If you are looking for a relaxing family break in Crete then look no further than Villa Metochi in Rethymno.
From the moment we expressed interest in the Villa, Marina, our host, was extremely helpful and full of local knowledge. From offering to help book our hire car and sending us a comprehensive list of local beaches, tavernas and attractions.
Marina met us at the Villa after our flight and had ordered us food for our arrival, which was most welcome. She had also gifted us a local bottle of wine and a welcome gift.
We couldn’t have asked for a better villa for our family. The bedrooms are comfortable and clean, the living room spacious, and the kitchen is very well equipped. The bathroom has a good shower and plenty of hot water. There is AC in both bedrooms and the living room - perfect for the hotter days.
The outside space is great. A swing set, hammock and trampoline were great fun when the kids weren’t enjoying the fab pool. The pool was lovely and clean and there was an outside shower to rinse off.
The location meant we definitely needed a car to get around, but that was fine - we explored the local town and went further afield to some glorious beaches - Shinaria, Plakias, Bali beaches were all lovely.
One bonus that the kids all loved was the addition of the resident dog, Ermis. He’s an old boy, happy to sit quietly in the shade with us or follow us around the garden while we looked at the fruit trees, they have lemons, limes, oranges, pomegranates.
All in all, it was a great holiday, well-suited to the current climate. For us, the situation with COVID-19 meant that a secluded self-catering villa, with our own pool and space was perfect to be able to get away without worrying about social distancing. The shops in Crete were all, mostly, following guidelines regarding mask wearing, and there was hand sanitizer available in most places.