This house, this place….it’s just lovely. Staying here is immensely peaceful; your only neighbors are a restaurant (Taverna Vasillis: very good, definitely eat there), some goats and chickens, vast groves of olive trees, and the ocean.
The house itself is spacious and immaculately clean. It looks like it has been recently redecorated, with fresh white paint and creative touches everywhere; I found large crystals in more than one drawer and the whitewashed stairway is dreamy. The kitchen is a lil’ but dated but who cares? That’s what the tavernas are for.
My favorite part about this place, though, is the place it’s in. The views from literally every window (even the pantry, no joke) are gorgeous vistas of the olive groves, mountains, and sea. There’s an adorable garden with stone paths and pretty much every room has its own balcony with the aforementioned ridiculous views. Also there’s an outdoor shower with enough privacy to actually shower there while looking at the sea.
The nearest beach, Falassarna, is about three minutes away by car and we loved that too. As far as I have seen, many of the beaches in West Crete tend to be smallish and pretty crowded with sunbeds; that’s not what you’ll get at Falassarna. It definitely has everything you might need for a perfect beach day (absolutely CRYSTAL clear water, sunbeds you can rent for 10 euro a day, and tavernas for snacks and drinks), but it’s a huge beach, so all of these things are spread out and way less hectic than some of the other beaches I’ve seen here.
Stella and her family are excellent hosts. We arrived pretty late at night, but she was there anyway to greet us with a delicious homemade cake (olive oil, I think?) and fresh eggs and olive oil from her groves. She is very kind and immediately made us feel welcome in her lovely home.
If you’re wanting a relaxing beach vacation, free of crowds and noise, but also perfectly appointed with everything you might need, this house is your choice. Seriously, book it before someone else does.