REVIEWS
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We stayed in the apartment number 2, with lovely views over olive trees and the sea in the distance. Ideal for families with outdoor space,pool and terrace. Kastollos Village is very small with character and has a nice tavern Maria`s, we met all the very friendly family ….nice people.
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One of the most amazing places I have visited, up in the mountains in a very tradianal village. The views of the land and sea are spectacular, very peaceful just listening to the goats in the valley. With one tervena In the village, Maria’s, that serves fresh Cretan dishes you don’t need to move very far, a wonderfully relaxing stay.
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We found this place by pure chance on a very last minute booking (less than twenty four hours). So happy that we stayed there! Our flight was very delayed so we didn’t arrive until nearly 2am but the owner was very welcoming and made us feel very at home and happy. It’s not difficult to find, just keep an eye out for signposts to Kastellos (especially in the dark) and then smaller signs to the apartments themselves once you reach the village. The last bit of the drive is steep, narrow and with a few hairpin bends to keep you alert. We stayed in apartment 2 (Vardis/Bardis) in the upper (central) complex. When we awoke the first morning the view from the bedroom window and the balcony below simply took our breath away. Well worth waking up a little before sunrise too. Wonderful colours as the sun rises over the mountains. The bed was excellent with a foam(tempur) topper on the mattress. Beautiful bathroom plus a shower/toilet room downstairs. Sometimes water pressure in the morning would be low if the gardener was using the hose pipe (First World problem!). The kitchen is perfectly adequate. Small cooking area but functional. I’m sure if you needed any additional cooking utensils or pots/pans that the owners would provide. Overall very clean and very beautiful accommodation. We were occasionally brought fresh figs or Cretan cheese pies in the morning by the owners. We travelled the island quite a lot whilst there but spent a couple of days just hanging out at the apartment on the balcony and around the pools (small and wonderful) simply enjoying the environment, the views, the sunshine and of course that magnificent Cretan breeze. Ten minutes drive to the nearest supermarket and petrol station. There is also a butcher near the supermarket. Kastellos Village is a perfect hideaway, yet also pretty well located for venturing to the west, south and central areas of the island. With a little planning and good map you can take some spectacular mountain routes through to the coast directly south of the village. Highly recommended accommodation.
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Whenever I try to remember my last truly relaxing holidays, though on the meantime I have been to many other places, there is only Kastellos in my mind.I long to go back! To gaze all afternoon at the vast perfection of nature, to hear nothing but the beautiful village sounds, to sleep like a baby to the heavenly bed with doors wide open, just to smell the intoxicating smells of a pure Greek village.I will be back…this summer I will be back! I waited so long!
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We have no complaints. We enjoyed our staying. The service was good. We enjoyed the fireplace. The houses were spacious with many conforts and a perfect view. The houses are not far from Georgioupoli at all
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We stayed in Kastellos Village for 8 nights at the end of September, in Vardis (or Bardis) apartment. The village of Kastellos is very small and without shops, only a little church and the houses of people living there. You feel out of the touristic routes and this is a great value. The village is placed on the top of an hill and from the big terrace of our apartment the view was really overwhelming, sweeping from the see to the mountains to the valley with its olive trees and pastures. The apartment is very large, comfortable and furnished with taste. Just out of the door of Kastellos Village, close to the church, there is Maria’s Taverna, a very little restaurant run by a nice and friendly family. The food is simple and good and the atmosphere is extraordinary, so we ate there almost every evening. If you are interested in exploring the western part of Crete we strongly recommend Kastellos Village, from which you can easily reach Iraklio, Rethimno and Chania, but also the south coast locations like Samarià gorges, Festo, Agia Galini and many others. We are frequent travellers but we think that Kastellos Village is the best value for money we ever found.
