Villa Kynthia
Panormos, Crete
An intimate guesthouse-hotel, with antique-filled bedrooms and blissful pool, in an unspoilt village with beaches
Panormos is a small, pretty-much undiscovered village on the north
coast of Crete, near the historic town of Rethymnon. It’s the
kind of place you could easily drive past, were it not for the fact
that it hides one of the island’s most charming guesthouses.
This 1890s residence was built for a merchant of aromatic
kitra (grapefruit-sized lemons), which were exported, along
with carobs and olive oil, from its sheltered port.
Twenty years ago it was lovingly restored by wine producer Antonis
and his sister Korina in memory of childhood holidays. Step through
the ornate gateway and you find yourself in an enchanting
courtyard, shaded by a venerable pine tree and scented by gardenia.
Swallows skim the pool and wood pigeons coo. Behind blue shutters,
5 elegant bedrooms reveal polished parquet floors, beamed
eaves, Persian rugs and antique iron four-posters; one has a
balcony, another a terrace. On your doorstep are 18 tavernas and 2
sandy beaches; the bus for Rethymnon (22km) is a short stroll away.
One of our favourite beachside places in Crete.
Reviewed by Jo Boissevain
Last updated 10 April 2012
Highs
- The secluded courtyard, with its delicious greenery, prettily furnished pool and romantic candlelight
- Charmingly decorated bedrooms, authentically Greek in style
- Intimate atmosphere, with a maximum of 12 guests
- The breakfasts are superb, with homemade cheese pies and fresh squeezed juices
- The village of Panormos: a perfect size, with plenty of tavernas and 2 sand beaches
- Easy access to all of central and western Crete - the bus stop is a 5-minute walk away, so you don't have to have a car
Lows
- There’s a minimum stay of 4 nights (though that should be no hardship)
- The smallest room, Nefeli, is a little poky by comparison with the others, with a private but separate bathroom down the stairs
- The double beds are quite narrow
- Outside midsummer the owners spend most of their time in Heraklion, but the housekeepers from the village know the ropes well enough
- The bar and snack service are only open sporadically
