We just spent 2 weeks in the wonderful villa Kazantzakis. We loved the house which is decorated in a traditional Cretan style. The pool is fabulous and at night with the lights changing colours, it was magical. The garden are very extensive and you can always find a secluded spot. The BBQ area was wonderful and we even had my brother and his family visiting us from another local Airbnb , and even with 5 extra people ( we were a family of 4) we had ample spaces to have a great time. The villa feels luxurious but understated and a really good feeling to be home grabs you straight away.
The house is impeccably cleaned ( we had the cleaner coming 4 times to change the beds and towels and moping the floors) and the pool/garden were maintained daily by a lovely man.
The village of Archanes is a great place to be with many tavernas to sample Cretan delicious food.
We had a rented car and we went further to discover the island and truly enjoyed Heraklion too. The roads are really good and once you grasp the 'local unwritten code' for driving, it is an easy job to move around. There are local buses and taxi services if you don't rent a car but usage of a car could be recommended to make life easier.
The house was not left with many basic supplies ( only few sachets of sugar, tea, instant coffee and a lovely sweet bunch of grapes) but the local little mini market was still opened on a Sunday late afternoon and it did the trick until we went shopping in Heraklion ( 15-20 minutes away)
If you arrive by car, type the vlla's name into Google map and it takes you straight to the gate.
The house is well equipped and perfectly satisfactory for a long holiday.
The host responds quickly to all messages and kept in touch through messages with us all through our stay.
Although only few kilometres from the hustle and bustle of Heraklion, the villa is isolated in the mountain in a peaceful village. It is situated next door to an events centre and a big car park. The events during our 2 weeks stay, took place mainly during weekends and religious dates. It can be very lively with life bands performing for weddings and Christenings. Local folklore on your door step :)