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My boyfriend and I stayed at Kastellos village for 4 nights and we only wish we stayed here much longer. The atmosphere, the views, the noises coming from the nature- everything combined was what we needed to relax in its true sense and forget about the rest of the world for those few days. We stayed in Bardis house which is perfect for two people or a family with a child. We had a huge terrace with the views to die for and a balcony in our bedroom upstairs. I would open the window leading to the balcony the minute I woke up every morning to enjoy the lovely views in bed and listen to the sounds of nature.The village itself is very small with just a few houses and only one taverna but that it a big plus rather than a minus because you get to feel a part of the local community. Almost every night we had our dinners at Maria’s taverna which was less than 50 meters from the house and which offers local home made food cooked my Maria herself and served with the help of her lovely family who always made us feel very welcome. If you happen to miss the busier lifestyle and a more touristy place (which I doubt will happen staying in thia little paradise) you can always go to Giorgiopolis and its beach 5 km away. Or you can take a road trip to Crete’s white mountains offering breathtaking views and zigzaggy mountain roads.Overall we loved every second of our stay in Kastellos and even though we still have a few hours left before we have to go back to the airport I am already dreaming about coming back here again and for longer. Kastellos will definitely be missed. This place is a little gem which would make anyone feel relaxed and refreshed and I would recommend it to anyone without a drop of hesitation and there is nothing that we didn’t like!
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This is a perfect spot to really relax in, away from the crowds, with the beach nearby, only 5 min with car.But you do not have to go anywhere, since there is a nice pool and a spacious room, and a cute village around the corner.At the local taverna you eat great cretan locally produced food.The flat is supernice and well equipped to your needs, highly recommended.
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We stayd in Kastellos village for about 10 days in June.Whole family loved this place !We have been many times in Crete before, but this was the best place. The house was lovely and big ! View was so beautiful. I can tell only positive things about this place 🙂
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We stayed here for four nights in mid April, and we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves. I booked the place because I was blown away by a picture of the view from the balcony, and sure enough, the balcony itself made the stay worth it. Absolutely incredible panoramic views — we didn’t want to ever leave! The apartment and grounds were very classic and nicely decorated, every corner of it was Greek style at its most beautiful and tasteful, and the apartment was very spacious and comfortable. The large bathroom with bathtub and hot water was especially a relief after many days of the usual tiny square of shower with a clingy curtain and water all over the floor that you get in so many places in Greece. Nice amenities (shampoos, shower gels, lotions) too. Even from the bathroom we had an incredible view out over the countryside, the hills, and down to the sea. Very peaceful – the sounds of cow(sheep) bells were usually the only thing we heard. The kitchen was well stocked and we were able to easily self-cater our breakfasts and a few other meals. Our only complaints were that the internet never once worked during our time there (which was not as bad as it could have been since there was a booklet with quite a lot of local information about sites, restaurants, etc. in the nearby villages. And the other was the extremely bright exit sign with a light shining straight in our faces in the bedroom (which however was difficult to reach in order to cover it with something). The complete isolation of the village combined with great light blocking shutters made me look forward to a great night’s sleep, only to have it disrupted by a bright light shining directly in my eyes all night from that exit sign — so that was disappointing. Also, the mosquitoes were pretty fierce up there even in April, but that’s not the hotel’s fault of course. We used mosquito coils on the balcony and were able to keep our windows closed at night because it was cold anyway, so we weren’t too bothered. Although it was the priciest place we stayed during our time in Crete, it was well worth it and we look forward to returning some day!
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We satyed one week with two others families in this beautiful place. The houses are very big and pleasant. The view is gorgious. The village is a nice place to rest (with a very nice and pleasant swimming pool) from which a lot of things are very easy to do : beautifule beaches, lake,….The service was very good and efficient. The owner and his team are so kind ! We defintely recommend this place ! Thank ypu!
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What a beautiful place, easy reach of main town areas but far enough away to get that peace and tranquillity. Very friendly staff, more than helpful even before we arrived weeks before the Manager was helping us with local things to do and help with transport. Accomadation is first class we stayed in apartment Shopia, ideall there was just the two of us. Highly recommended a hidden gem.
