Hotel Villa Kerasi

Rooms

There are 5 double or twin bedrooms, 4 upstairs and one on the ground floor - note that only the four upstairs rooms are available when the property is a B&B. All have contemporary furniture, splashes of colour from cushions and lamps, private balconies, and ensuite bathrooms with rain showers.

All the upstairs rooms are topped with beautiful vaulted ceilings. The Orange and Mustard Rooms have spectacular sea views and either French or retro touches; the Teal Room gazes onto the glorious White Mountains, and the Aubergine Room has a Moroccan feel with views across local villages and olive groves. On the ground floor, the Green Room is cool and crisp, and overlooks the pool and the stunning vista beyond.

The communal living area has an open fireplace, a TV, sofas and a dining table for 10, and opens onto a wrap-around balcony. At the back of the villa, a large patio catches the morning sun. And you’ll definitely want to recline on one of the luxurious poolside loungers.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Central heating
• Fan
• Hairdryer
• Ipod dock
• Mosquito net
• Pool towels
• Safe box
• Terrace
• Toiletries
• WiFi

Eating

The fully equipped, open-plan kitchen leads to a sunlit patio and is all yours if hiring the whole villa; you'll also get a welcome pack with basic ingredients. If you're taking a B&B room, Sharon effortlessly serves a delicious breakfast made from local produce. Start the day with yoghurt, honey, fresh fruit, preserves and an array of cheeses and charcuterie.

At other times, there’s an honesty bar with drinks and light snacks, and you can help yourself to free tea, coffee, biscuits and homemade cakes.

There’s an impressive range of eateries a walk away in Vamos, or slightly further afield in the mountains and by the coast. We spent a dreamy evening in the beautifully lit garden of Monica’s Taverna in nearby Gavalahori, run by a family of Australian Greeks.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Communal dining
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Explore traditional villages such as nearby Vamos and Gavalahori. You can walk, or there are bikes to hire locally
  
• Lounge on the golden sands of Almyrida beach (15 minutes' drive) or Marathi (1 hour), then dine in one of the beachside fishing tavernas
  
• Spend the day wandering the ancient cobbled streets of Chania, or cruise the harbour on a sailboat
  
• Go foraging with a local guide and cook up some horta - one of the delicious wild herbs growing across the island
  
• Mark and Sharon can also arrange photography courses
  
• Cookery classes can be arranged locally in Vamos village. Authentic traditional cookery lessons take place in an old olive press
  
• Hike the legendary Samaria Gorge (May-October) in the breathtaking White Mountains
  
• Explore the ancient Minoan ruins of the Palace of Knossos (45 minutes away), and imagine life in Europe’s oldest city
  
• Experience the magical pink sand and turquoise water of famed Elafonissi beach (2 hours away). Be warned: it gets very busy in high summer

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Cooking classes
• Cycling
• Foraging
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Photography courses
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets
• Snorkelling
• Swimming
• Well being
• Wine tasting

Kids

Hotel Villa Kerasi is a peaceful place aimed at adults, and children under 16 are only accepted on request unless you're booking the whole place (if so, be aware that the pool is unfenced). An extra bedroom is made available if you're booking the entire property making five in total so the villa can sleep up to 10.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

Two rooms, Teal and Aubergine, can be set up as twins on request; if taking the whole villa, 2 oak full size single beds with luxury mattresses can be provided. Note that bathrooms have showers only, though a baby bath is available if booking the whole place.

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Hotel Villa Kerasi is located in the Apokoronas area on Crete's northwest coast. It's between the villages of Vamos and Gavalohori, and around an hour from Chania.

By Air:
Chania (38km away) is the closest airport. It's served by daily flights from Athens year-round, and by charter flights from across Europe in summer. There's also an airport at Heraklion, 116km to the east.

From the Airport
Transfers from Chania airport can be arranged, but we recommend hiring a car to make the most of the area (Mark and Sharon can arrange this for you if booking the whole villa).

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Greece and getting around