Villa Arethena [id: 711]

Location: Melidoni
Region: Crete
Country: Greece
Sleeps: 10 adults
5 bedrooms
6 bath/shower rooms [5 ensuite]
Swimming pool 10X5m
Maid service 2 times a week

Property Description

Villa Arethena is situated in Melidoni and is one of the noble houses of this village, which is rich in architecture and history. The Villa has a preservation order, as it was built 200 years ago and the Greek Ministry of Culture supervised the complete restoration of the villa in 2005.

The restoration and decoration bears the owner's personal sensitivity and taste, with an invitation to enjoy the elegance, nobility and tranquillity of the villa itself along with the beautiful gardens.

Villa Arethena is not just a house to live in, but a place where one's senses and spirits are lifted.

The village of Melidoni has a lovely, friendly community, with an active culture society featuring festivals and other local social events that take place throughout the summer.

There is a tavern, a mini market, pharmacy and traditional cafes, all within walking distance of the Villa.

Peram is just 3km away for shopping and other services (banking, Post Office, chemist, health centre etc) can be found here.

The beach is 6km away, therefore a car is essential.

TESTIMONIALS

We stayed in this villa in September 2010 as a honeymoon break with out 20 month old son and it did not disappoint. The villa itself is a beautiful home with lots of space in all the rooms and all of the facilities you could hope for. You can tell that it is a well loved former family home and still includes pictures of the owner's ancestors on the wall that adds a nice homely touch.

However it is the private outside space that truly sets this apart, from the lemon and lime trees, Greek basil bushes and aubergines etc that help make eating so much more pleasurable (there is nothing like a G+T with freshly picked lime to help end the day!). The fantastic swimming pool with views of the mountains (I liked nothing more than a late night dip in the pool and if you stayed quiet the bats will still swoop in for their evening drink). And the picturesque walk up the path to the house with the BBQ (clean grills supplied at the start of the rental), outdoor oven and large seating area.

To top it all off the local town (Perama) offers plenty of different shops to stock up on food including butchers and fishmongers for the BBQ. In addition the village is well located for day trips to the beach and other places of interest such as Margerites (20min drive) and Rethymon) highly recommended even for a day.

All in all we had a great time, out only word of caution would be that whilst the locals love kids and they are welcomed everywhere they are not equipped for them by UK standards so there are few high chairs and most of the restaurants are directly on the road. Our son was an active 20 month old who wouldn't sit still for more than 2 minutes and so we were generally restricted to eating in the villa...although this was not that bad when you consider the villa's set up and Villa Arethousa and Crete lifestyle cannot be blamed for problems caused by our active boy!

In fact the owners could not have been more helpful. On the first night our son was ill and needed to see a Dr urgently so at 4am I had to call the owner who did not complain but simply gave me directions to the local 24 hour hospital (in Perama) and even stayed on the line so we didn't get lost. You can't ask for more than that.

All in all a great place and I look forward to heading back in the years to come!

P.S. The local Olive Oil factory is a good place for a stop as the Greek/American owner is another fantastic source of local information including where to get the best charcoal and like most of the locals takes hospitality to new levels (sorted out a paediatrician for us and shouted at us when we had not called her late at night to translate the medication instructions...seriously the locals actually mean it when they offer help!)

Inside the Property

Villa Arethena is a building of 230 square metres. The warm rooms of wood and stone, along with the fireplace, gives the feeling of warmth and fragrance of the people who once lived in the house.

The 150 sqm interior courtyard, with its jasmine and basil, is ideal for those in search of peacefulness and relaxation.

There are 4 bedrooms inside the house and 1 bedroom in an independent building in the garden. All the bedrooms have en suite bathrooms. This Villa will easily accommodate 10 people.

The interiors have been beautifully decorated and perfectly equipped.

The kitchen is fully equipped with a dishwasher, coffee machine, toaster, kettle, microwave and washing machine etc.

There is satellite TV, DVD and CD player in the living area.

Air-conditioning and heating have also been installed.

Outside the Property

The garden of Villa Arethena is 2000 square metres. There is a kiosk, BBQ area, beautiful plants, fruit trees and many corners in which to relax.

There is a 50 square metre adult swimming pool and a 12 square metre children's pool, which can also function as a hydro massage pool/jacuzzi.

One of the entrances into the property overlooks 'Boulous Pigadi', a quiet neighbourhood of the village, and the other, opens onto the garden which has a view of the surrounding countryside and spectacular mountains.

Prices...

Booking & Payment Info

A cheque or transfer for 50% of the total rental cost is required at the time of booking.

The final balance is due 8 weeks before the arrival date.

A security deposit/bond of £800 is taken to cover telephone, if used, along with any breakages and damage to the property. This is refundable at the end of the rental period.

Maid service is included for twice a week.

Baby cot is free of charge. 

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Contact:
Alex Newman

Or Call:
T: +44 [0] 845 6381408
M: +44 [0]7879 84414

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