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One of the nicest places we’ve stayed in Crete – slightly expensive but worth every penny, cent, etc. The houses have been beautifully renovated and are well equipped and comfortable. The views are outstanding, watching the sun rise behind the mountains in the morning is quite special. On a clear day you can see as far as Mount Ida.The garden/swimming pool area is a lovely place to relax (you know the routine, get hot, slip into the pool, rinse and repeat). The pools are small, but ideal for cooling down in. If you don’t fancy cooking yourself, there is a small taverna just outside which offers some pretty good food and a chance to mingle and chat with the people who live there. Everybody, from the people who run the houses, Maria and hers kids in the taverna and all the locals we met were lovely.
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The setting is outrageously beautiful with outstanding views of the hills and snow capped mountains in one direction and down to the coast in the other, the perfect panorama for drinks on the terrace of your apartment. Kastellos is a tiny hill-top village reached by a twisting and axle-jarring rough concrete road for the last 2km. If you are looking for a quiet and exceptionally comfortable place to hang out in the hills then it would be hard to better. If you want night-life and an array of restaurants, Kastellos is probably too far off the beaten track unless you don’t mind driving unlit hairpin bends in the dark. The accommodation is comfortable, spacious converted farm-house style – beautiful renovated stonework and new tile flooring and well-appointed kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms. There is just one small kafenion in the village which serves breakfast and evening meals. The nearest shops are 5km.
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We stayed at Kastellos Village for a week in 2010 and are going back again in July 2013.Pictures of holiday detinations can sometimes be misleading, but not in this case.It exceeded our expectations.We were met by Mr Viannis, who has created a truly wonderful holiday experience up close to the mountains with breathtaking views over the surrounding countryside.This is a superb good value for money accomodation away from the crowds.The apartment is on two floors, perched on the side of a steep valley, spotlessly clean with an “talian feel.” well equiped and very comfortable. The village close by feels authentic and freindly only ten minutes by car to the beach.We feel lucky to have found this beautiful place and look forward to going back. We live in the Oslo area and are used to high standard.
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Everything was beautiful : the place, the appartements, the pools, the view wa had from the terrace on the cretan landscape, and the way our guests took care about us, cleanning house very often, and having a lot of little but very nice attentions (like flowers in the house).Thank you for everything !
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we stayed with the whole family in Kastellos for ten days. Everything was so nice and arranged with so much love. It was clean and our children enjoyed the time in the pool. We made trips in the environment like Chania, Rethimnon, Aptera,…. It was a great experience and we think, we will come back. When we come back, there can be no better place to stay than Kastellos. Thank you very much.The Petersens
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The silence across the olive tree valley below was blissful, save for the occasional cockerel crow and the intermittent jangle of tin bells from the odd stray foraging goat. Welcome to rural village Crete, just a 15 minute drive away from the resort of Georgiopoulis and a million miles from the hustle and bustle of home. For us, this was different from previous holidays in Crete where Rethymnon and Elounda gave us the contrast of a resort base to tour this lovely island. A stay in Kastellos village is a life living among the locals, a taste of real Crete where nobody speaks English. And why should they? We got by with what little Greek we had picked up over the years and it was enough for us to get a warm welcome – not as tourists – but as friends. We stayed in the Agathes apartments at the bottom end of the village which sit in the hillside above the valley, with views of the sea in the distance. These are beautifully appointed and tastefully created Cretan style buildings, lovely archways, nooks and crannies in which to sit – and a wonderful pool area where you can be in blissful isolation in your own little world. We had the complex to ourselves on the four days we were there and the pace of life is slow to almost stop. Yiannis, the owner, greeted us and settled us in and then left us to enjoy one of our best holidays on the island. The isolation was only broken by the mobile bread man and greengrocer beckoning us to their well-stocked vans, and our trips up to the top of the village to the taverna run by Maria and her lovely family, where locals welcome you as friends and ply you with traditional Cretan food and drink and lots of bonhomie. This is the antidote to the rat race, a different world where you can practice your Greek – and Maria’s middle son Giorgios and daughter Maria can try out the English they are learning at school. The food – fresh and very good – is just part of the whole experience of being welcomed into a different culture albeit for a brief moment in time. We can’t wait to go back and renew acquaintances with our new friends.
