Reservation & Check In -
Ian was responsive ad courteous from inquiry, reservation till past checkout. He helped me arrange for airport pickup given I arrived late (after buses stopped running). The driver he referred was waiting for me with a placard.
Ian met me at the street corner where the car stops, (its a 3-5 min walk) and helped me with my bag. He walked me through the handout he has created, shared the story of the home and made some restaurant recommendations (I ended up going to one of them every day). Anytime I reached out with a question, he responded quickly.
Location -
I wanted to stay in a cave, preferably in Oia, and still afford a retirement. Something’s gotta give so I went with cave home in Fira at reasonable cost. No regret. (Oia is just a 2 euro 20-min bus ride.)
Ian’s home is very close (3-5 min walk depending on your pace, luggage etc) to the center and bus station. Its felt safe. I put to full use the flashlight (and umbrella) Ian loaned me as streets do get dark at night (and it rained heavily during my stay).
Home & Amenities -
The quaint cave home felt like a nice hotel with character. The story of Ian’s restoration of a cave (where raki was made) to its current form is impressive.
The courtyard and terrace are super cute!
There are stairs from entryway down to living space. And big step to get to bedroom - may be an issue for those with mobility issues. I came with an injured knee but was OK with these steps.
The huge living area is beautiful and cozy. (There is TV, books etc!) Too bad I was solo and did not have company to enjoy this space.
The bedroom has a large closet, a full length mirror. Tons of extra blankets. I am used to a firm bed so the bed was too soft for me but am sure others will like it. Pillows were great! Contrary to my concern before arriving, it was warm and cozy always despite crazy weather out.
The kitchenette (fridge, microwave, kettle, tons of tableware) was simple and useful. There is some coffee, tea and snack that were welcome during the hungry, jetlagged wee hours in the morning. Though tap water (desalinated) is potable Ian also had a large bottle of water.
There was running hot water in bathroom. No waiting. Water pressure was very good too.
The organic bath amenities and the daily “housekeeping” (bed made, trash taken, dishes put away, towels refreshed) was hotel level professional. Good news - you can flush toilet paper. Yes, its important as this isn’t a common feature around here.
Its a cave so expect cell signal to be flaky (maybe weather affected it too). There’s reasonable wifi for email/Instagram/etc. ;)
Checkout -
Ian very kindly offered to let me hang around for a bit longer as my flight was much later and most places are closed this time of the year. I left my bags instead and wandered around a bit more. Since he lives next door he came to take the bags himself to store them. He inquired of the concerns I had raised when booking. It shows he is thoughtful and remembered!
After a somewhat negative experience *in Rome & Venice* I was not sure of using Airbnb. But glad I tried it again. Highly recommend Ian’s home Raki Cave if you’re looking to stay in Fira.