Elafonisi Villas - a week at the Old Beach House
Elafonisi Villas is a collection of privately owned and managed villas in the untouched western part of the Greek island of Crete. While most of the villas are situated in one bay, two of them are located in a nearby village. We booked the Old Beach House - the smallest of all villas - a secluded one-bedroom villa in an almost deserted bay with private access to the untouched beach. The property‘s on-site manager Christos was in touch with us a few days before arrival and once we were close to the villa, we called him to inform us of the arrival. At a crossing on the road he picked us up and we followed him down the sandy slope to the Old Beach House. Even though we had driven with a Mini Cabrio, I would definitely recommend hiring a 4x4 for the next time as the road was not paved and getting up to the main road was a small challenge. As luck would have it, I adore places that are not easy to access. Hence I was blown away when we drove down the dirty road to arrive at what has been the most scenic and most private beach accommodation I have ever stayed at.
Not only is the Old Beach House one of only three villas in a large unattended bay of the stunning West Coast of Crete, but it also has the best view of the sun setting in the Mediterranean Sea. Overall the location could not have been chosen any better. Check-in was done in a very casual way, Christos brought a welcome treat consisting of a local pie fresh out of the oven. Guests are asked to leave the deposit in cash with the manager at check-in and there is a WhatsApp Chat for whatever question or in-villa service you need. We always got a reply within 10 minutes and received everything we ordered promptly within a maximum of 30 minutes. There even is a food delivery from the closest Taverna which has tasty Cretan dishes at extremely affordable prices (plus a feasible delivery charge). So even though you may feel in the world’s most remote place, there is no need to miss out on the luxuries of a high-end vacation when staying at Elafonisi Villas.
The living room had two sofas with an armchair and a television as well as a fully equipped kitchen with high chairs and a free-standing fridge. Opening onto the sumptuous outdoor area of the Beach House, the huge sliding doors create a Mediterranean vibe during the day and offer a romantic view of the 10-meter outdoor pool just right outside in the beautiful garden. Right behind the kitchen was a guest bathroom with a toilet, walk-in shower and a single vanity desk that came with a selection of Molton Brown toiletries. Moving further was the bedroom with some storage space and hangers, double vanities and another armchair. On the opposite side was the second bathroom with another walk-in shower and toilet. Since I was sharing the villa with a good friend, we enjoyed having two separate lavatories and showers. This way we had as much privacy indoors as we had outdoors. Besides the outdoor pool with a shaded lounge area, there was a covered area with a dining table for six people (for whoever manages to stay here with six people) and a grill for barbecue, a separate lounge area close to the fireplace, as well as the rooftop, turned into another lounge area perfect for stargazing.
The images online hardly represent how vast the Old Beach House is in reality and how many recreational spots there are for couples or individuals alike. Since me and my friend get along quite well, we both shared the platform on the beach which we upgraded by moving the heavy sun loungers from the pool. This way we created a posh beach club atmosphere on our private beach as the other two houses did seem unoccupied during our entire stay. Even in case the other two houses are booked, distances are far enough not to see anyone else. As perfect as this place might be to fully relax and recharge for adults, pebble stones are making this beach unattractive to toddlers. In this case, better to plan to spend some time by the shallow part of the outdoor pool. It was the first time for me to just rent a house (after all this is a blog for luxury hotels). At first, I was scared that all the housework would remain to be done by ourselves but I was taught the opposite. Elafonisi Villas offers twice maid service weekly which includes cleaning the house, bringing fresh towels and freshening up the linen after a few days. In addition to this luxury, a breakfast hamper is dropped off each morning on the terrace table. The products offered include daily changing specials, milk, bread, butter, juice, some Cretan delicacies as well as a fruit salad.
Speaking about the Old Beach House, rates were around 400 euros a night in summer which is absolutely fair for such a stunning one-bedroom villa with direct sea access. The downside is, that the house is fully booked for most of the summer season - so rather make sure to book well ahead. I was totally blown away by the courtesy of the owner, manager and entire team combined with such a unique and picturesque setting and wonderful setup inside the house. If I am going to Crete again, I will only be staying at one of Elafonisi Villa’s properties - maybe in the Old Beach House or with a bunch of friends and splurge on a two- or three-bedroom villa.
Good to know: on your way to Elafonisi Villas will most likely pass by Chania or Kissamos where you can find good supermarkets. It is easier and cheaper to fill your trunk with basics before arriving at Elafonisi Villas. We bought a box of wine along with some ham and cheese, toast, butter, pasta and sauce so we were all set for a self-catered dinner and it was beyond perfect. What more do you need than your own lonely beach house, some snacks, a delicious bottle of Greek wine and a good friend?
