We had a wonderful stay at Villa Alen. From the time of booking right up until our stay Nikolaos was always quick to respond to messages. He and Adria (who welcomed us to the villa) were exemplary hosts - no enquiry went unanswered; requests for help or advice were dealt with swiftly and kindly.
The villa is exactly as depicted in the photos - beautiful, spacious, spotlessly clean and super comfortable. The pool, while not particularly deep, is a really good size. The gardens and planting are beautiful and if you want a lazy day at the villa there is stunning scenery of the mountains to stare at while swimming and playing in the pool. There is a fantastic bbq but if you want to eat out, 3 tavernas are a 10 minute walk away. One has brilliant views of the valley but our favourite was Elena’s taverna offering traditional Greek food and wine at a super cheap prices.
Aptera is a wonderful spot - a mountain village with views of the valley on one side and of the sea at Souda Bay on the other. There is a historically significant ancient ruin at the top end of the village including a pretty spectacular amphitheatre. Aptera is also a great spot from which to tour - Chania is only 25 minutes away. The local beach at Kalyves is great - a quiet strip of beach bars and restaurants, sun beds and views of rolling hills and mountains.
We are sad to be leaving. We’ve had an amazing 17 nights and can’t wait to come back. The villa exceeded our expectations and we could not have asked for more from our hosts.