There is no doubt that Villa Allure is like a palace on earth. A truly wonderful retreat from every day living. The place is very large, spread across three floors, but it was perfectly laid out and very tastefully decorated and furnished.
The entrance door takes you into the middle level. This is the location for the wonderful master bedroom and jacuzzi bathroom, with sunset views. The dining area, lounge and kitchen are also on this level, with a balcony area that has commanding views across the surrounding countryside as far as the coast. Wonderful....!!!
The lounge and dining areas are furnished (like much of the villa) with fine Italian furniture and are very spacious indeed.
Upstairs is another en-suite bedroom (with private terrace) and study/office area.
Downstairs (or via luxury lift) there are four more double en-suite bedrooms and a TV lounge. This leads out to the pool area and remote stone cottage. The pool is beautiful and pleasingly there seemed to be a gentle breeze most days that rose up the hill and took the edge off of the hot Cretan sun. Perfect...!!
The stone cottage is equipped with another kitchen and dining area which we used for breakfast and eating while using the pool area. Sunbeds are arranged underneath the shade of a tree but can be moved out for serious sunbathing. To the side is an outdoor BBQ kitchen area and luxury table and chair arrangement. At night the tree canopy is illuminated and gives the feel of a Greek taverna. Splendid.
The villa is located near the sleepy town of Dafnes but is only 20 mins drive to the coast and Heraklion itself. Its isolation is its charm. You will need a car of course, but trust me when I say that this place is not to be missed.
I'd like to mention Vasilis (our host) who maintained great communication throughout. We really appreciated his support, especially during the summer of 2020 and the associated Covid concerns. The villa was immaculate and there was hand sanitiser all over the place. The hosts had also completed a training course for Covid related cleanliness. This was evident throughout.
I'd particularly like to mention the villa owner Sofia and the house manager Antonis. They are really lovely people. We had a couple of very minor issues and within ten minutes they were at the villa and problems sorted. They didn't interfere or annoy with their presence, but when we did see them they were kind, courteous and lovely. They even left us some wine, water melon and Sofia brought us some cream cakes. Thank you for making us so welcome.
We were the first Airbnb visitors to the villa, so I'd like to reassure any prospective visitors that this is a truly wonderful place. Please do not miss the opportunity to stay here...