Maximos is an excellent host.

On the day of our arrival, late in the evening, Maximos was waiting for us at the agreed rendezvous point and led us to Villa Nelia; this was really helpful because it was dark and the GPS system gave up about 0.5km from our destination which was some way off 'the beaten track'.

Maximos showed us around the villa and thoughtfully provided us with bread, fruit, cheese, coffee and Raki - the local supermarkets were closed by this time as it was nearly midnight.

We slept well - the beds were very comfortable with firm mattresses. When we opened the bedroom and living room shutters the following morning, we were stunned by the breathtaking views that were even better in reality than in the pictures! The magnificent White Mountains (Lefka Ori) were on our left, with snow on the highest peak; in front of us, there were views across hills and villages right down to the sea about 10 km away; to the right of the terrace we could see a small vineyard and an olive grove. Villa Nelia is not overlooked by any other building; the nearest neighbours are about 100m down the hill and there is very little traffic - it is gloriously peaceful! We woke up to the sound of birds singing and could hear the bells of goats and sheep as they moved to and from their pastures in the morning and evening. The pool was wonderful even though it wasn't warm enough to use for the first week - due to the weather and the altitude.

Despite the villa's secluded location, supermarkets, bakeries and tavernas were a matter of minutes away by car. It took us about 15 mins to get to Rethymno on the north coast and about 30 mins to drive to Plakias on the south coast.

The villa itself is very modern, furnished simply but very comfortably and equipped with first rate appliances in the kitchen. There was a good supply of crockery, cutlery and glasses. We like cooking and found almost everything we needed in the kitchen - the only thing missing was a pepper mill! Every five days the villa was cleaned throughout and all the sheets and towels were changed. The pool was also checked and cleaned regularly. We found the local people were very friendly and hospitable and spoke much better English that we spoke Greek!

We all fell in love with Villa Nelia - its location is absolutely stunning and wonderfully peaceful and we miss the mountains and the sunsets. We would love to return for another, hopefully longer, holiday to discover more of Crete and would recommend it to anyone looking for something special.

Thank you Maximos !