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We were so pleased to be back again at Kastellos.All the staff made us feel so at home.Comfortable bed, amazing views.At Kastelos we get the best of both worlds – fantastic accommodation and contact with real Cretan village life.Definitely our favourite place!We`ll be back!Kristin and Jeremy Pyke, Norway.
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This really is a lovely holiday home. We stayed for a week, and enjoyed the peaceful surroundings (apart from countryside sounds of goats, sheep and cicada!), and the stunning views. The owners and staff were very friendly and helpful, ranging from directions to the house, to beach and restaurant recommendations. The pool is a good size and was cleaned regularly, the choice of balconies, and hidden places for breakfasts and dinners was excellent. We needed more kitchen utensils which were quickly provided. Although it is half way up a mountain, it was close to so many wonderful places. Every morning we woke to sunshine and views of the sea, every evening we watched the night sky twinkle with fairy lights.
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We stayed in this lovely villa our last night in Crete. Since we had a flight the next day, this provided us an excellent option to spending the night in the city. The views were spectacular, and the quality of the villa was superior. Taking the short walk to the nearby taverna was a delight! Our food was excellent, and the two young boys (11 & 15, I believe) who served us were adorable!My only complaint would be the heat. While there may have been air conditioning, we weren’t able to access it, so we were warm during the night and had some problems with mosquitoes. Other times of the year would probably be much more pleasant, but this was late July.I would definitely stay there again.
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The Kastellos Village property, consisting of three separate villas (sharing a two-pool patio area in the back) was an excellent place for my family to stay on our recent visit to Crete. Situated at the top of the small village of Kastellos, the villas offer wonderful views of the olive tree filled hills and valleys. The villa we stayed in, which comfortably housed 5 of us, was immaculate. Clean with modern conveniences (always plenty of hot water) it was also rustic and authentic. The most pleasant surprise was Maria’s Restaurant, a short walk from the villa. Maria and her family produce amazing Cretan food, fresh daily, and were always willing to deliver it to us (along with a complimentary carafe of homemade wine), though dining at the restaurant (sitting at tables in the narrow street) was also a treat.Kastellos is located a few kilometers from the seaside — we had a view of it — and takes about 15-20 minutes driving through the rolling hills. The seaside offers some nice beaches, plenty of restaurants and cafes, and grocery stores. Kournas, a village closer to Kastellos, features a wonderful pottery shop, a few cafes, and a bakery but not much else. (So stock up on supplies when down by the sea.)We also took day trips around the area, with both Rethymno and Chania close enough to visit.I’d advise flying/ferrying in to Chania, as the drive from Iraklio is a longish one. We enjoyed staying at Kastellos Village so much we’re already dreaming of making another trip to Crete just to return.
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I went in Kastellos village in october 2012.It s a very beautiful house, on the top of a little mountain with 2 swimming pool (1 for adults, 1 for children)The view is very nice.There are beautiful space in the house, with big bedroom, good beds.You can make food in a little kitchen
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This apartment is one of several in a new building in a small village about 20 minutes from the coast. The view over the countryside is stunning and the place is very clean. It has all the charm you would imagine: wooden shutters and hand-crafted furniture, a basic kitchen, efficient air-conditioning. The staff is extremely gracious and warm. The village itself has a fine taverna (Maria’s) where one can eat local dishes. The pool was refreshing. Our only suggestion is to have one or two comfortable chairs for indoor reading. But that was not a problem in June.
