Villa Estia is located at the foothills of the White Mountains of Crete in an authentic Cretan village called Melidoni. It enjoys spectacular views to Mt Psiloritis and Georgioupoli beach, Kalyves beach and entrance of Souda bay. The mountain range is so close you feel you can touch the mountains. Estia is surrounded by a forest garden and an impressive stone pool. Guests who seek tranquility and off the beaten track holidays in a small Cretan village will find their paradise here.
Villa Estia - its name taken after the name of the ancient Greek goddess of home and the family - is an authentic traditional mountain house made of stone and wood. The beautiful light colour stone walls provide natural coolness all day. The smell of the cypress tree wood is very characteristic when you enter the house and our guests love it. Estia on the ground floor has a spacious master bedroom with solid wood double bed and a study. Next to the master bedroom is the large bathroom in warm colours with king size bath tub. The second bedroom includes two solid wood beds plus a folding bed. The ensuite WC includes shower. On the first floor a spacious room with great landscape views encompasses a fully equipped large kitchen with dining table for 6 and living room with fireplace and 2 sofas. One of the sofas unfolds into a double bed. Cupboards are large in all rooms to provide storage room for long stays.
The pool (28 sq. m. surface, depth 1,70) is kidney shaped (8,5 by 4 mtrs) and includes a shallow toddler paddle area. It is secluded among high trees and offers a high level of privacy. The robust stone barbeque is close by and encourages eating around the pool.
There are many interesting walks in the area leading to a gauge, mountain paths, and of course more advanced walks up to the mountain tops. There is interesting village architecture to photograph. We offer tips, guidebooks and a detailed map with all the walks. The district of Apokoronas where the house is located is famous for Aptera archaelogical site, byzantine churches and monasteries, picturesque villages of Fres, Armeni, Vamos and others, Kiliaris river with orange trees, Kalyves and the renowned Georgioupoli sandy beaches and Kournas lake. Best quality meat and dairy products you can get directly from shepherds, and fresh fish from the fishmongers in Kalyves.
From Melidoni, where the house is located, you can easily access and explore both Chania city and Rethymnon city, as it is less than a 30 minutes’ drive from Chania Venetian port, museums and city life and less than 40 minutes from Rethymnon medieval city as well. The long beaches where mainstream tourism goes to are also 15-20 minutes away from this quiet retreat. So, you are close to the main tourist scene in a unique tranquil location.
Besides the maps and guide books, in the villas you will find a welcome pack including basic dairy products (milk and butter), local bread and cheese, thyme honey and olive oil.
Bed linen is changed weekly while extra towels are stored inside the houses for your convenience. The houses are cleaned once a week by us. Pool is cleaned and ph level checked every 3 days.
Many of our guests who have stayed in Estia return. Most of our guests love the house, the view, and especially the microclimate that provides best temperature and atmosphere outdoors even in the really hot summers of the last years.
Please note that the water shortage problem that most parts of Crete faced during August 2024 has been permanently solved for our villa, as the house is now connected to the main water line of the area which receives water non-stop.
Please note that the Greek government has introduced a new tax fee, the Climate Resilience fee, which is €15 per day for renting a villa. We are obliged to collect this fee during your stay and prior to your departure.
