Villa Saridakis

The views are lovely, with the sea on one side and mountains on the other. We had a wonderful time at Villa Saridakis. Maria and her husband greeted us warmly when we arrived at 2am after a delay, showed us around, and had left food and drinks to help us settle in. It’s a beautiful, modern villa, and our group of nine adults and a baby had loads of space, including an extra bed. Maria provided a cot. We used the ground-floor double room for the baby and us, so we could relax by the pool while the baby slept inside. The other ground-floor twin room has no air conditioning, but it has a fan and worked fine for us. The beds were really comfortable, and the air conditioning worked well, which makes such a difference on holiday. We also appreciated how helpful Think Villa was from the time we booked. We were two families with children ranging from 10 months to their 20s, and they answered all our unusual questions. They also helped with ideas for taxis, restaurants, and sightseeing. There was plenty to keep us busy at the villa. We used the gym, table tennis, and bikes, and some of our group cycled to the top of the mountain behind the house. The owners visited each day to look after the chickens and vegetable garden, and left us eggs and vegetables by the door every morning. We loved feeding the gorgeous cat. The owners feed him daily too, and he'll keep his distance or come play depending on what you prefer. The play area was great for the baby, as was the small children's pool. We cooked often in the well equipped kitchen and used our own Apple TV box with the TV. A car would be useful, but it's possible without one. We walked with the buggy to the village shop and tavernas, which are lovely and good value. The hill back up is steep, so you'll need to be reasonably fit. We bought a shopping trolley to make the trip easier and left it for the next guests. The Rethymno Tour Bus runs from the village every two hours, and we enjoyed the ride into town for €2.80. For other journeys, we called taxis, which cost about €12-15 to central Rethymno. Bliss!