Villa Contessa

Unfortunately, this place is closed.

A lovely hotel for guests who are happy without luxury. It has all the household items you need for a comfortable stay. There’s no TV, but it’s not really needed anyway. Air conditioning is useful, though perhaps not essential in a hotel at this price. The sandy beach is 700 metres away.

What made this stay special was how warmly George and Nicholas welcomed us. On our chilly first night, we mentioned it to George in the morning, and two extra blankets arrived within an hour. Villa Contessa is an economy hotel in the quiet old part of Malia. That mattered to me after struggling to sleep in New Malia amid the discos and bars. There are several good tavernas nearby, and a supermarket 5-7 minutes away. The sea is a 20-25-minute walk, so keep that in mind if distance matters to you. The beach is lovely, with sand and sun loungers. For 10 euros, two loungers for the day include Wi-Fi and a 15% bar discount. The room was clean, with a kitchenette fitted with an electric stove, extractor fan, kettle, sink, and refrigerator. The Wi-Fi signal was strong, and the bed linen and towels were changed twice during the week.

The excursion to the Cave of Zeus was truly something. I cooked for myself using food from the two large supermarkets nearby, which kept costs down. They had meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, and wine. Villa Contessa, Malia, is about a 20-minute walk from the sea. I liked that, since a daily 40-minute walk is a good idea anyway. It was very quiet, though there’s plenty nearby if you want some "noise." I didn't need air conditioning. My room faced northwest and stayed comfortable during my visit through September 10th. Giorgos was a welcoming host and let me stay until 3:20 PM on departure day, which was much appreciated. The room was cleaned and the sheets were changed. Thank you.