a neighbour sang and played the guitar. The house is beautiful. It is such a generous size. Its very well designed and all the rooms are big. Lovely terraces everywhere. Air conditioning which you don't need all the time because of the through drafts from the terraces. Very nice big bedrooms and bathrooms. Good furniture and pictures etc. It feels like home. The beach which is sandy is a short walk away and ideal for children. There are lots of beaches further afield but this suited us very well. We went often to the Ambrosia tavern which was excellent. There are good local shops with fresh vegetables and fruit. The children and their fathers had a fantastic day at Water City and also went to the wonderful aquarium which is a short walk away. We also went to Knossis and the fantastic archaeological museum in Heraklion. I cannot recommend it highly enough.