I am writing from an iPhone so I will keep this short. All of the nice things others have said are absolutely true. Pamela and her husband go out of their way to share with guests what they love about Crete.
They have 2 rentals. There is very little price difference between the two, but the more expensive one is considerably larger.
Exploring the island is absolutely do-able with public transportation, but wheels of some sort
Will give you much more freedom. If you go in the off season as I did and have something specific in mind to see on Crete, make sure it I open or accessible before you go.