What an amazing place to stay. There are so many things to say, I think it is best to break everything into groups.
Location:
Spilia is a quiet, quaint town located just 2 miles from the sea. As you can see from the pictures, the views from the villa are absolutely beautiful. There were only a few restaurants in the small town, but they have very good food and the friendly staff treat you as family from the second you arrive. The Taverne Platanias is a short walk away with great lunch and dinner, while the elegant "Spilia Village" hotel just past that offers an amazing breakfast buffet with a charming atmosphere.
Spilia is centrally located in the western region of Crete with a variety of things to do within an hour drive. The coastal town of Kolymvari is just 2 miles away with great touristy trinket shopping and amazing seafood. There are a number of beaches including Elafonissi, Falasarna, and of course the famous Balos. There are caves with shrines, churches, and scenic views within walking distance. Ask Manolis about the local cooking classes, you visit a farm to pick fresh vegetables and herbs and experience Cretan hospitality and culture first hand. Samaria Gorge is a full day hike relatively nearby and Lake Agia offers a serene place to have coffee/lunch. Platanius is a $20-25 taxi ride away if you want to drink with the locals/other tourists (Club Mylos doesn't start getting packed until 3am). Chania is only 24 minutes away and is the second largest city on crete with its own large number of activities nearby (we recommend "secret beach" called Seitan Limania to locals). We were here for a week and packed 2-3 things to do every day and still missed out on a number of things.
Villa:
The pictures barely do it justice. It was clean, fully stocked with towels, dishes, cookware and all other essentials. Manolis also stocked Greek coffee, local cask red wine, white wine, local liquor (Raki), bread and butter, local honey, eggs from his chickens, and fruit. It receives plenty of wind and cooler temperatures due to the elevation. AC in each room. Maid service every few days.
Host:
Manolis is an amazing host, he sat down with us when we arrived and recommended a number of activities and answered any questions we had. He was accessible throughout our stay via WhatsApp. He brought homemade food and was always welcoming and helpful.