Petres Villas

The property next door was rented to groups of lads, and there were four or five staying there while we were there. They were friendly, and there was some noise but nothing major. It could have been different, though, so that’s the only possible downside. We had a really lovely time. The villa was very clean and comfortable, with an amazing view and a lovely pool that was cleaned every day. The apartment was also cleaned during the week. There’s a lovely little village af Pefkias about a five-minute drive away. You definitely need a car, and it’s a great base for seeing this part of Crete. Highly recommended.

It didn’t live up to its description.

We loved our first stay at Villa Petres and are already thinking about coming back. There’s a restaurant within walking distance that we’d recommend, though you’ll want a car for most other things. The two-bedroom place felt cozy, the beds were very comfortable, and the little kitchen had everything we needed. We also spent plenty of time on the terrace enjoying that incredible view. The pool was pretty cold, but after lying in the sun it was a nice way to cool off. A more consistent schedule for cleaning the rooms and pool would make things easier, since they happened at different times. A few small repairs could also be handled sooner. The shower heads in both bathrooms were held up with cable ties. It didn’t bother us much, but it could lead to poor reviews. We had a wonderful holiday. Thanks, we’ll be back.

We visited three years ago and won’t be returning. The house was well equipped and newly built, although mold was already visible in the bathrooms. The terrace had only a small, uncomfortable seating spot, no decent garden furniture, and not one green plant. The view was just so-so. Pool cleaning happened at unpredictable times, even though nobody was using the pool, so while sunbathing you could suddenly find a stranger on the property. The pool was colder than the water in Kourtalioti Gorge in September, despite having a heat pump. My husband, who’s an expert, switched it on, and the owner came by a few minutes later to say we should have booked the heated pool separately on Booking.com. That wasn’t clear when we booked. After we complained, he offered us dinner for free at his taverna in Damnoni. We found the whole approach very dubious. There are nicer, better equipped houses around.