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Another wonderful visit to Kastellos Village! We extended our stay to enjoy more sun, food,and most of all people. This was our 2nd visit to the hotel and there really are no words to describe this village and it’s people. Not only is the hotel the most beautiful place on earth but the people will forever be in our hearts. Yiannis and Litsa did everything to make our stay feel like home. Maria’s Tavern is a must! The food is amazing and her family are so welcoming. A true Greece experience! Our 4 year old daughter didn’t want to leave and I cried saying goodbye to these wonderful people. We will be back:)
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We had a wonderful time in the apartment kapetan antonis, felt very welcome. Kastellos is the right choice, if you want a quiet, relaxing holiday. It is not, if you want to have an all inclusive holiday with animation, lots of restaurants or nightlife right in front of your door.There are four apartments situated on the top of a hill, where we stayed. Four more apartments are situated at a lower level of Kastellos. The photos of our apartment we had seen before didn’t lie, so I assume, that the photos of the other apartments are realistic too. The apartment is well equipped and very spacious, even has a fireplace, but the best thing was the view from the huge terrace over the mountains to the sea. By seeing this we instantly relaxed and didn’t have enough of it after two weeks. The view was so impressive, that we hardly used the second terrace. Also a highlight was the extra bed in the living room.There are two nice bathrooms, one at the ground floor, the other at the first floor, where the bedroom with a double bed is too. The kitchen equipment is good for breakfast and small meals, but that was good enough because of marias taverna near by, which we liked very much for the food and the atmosphere. There is a small, but nice pool, which we mostly had for us alone and used at the end of the day. A car is definately needed to get around, but then it is only a few minutes to georgioupoulos, the sea or lake kournas. You can also go to rethymnon or chania, even to the south coast. Parking the car is a bit of an adventure, but at least we always found a place where we could leave the car nearby. The mosquitos harassed us at the beginning, but there is an electric device to get rid of them in the bedroom and autan did it outside in the evenings. We also had to get used to the hard matraces.But overall it is such an outstanding nice place, that we are looking forward to come back soon.
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Kastllos village is a small village located on an hill. Therefore the appartements have an incredible view over olive trees to the sea and on the other side to a big mountain, during our time snow-covered. The apparement is clean, nicely furnished, clean, comfortable bed, 2 bathrooms, and there’s even a chimney. The best is the terrace with the view, on the other side you have a small cosy balcony. It’s completely quiet, nightbirds bring you to sleep. The taverna of the village is owned by a very friendly, welcoming familiy and the simple food is delicious. Yannis, the owner, owns another accommodation in Chania, Nostos Hotel – also very charming and perfectly situated.
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Whilst on holiday in Platanias (Axos Hotel), we were given the opportunity to spend a few nights at the excellent Kastellos Village complex. We were not disappointed ! We stayed in a one bedroomed villa, clean fresh and very tastefully designed. Opening the doors to the balcony we were met with terrific views of area, the beautiful coast line of Georgioupolis in the distance. We had a lovely pool shared only with the villa next door. The villa has two bathrooms a dining area, real comfortable double bed and a quaint upstairs balcony over looking the cobbled courtyard below…perfect for that early morning coffee! Nearby is a local family taverna (Mapia) here you can try some home cooked greek dishes. We enjoyed a meze of local food which just kept coming and coming…superb! To summarise if you want to enjoy life in the country hills and experience true cretan hospitality you will not be disappointed by this location. The drive from the main road initially is twisty and adventurous but you are close enough tp Georgiouplois to stock up on groceries and sunbathing on the beach. Enjoy!!
