My husband wrote, “The kindest soul lives in the main house and hosts the guest house. We truly enjoyed our stay. Beautiful accommodation in a great setting. Felt like visiting family.”
I second all that. I truly hope you book and stay here. We had an entirely original AirBnB experience. It was truly authentic. Very different from the business-type, commercialized, airbnbs that have become so common these days.
Our host is as charming and welcoming as was his property. There truly is harmony at this location. Also, you can’t beat the PRIVATE BEACH ACCESS. It’s not actually private, so you do get a few people who park far up the road and hike down. But seriously, we didn’t have to visit any other beach. The location and home are great for a family (or a small family reunion).
The home is designed in a sustainable way. There’s plenty of outdoor spaces to take refuge from the sun, and plenty of spaces to enjoy lounging around. The stone home offers plenty of insulation and keeps the home cool during the day (although there is an ac in every room and two in the main area downstairs). One room has a view of the cove and the other the view of the mountains. There are double beds downstairs that we used for our baby to nap on. We were invited to use the grounds in front of the owners home as well. We felt so welcomed that we were very comfortable throwing down our daughters play mat on the grass under the shade of a tree, lounging in the hammock, and using the veranda outside the Apostolos’ house.
Apostolos, the owner, built the home you’ll be staying in for his family, and it feels that way. He and his family’s generosity precede them. His grandchildren have some art supplies they share with little guests and one of his sons has left two paddle boards for guests to use.
The walk down to the cove takes about 3 minutes. I encourage you to supervise children, but all in all, it is safe. Almyrida town is a short walk (or paddle board) away with a bunch of restaurants, tavernas, markets, etc. With the baby, we only opted to leave the villa once for dinner. You seriously have the best views from this property, so you likely won’t leave much. On our last night, Apostolos graciously hosted us for dinner and cooked an authentic Cretan meal. We will never forget this beautiful experience and plan to keep in touch with our new friend. I’m so grateful!
We video called our family back home in Washington, DC while on this trip and it was decided that we will all be returning again next summer. Looking forward to seeing you again soon, Apostolos!