Villa Creta

Facilities

• Dining: Each villa has indoor and outdoor dining areas and Stella prepares a welcome dinner for guests on their first day. After that, you can choose between self-catering in the well-equipped kitchens, eating out at nearby tavernas or having Cretan meals prepared for you (for an additional cost)
• Communal areas: Each villa has a terrace and an open-plan living area with a TV, a DVD player, a CD player and a selection of CDs. Villa Despoina also has a small multi-lingual library. Wood-burning stoves keep these spaces cosy on chilly spring and autumn evenings
• Swimming Pool: Both villas have private outdoor pools, and there's a further communal pool which all guests can use
• Recreational: There's a tennis court (floodlit in the evening), as well as miniature train around the farm
• Disabled Access: None
• Pets: Welcome by prior arrangement
• Languages Spoken: English, Greek, French, Italian

Also...

• Both villas have irons and ironing boards

When to go?

The spring (April and May) and autumn (late September and October) months are warm but not too hot, and much quieter than the midsummer season. However, if you'd prefer to go when it's scorching, aim for August, when there's a festival in Heraklion with open-air theatres and concerts. The villas normally close during the winter months (November to March).

Author's tips

This is a great spot for reading by the pool. Pack a copy of Crete by Barry Unsworth (published by National Geographic Directions) for an insight into the excavation of the Minoan palace at Knossos, plus a wealth of knowledge about the island in general.

Features include:

• Organic produce
• Lunch by arrangement
• Dinner by arrangement
• In house cook
• Garden
• Terrace
• Guest lounge
• Library
• Internet access
• Outdoor pool
• Tennis court
• Pets welcome by arrangement
• Off street parking
• Airport Transfers