Villa Selene, Almyrida. Near Beach/tavernas. Private Pool & Quiet

Spent two weeks in June in Villa Selene in Alymrida, Crete. The villa was spick & span on arrival, fully kitted out and was exactly as described. The pool was a really good size and was cleaned regularly while we were there. Particularly appreciated the fresh towels and bed linens every 3 to 4 days. The extra little touches do make a difference, such as fans in every room, which means you don't always have to run the air conditioning if it doesn't suit (my husband has a real aversion to air-con!). The location of the villa was perfect for exploring - not just the local villages of Amlyrida and Gavalorchi but also Souda Bay and my personal favourite - Chania town. The old town is just beautiful and just big enough for a couple of hours exploring and shopping...and of course there are lovely cafes, and restaurants all along the harbour front. The weather was fantastic for the whole 2 weeks, and all in all a fabulous holiday - Thank you!

This was our third visit to Villa Selene, which is quite simply the best villa we have ever stayed in. It was important to us to have all the accommodation on the ground floor, with no steps or trip hazards. The gates by the pool also gave us peace of mind. Each time we return we have been impressed by the improvements and adjustments the owners have made to the villa, in response to visitors' suggestions. Selene is always clean and has been very well maintained. The local (ex pat) staff are helpful, friendly and very knowledgeable. Three generations of our family have visited the villa, all have loved it. The location is quiet, with stunning and ever changing views of the mountains. the little seaside town of Almyrida is charming and busy but not brash or over the top. Some of our party were content just to stay on its beach. The neighbouring village of Gavalochori has an irresistible charm, and excellent tavernas. Car hire is reasonably priced. To our amateur eye, the Cretan economy seemed to be ticking over quietly, not buffeted by storm from Athens. Our response: We always try to keep the villas up to date and excellent feedback like this is very helpful. You are right about the Cretan economy, it does seem to be ticking along as are all things in Crete, though the region could do with some more visitors and our view is they should not be too worried about the slightly unsteady Euro issue (at time of writing June 2015). Whatever happens, the sun will still shine, the sea will still wave and visitors will always get a cheery smile from the locals. Many thanks and come back soon!

A villa in amongst an olive grove with views that dreams are made of. Beautifully finished and surrounded by breathtaking views, a place we will visit over and over again. The local travernas are hosted by warm and friendly people and the food is delicious. We will be making Villa Selene a regular holiday for us from now on, can't wait to go again and again. Highly recommended.

The villa was well equipped, clean and tidy and the management team were excellent, friendly, helpful and efficient. The only thing missing was the Villa Book [we were the first clients of the season] and it soon arrived ... We loved sitting by the pool gazing at the mountains so much that we didn't need to make many sightseeing trips, but Chania was delightful, get there early if you want to park by the Fortress to the west of the harbour. There is an excellent book shop just round the corner facing the harbour, good maps and guide books. We liked the restaurant Portes on Portou. We had to go to Aptera as we could see the castle from the patio. It was a thoroughly enjoyable [free] visit, especially the fantastic views all around and the enormous Roman water cisterns underground. The location of the villa was gorgeous, we enjoyed the flower-lined walks to Gavalochri, both the top road with its mountain views and the shorter route past the amazing venetian wells, and the taverna by the war Memorial was just perfect.We strongly recommend the stuffed courgette flowers and the red pepper and feta dip, but everything was delicious. Do visit the museum while you're here. Almyrida was charming and sitting in a beach taverna here was a great way to spend several hours at lunchtime, when we visited in May there were no crowds. The Pear Tree Supermarket here was excellent, we can recommend their own wine, and they stocked lots of really local produce and always had time to explain and advise on cooking techniques and recommend things to try. We love cretan food... Thank you John for your help and advice, it was altogether a great holiday, it was all we could do to tear ourselves away. And the olive oil was really delicious too!