We had a very enjoyable week at Villa Lavrys at Marathi — the location could not have been any better, a 5-minute walk to Marathi Beach with small mini-beaches (mostly quite rocky) along the way. Tavernas were plentiful on these walks as were the resplendent views of the White Mountains and Bay of Souda. Alex was a delightful host, very helpful, attentive to our needs and a terrific communicator. Near the end, I met his wife who was quite lovely and charming. Alex's father came to attend to something for us one day and he was a completely delightful gentleman, friendly with a big warm smile and sense of humor. I spoke to him in my fledgling Greek and his face lit up like a light bulb. Whenever we saw this wonderful fellow, his warm smile and sense of humor shone through.
Our Unit (#3) was commodious and comfortable, the kitchen was outfitted with just about every appliance one could need and the hosts were generous in providing some luxe olive oil and even gifted us with a bowl of his own tomatoes, peppers and fresh oregano that were delicious (and told us not to be shy about asking for more). Everything anyone could possibly need is available, even a Nespresso machine, French press (which we loved), utensils, pots and pans, plates, serving bowls, microwave, range and oven, washing machine, exterior drying racks, patio seating with table. The furniture is fairly typical of what we have found in rental units across Greece, IKEA or similar. We felt that the value was there and the images on the AirBnB website are faithful to what guests will find, at least Unit 3.
The bed was quite comfortable and we slept soundly every night. We particularly liked the wonderful gliding windows as the fresh air here was particularly wonderful. The bed linens were very nice, as were the plentiful pillows and towels (and there were many, plus bathroom amenities such as shampoo, soap and more toilet tissue than we could possibly use in a month! We had a guest room which we used to store our suitcases but, in our room there were enormous closets, almost larger than we have at home so, for those planning a long-term visit, these closets (plus the second large one in the guest room) were more than ample. Plan to bring your own beach towels as there is nowhere nearby to purchase them and you will end up using your hotel's bath towels and then might not have one for showering.
Included was a nice TV with Netflix provided free of charge (we have a subscription, so we could have gotten it anyway, but this was a very nice perk for others). The internet was good, although, at times, there was some latency which is not unusual in Greece (after 12 years of visits, we know not to expect the same snappy service we get in America!).
Lush plants, vines and flowers (including a gorgeous pomegranate tree) added a nice touch and we had amazing sea views especially from the upstairs bedroom window. The bowered seafront lanai/patio with a table and ample seating was a delightful place to read, chat or just take in the inspiring views of Souda Bay, passing sailboats, locals swimming, kayakers/SUP-ers and seabirds.
As far as security, the property is fronted by a large electric wrought iron gate for car entry and a parking area behind the building; there is a second wrought iron gate for entry of individuals. The grounds, in my opinion, could definitely use some attention with respect to walkways covered with berries and leaf litter which is probably hard to stay ahead of as the property is heavily treed. The owners do have 3 or 4 dogs which often roam the property freely.
Overall, we had a very enjoyable stay, with friendly innkeepers and lots of quiet serenity as we had to work remotely while on holiday. Other guests kept to themselves with little or no interaction (which we prefer).