My boyfriend and I had a great stay here for a week in August. Satvi's "guesthouse" is a single bedroom apartment on the ground floor of her home. She says the place was built with lots of love and it shows. The apartment includes a washing machine (woot woot!), full kitchen, and a parking space.
Location: fabulous. We woke up every morning to a great view of the sea from the mountains, and got to catch an incredible view of the stars in the evenings. It's about a 10 minute drive into town (or less). So you have the benefit of being away from the tourism craziness, but still conveniently accessible to some great beaches, dining, supermarkets, and the old town (touristy) if you so choose. The only issue we encountered initially was finding the house on Google maps. There isn't a house number per se so you will have to type in "Helavi monastery, rethimno" and then look for the first house up the hill on the left.
The apartment: new construction and appliances. Very nice, includes everything you might need. Only downsides - no microwave and the shower does not have a curtain, but I suspect that's a Cretan norm that I don't understand.
Host: take advantage of Stavi's great local recommendations. She is an absolute sweetheart. In addition to being kind, thoughtful, and simply interesting to talk to, she is extremely responsive and accommodating.
All in all a lovely stay thanks to a great apartment in a great location with a fabulous host.