Mamma Vasso is a great base to explore the southwest of Crete, not just Elafonissi (actually way overrated and overcrowded), but also the mountains and the villages not in the guidebooks. Thoughtfully reconstructed, this place is spotleslly clean and quiet and offers a lot of privacy, both in the nighttime and on warm evenings once you´re done with your exploring and all you want to do is sit on the terrace and enjoy the silence. The village has a mini-market with a snack bar, no need to stock ahead as the basics are available on the spot and a local bar is always a welcome source of information. Giannis is a very attentive host and he has done a great job restoring his grandma´s house to its present glory; he was always available should we need any help. Only slight minus: the car access is very narrow, if you are not comfortable with that, you will need to park your car some 200mts away.