Villa Dimitris

Villa Dimitris has been carefully designed to be a peaceful sanctuary by its Greek owners, Maro and Giorgos. On a quiet hillside, only a short distance from the tavernas, shops and superb sandy beaches in Kalives, this villa has wonderful views across the silver green olive groves across to The White Mountains, Aptera Fort, and Souda Bay. With just one neighbour (Villa Iannis, on the far side of the plot but screened by trees) and surrounded by acres of lush olive groves for peace and privacy, Villa Dimitris is a perfect retreat for you to recharge your batteries. Externally, the villa is painted in warm cream with a feature light stone wall at the lower front section of the house. The pool area is surrounded by a large lawn and gardens planted with banana trees, fig trees, brightly coloured flowers. You can pick your own tomatoes, herbs, peppers and courgettes (according to season)from the vegetable garden. Terraces surounding the house have tradtional pots and a good choice of outdoor furniture to enjoy sun or shade during the day. Inside the spacious villa, the cream floor tiles, couches and curtains, the warm wood furniture made to match the built in wardrobes, kitchen, interior doors and staircase continue the reflect the restful ambience. Finished to an extremely high standard, with wrought iron double beds and staircase railings, air-coditioning units in the bedrooms and living area and a fireplace (for the cooler evenings early and late in the season),and includes modern comforts such as a TV, a DVD player, a large fridge/freezer, a microwave oven, a washing machine, a BBQ, and air conditioning units in the bedrooms and living area.  There is solar powered hot water or a back-up immersion heater. The bathrooms have been beautifully tiled and there is a wonderful corner bath in the full bathroom which is big enough for two. Villa Dimitris (and its neighbour Villa Iannis) are excellent value for money and are ideal for either romantic couples or families who value their privacy, and yet would like to be only a few minutes away by car from the beach and amenities.

Accommodation. Ground floor: A large open plan L-shaped living room, dining area and kitchen, 1 twin bedroom, 1 full bathroom, 2 large covered terraces (1 facing east and 1 facing west) 10 steps up from the parking area via the front porch, 3 steps up from the pool area, 8 steps up from the parking via the rear porch, or 2 steps up from the vegetable garden and rear porch terrace. The pergola covered front porch has a table and chairs and overlooks the pool. A front door leads from this porch to the living area, stair case and doors to the bathroom and twin bedroom. The twin bedroom has 2 single beds, 2 bedside tables with reading lamps, and built-in wardrobes. 2 windows look out onto the pool and the front porch area. The main bathroom has floor to ceiling beige and tan tiles, a large corner bath with shower attachment, a toilet, a washbasin with cabinet, a mirror with a glass shelf, and a frosted window. The living room has 2 large sofas, a brick fireplace with a glass door, a coffee table, a TV/DVD unit, a dining table with 6 chairs, and an under-stairs cupboard which contains a washing machine. There are 2 windows which look out onto the olive trees and the pool respectively. The large modern, fully equipped kitchen has an electric cooker, a large fridge/ freezer, a microwave oven, a toaster, a kettle and a coffeemaker and a window which looks out to the back terrace, the BBQ, and olive trees. The back door leads out onto a pergola covered terrace next to the vegetable garden, grape vines, fig tree and the BBQ, and is equipped with a table/bench which seats 6. First floor (17 steps up from the ground floor): 2 double bedrooms, 1 shower room and a large sea and mountain facing terrace. One double bedroom has a window that looks north to olive groves, a double bed, 2 bedside tables with reading lamps, a dressing table, a mirror and built-in floor to ceiling wardrobes. There are double doors which lead out onto a huge terrace which has panoramic views of the entire area including Souda Bay and The White Mountains. This terrace has a table and chairs and could easily accommodate sun-beds. The second double bedroom has a single door to the roof terrace, a south facing window, a double bed, 1 bedside table, a reading lamp, and built-in wardrobes. The shower room is tiled with pale blue tiles, and is situated between the double bedrooms. It has a shower, a toilet, a washbasin with a glass shelf, a mirror, and a frosted window.

The village of Kalives has long been a popular destination for holiday makers seeking a typically Greek seaside resort that has many amenities, but is far removed from brash tourism. Kalives stretches along 4 kilometres of sandy beaches, and the narrow main street is lined with old white washed houses. Two rivers join the sea at Kalives, and there is a traditional fishing boat harbour at the eastern end of the village. There is an abundance of excellent tavernas and cafes lining the seafront, and there are shops of every description including 3 large supermarkets, bookshops, many gift shops, clothes shops, organic fruit and vegetable shops, chemists, bakeries, butchers and a laundry. The village is also the home of a number of talented artists, and the only traditional barrel maker who is left in the area (a great place to go for a wine tasting visit). Three kilometres away in Almyrida, there is a water sports centre which rents out kayaks, windsurfers and catamarans. A few minutes by car from the villa, there are a huge variety of archaeological sites and traditional villages with wonderful tavernas. There is also an interesting selection of small craft centres and museums, including glass blowing in Kokkino Horio, lace makers in Gavalohori, and silk makers in Kalamitsi. For those of you looking for even more activity, the historic town of Chania is only 25 minutes away by car.