Tastefully renovated Cretan traditional house with private pool

It is is 2nd time we went to this house. Always a great pleasure to spend time in this quiet village within a nice typical house. Thanks Sabine

We have stayed in many villas but this one was by far the best. The pool was amazing, the views were breathtaking and the accommodation just perfect for our much needed family holiday. The local village is just a short stroll away and we soon settled into village life. Our week ended with an amazing event of traditional Cretan music which we were privileged to attend with all the villagers. Just perfect

This is a lovely unusual house very close to the centre of the village of Gavalochori. The outside terrace area is a delightful space to relax in and the large pool is wonderfully refreshing and clean. Inside the house there is a small but functional kitchen/dining area. The beds are very comfortable and there is a balcony off the upstairs double bedroom. The only suggestion I would make would be regarding the showers in both bathrooms - it would be nicer if they were more powerful! Apart from that it is a great house to relax in and is well located, being a few minutes walk from the tavernas and shops in Gavalochori.

First the positive things - this is a charming villa, conveniently situated at the edge of one of the prettiest villages in the area, within walking distance of all the tavernas, and with shops and a bakery nearby. The outside area is (with one exception) delightful and the pool is really excellent. The bedrooms are very good, and the beds among the most comfortable we've experienced in Crete, where mattresses tend to be hard. The seats and lighting in the living area were also good. Where the property is less satisfactory, at least for us, was in the bathrooms and kitchen. Although the bathrooms were efficient - the showers were good - they were rather down-at-heel, and the lack of plugs in either basin was not good. The kitchen was small and cramped - we didn't do any cooking, but even preparing breakfast and snacks was problematic, and the breakfast bar effect was very odd, as was the wooden latch holding the fridge shut. The biggest failure for me was that the sun-umbrella (the only one) was broken and couldn't be used, which meant that for much of the late morning and early afternoon I couldn't stay by the pool and had either to sit under the verandah or go indoors. I would really like to give Spiti Athini more than three stars because it's got a lot going for it, but there were just a few too many things which didn't quite measure up to expectations. I will say, however, that none of these are seriously difficult to put right, and I very much hope that they can be. A word of warning generally - the stairs are very steep - the property isn't suitable for people with even a mild mobility problem. Finally, I would like to thank Sabine and Dirk, who were friendly and helpful owners (thanks for permission to stay on later on the last day - it made a huge difference - and to the housekeepers, who looked after us well.