Villa Maria is a beautiful modern villa that enjoys a very private and peaceful setting with incomparable sea views and sunsets, and yet is only a few minutes away from beaches, tavernas, and shops. The villa has been recently built by its charming owners, Yiannis and Maria, with whom we have been working since 1999 at their other rental property. They have utilised their vast knowledge of working with visitors to Crete to ensure that Villa Maria exceeds your expectation of a holiday villa. Located on a hillside just above the village of Plaka, the villa has absolutely stunning panoramic views of Souda Bay, The Akrotiri Peninsula, the Turkish Castle at Aptera, small villages and The White Mountains which are snow capped for 6 months a year. Despite the rural location surrounded by a natural rocky landscape covered in almond and olive trees, Villa Maria is only 3 minutes by car to the charming village square of Plaka, or 5 minutes to the beaches and many amenities in Almyrida.
Set in large grounds that are completely surrounded by a low natural stone wall and fencing, Villa Maria guarantees total privacy. The fully tiled pool and pool terrace have an elevated position above the olive groves below ensuring a glorious uninterrupted view of Souda Bay. The design of the villa has been carefully thought out in order to bring your living area into the outdoors, so that you can fully appreciate the outstanding views at all times. Therefore there are many terraces for both sun and shade, and an ample supply of garden furniture such as tables, chairs, umbrellas and sun-beds, as well as a traditional brick barbeque. The spacious upstairs sun terrace has 360 degree views of the entire area and is perhaps the best place from which to relax with a drink on a warm summer night whilst watching a colourful sunset. The villa has a large front garden area that is gravelled and has plenty of room for private, gated parking. The front garden features 6 raised flower beds that are surrounded by stone walls and have been planted with ficus trees, bottle brush plants, Washingtonian palms, a number of mature olive trees, and a mass of colourful white and pink flowers. The front driveway and parking area also have ground level flower beds that feature carob trees, palms, geraniums and mesembryanthum flowering ground cover.
Villa Maria has been painted a pretty pale buttermilk colour and has been furnished throughout to a very high standard. The décor has fun features such as the fireplace or an occasional wall painted in a bright or contrasting colour, and this combines perfectly with the stylish furniture which includes comfortable cream leather couches, a wood and iron dining table that is topped with green glass and has matching chairs with cream leather seats, and a king size dark wood bed and matching bedside cabinets in the double bedroom. All modern comforts have been provided including satellite TV, DVD and CD players, dishwasher and washing machine, white aluminium doors, windows, and shutters with mosquito screens on all the windows, and air conditioning units in all the bedrooms and the living room. There is a fireplace and the a/c units also double up as heaters for the cooler nights at the start and end of the season. The water is heated by either solar panel or a back-up immersion heater. Free unlimited WIFI is supplied at Villa Maria.
Villa Accommodation
Ground floor (2 small steps from the parking area, level with the pool terrace): Large open plan living room, kitchen and dining area, 1 twin bedroom, and 1 small shower room. The front door opens into the living room from the covered porch. It is furnished with 2 very comfortable cream leather couches, brown and cream silk cushions, a TV/stereo unit, a large coffee table, a coat stand and cream diaphanous curtains. The focal point of the room is the large fireplace which is ideal on the cooler nights for those clients staying out of season in order to enjoy the snow covered mountains and to make the most of Crete’s many walking trails. There are 2 windows that look out over the front garden to the mountains, and there are double sliding doors which lead out onto the covered dining terrace and open pool terrace. The modern kitchen/dining area has built-in cherry wood cabinets and is fully equipped with a cooker with a ceramic hob, a dishwasher, a large fridge/freezer, a microwave oven, a kettle, a toaster, a coffee maker, a dining table and 6 chairs. There is an extra wide door that opens out onto the pool terrace and the covered dining area which has a table and chairs. The kitchen also has a window which faces east to land that is in its natural state with rocks, almond trees, and olive trees, and to Kokkino Horio village in the distance. Just off the lounge area there is a shower room with floor to ceiling light peach and terracotta coloured marble effect tiles, a shower, a white washbasin, a mirrored cabinet, a toilet, a utility cupboard that houses a washing machine, and a frosted window. Next to the shower room is a twin bedroom with 2 single beds, 1 bedside table, 2 spotlights mounted over each bed for reading purposes, a dressing table, wall mirror and stool, pale yellow curtains, and a triple wardrobe that has hanging space, drawers, and shelves. There is a south facing window which looks out to olive trees, and double doors that open out onto a small covered balcony which looks out to the sea in the north and over a natural rocky landscape covered in almond and olive trees to the east.
First floor (17 steps up from the ground floor): 1 double/king bedroom, 1 twin bedroom, 1 full bathroom and a large open sea and mountain facing sun terrace. The twin bedroom is furnished with 2 single beds, 2 bedside tables, pale yellow curtains, and a triple wardrobe that has hanging space, drawers, and shelves. There is a south facing window which looks out to the sea in the north and over a natural rocky landscape covered in almond and olive trees to the east which looks out to olive trees, and double doors that open out onto a small covered balcony. Leading off the landing is a door that opens out onto a large sun terrace which has panoramic views to Souda Bay, the Akrotiri Peninsula, and The White Mountains. This sun terrace is equipped with a table and chairs, and sun-beds can also be bought up here. The sun terrace is shared with the double bedroom and has fantastic views of the sunset. The double bedroom has a king size bed, 2 bedside cabinets, 2 spotlights mounted over the bed for reading purposes a chest of drawers, a wall mirror and a large built in triple wardrobe with hanging space, drawers and shelves. This double bedroom has double doors that open out onto the sun terrace and a window which looks out to the sea in the north and over a natural rocky landscape covered in almond and olive trees to the east. The full bathroom has floor to ceiling light peach and terracotta coloured marble effect tiles and a white bathroom suite comprising a full bath with shower attachment, wash basin, mirrored cabinet, and toilet.
*** As of January 01, 2024, the Greek government have replaced the old “bed tax” with a new tax that is applied to all stays in short-term rental accommodation in Greece. The Climate Resilience Levy is a response to the devastating forest fires and floods that Greece has experienced in recent years, with the government hoping to generate extra funding that will go towards financing reconstruction, supporting victims, and increasing the country’s defences against future natural disasters.
The owners of all short-term rental accommodation are legally obliged to collect the Climate Resilience Levy as a separate tax for all overnight stays (per villa) as follows:
In 2024: €10.00 per night on stays between March 01 and October 31, and €4.00 per night on stays between November 01 and February 28/29.
In 2025: €15.00 per night on stays between March 01 and October 31, and €4.00 per night on stays between November 01 and February 28/29.
The Vrbo system does not have a section for collecting the Climate Resilience Levy and we have, therefore, had to add it to the billing section as an extra fee which will show on the booking as a Host Fee.
Whilst we understand the potential budget concerns of our guests, this tax/levy is beyond our control and we encourage our guests to see this as a way of contributing to the protection of the planet and the beautiful area where they are holidaying.
