There are Airbnb superhosts, and then there's Yannis.
The hospitality and generosity that he had shown to us throughout was unbelievable. Leaving a simple "it was amazing" review would not do it enough justice.
I have to break this review into 2 parts: our experience and what to expect/what type of people should consider booking this place.
First, our own experience.
There's a word in Greek - Philoxenia - which roughly translates to "friend of the stranger". This was how Yannis made us feel from the get go.
He welcomed us in his house (the whole house, if not the 2km area around is yours to enjoy) and prior, told us not to get any food. We had stayed in another place before and had some stuff, but what Yannis gave us left us in awe. A fridge full of fresh fruits, veg, beers, wine (that he makes himself, very good btw), raki, ouzo, condiments, etc. To say that we were overwhelmed is an understatement.
Yannis also happens to be a hobbyist winemaker and it shows as soon as you get there, there is wine everywhere, as well as grapes over your head!
We were looking for a place to relax, disconnected and discover a relatively unknown area of Crete in a tourist way and this was the perfect introduction to it.
Over the course of our short stay (4 nights, which in hindsight should have been a lot longer), we feel like we have made a new friend, one we will keep close to our mind and to our heart and who we will most definitely come back to every time we come to Crete, whether we stay there or not.
The night before, Yannis and his friend Papa Yannis (coincidentally), joined us for a bbq and we happily welcomed their friendliness and will to spend time with people they didn't know. To top it off, Yannis even brought a feast, this was the cherry on top! I don't think we will ever experience anything like this anytime soon!
Now, for a more generic and hopefully insightful review, here's why you should book this place:
- There is no wi-fi and patchy 4G connection. This was actually something we were looking for as we wanted to disconnect from the busy life of London. This is not the place to check your instagram or emails, it is one to relax and take in what Crete is all about.
- The area is calm, but the road to the house is unpaved and high up a slight hill, not that this should deter anyone without a 4x4 but just needs careful driving. Having said that, there is absolutely no one around (except 2 neighbours who are barely there). This place is peace and tranquility on earth, and the road on the way up makes it worthwhile.
- Arkalochori is the biggest and nearest town and should quite frankly be ignored, it has nothing to offer unless you need a supermarket, fuel or want cheap gyros for a fiver, although you will have enough food provided by Yannis to eat for a lifetime so this shouldn't be a problem.
- The area has relatively frequent earthquakes, very low on the richter scale so nothing to worry about, but worth knowing that if you're a light sleeper, it might wake you up early in the morning.
- Book this place if you're looking to experience a hidden gem and true Cretan hospitality,
- Book this place if you want to recharge and be far away from every noise and worry that city life can bring,
- Book this place if you like food, good company and want to experience something you are most likely not used to.