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This year we decided to visit Creat, , among all the options we choose Kastellos Villege. We do not regret as it was a wonderful vacation.When we arrived we saw a beautiful landscape, the villas were very clean and very comfortable , we had peaceful and relaxing time during our staying in the villasThe service was very excellent. Any request fulfilled immediately.I am Shure that we will return to this marvels place as we enjoy each moment that we have been their
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My family had the pleasure of staying at Kastello Village for 8 days in August, we spend the first 7 days staying at the lower Agathes complex in Anthoula house and the last night in the higher Central complex in Anezina house. Both were absolutely amazing. If you are looking for a real break away from the tourist areas and a true Cretan village experience, then Kastello is the place for you. We had rented a car and drove there directly from the Chania airport approx 45 min. Manos had sent us directions and we followed them exactly, it was perfect. We were welcomed by Mr Yiannis, the owner who showed us around. There was also a huge complementary water melon and a cold bottle of water in the fridge for us. We absolutely loved the house, it was the furthest from the complex entrance, and offered us the privacy we needed. The house had three bedrooms and easily accommodated all five of us, the two bedrooms were located on the ground floor with a shower and wc and the other on the first floor along with the kitchen , bathroom and living area. The house had a wonderful balcony with a great view of the surrounding area and a great fresh breeze, there were nights we did not use the a/c. The pool is shared with the other 3 houses, but was really quite and we tended to have the pool mostly to our selves. There was a barbeque for our use, which was really convenient. The area around Kastellos is beautiful, my husband enjoyed his daily jogs. The only thing to interrupt your peace is the goats and the crickets. The last night we spent up at the central complex, here the view was stunningly breathtaking. This house is closer to the village coffee shop, where the owner, Maria is very willing to cook anything you may wish for, from omelets to f chops and chips, plus a number of traditional Cretan dishes. Both complexes are beautiful. The views are wonderful and all the houses are beautiful decorated and very clean. The coffee shop is convenient for meals. The village is remote and you most definitely need a car, all our shopping was done in the village off the main road, about a 10 min drive away from, so if you forget something, you are kind of stuck. There is nothing in walking distance, except for the coffee shop. Our experience at Kastello Village was really special family quality time. Thank you Mr Yiannis and Manos, we will be back.
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To begin with and before we actually go there we had a very good service from the person responsible of our booking. He gave us very good directions with photos, which is very import for places like this, and he also gave us details for things to do and places to visit. When we arrived the owner was waiting for us to give us the key to ”Vardis” house. One word to describe it is not enough. It is just like the photos. Romantic, peaceful, nice furniture and amazing views!!! You find yourself in the middle of a village but yet again only 5 minutes with the car from the sea. Thanks to Mr Yiannis who gave these houses life again and we are looking forward to stay there again!!
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What a wonderful, relaxing time we had. The rooms are very spacious with all amenities for coffee making etc. The terrace off our room was lovely and we had the most beautiful view over the local area. Being close to Kournas Lake for a lovely afternoon picnic. A car is needed to get around. The pool area was quiet & peaceful, and if you need to relax even more a massage can be take in the spa.100% reccommended.
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Μείναμε σε αυτή την όμορφη βίλα το τελευταίο μας βράδυ στην Κρήτη. Μιας και πετούσαμε την επόμενη μέρα μας παρείχε μια εξαιρετική επιλογή να περάσουμε το βράδυ στην πόλη. Η θέα ήταν εντυπωσιακή και η ποιότητα της βίλας είναι ανώτερη. Ο σύντομος περίπατος μέχρι την κοντινή ταβέρνα ήταν απόλαυση! Το φαγητό μας ήταν εξαιρετικό και τα αγόρια που μας σερβίρανε (νομίζω 11 και 15 χρονών) ήταν αξιαγάπητα! Το μόνο μου παράπονο είναι η ζέστη. Αν και μπορεί να είχε κλιματισμό, δεν ήμασταν σε θέση να το χρησιμοποιήσουμε και έτσι τη νύχτα έκανε πολύ ζέστη ενώ είχαμε και προβλήματα με τα κουνούπια. Άλλες εποχές του χρόνου θα είναι σίγουρα πιο ευχάριστα, αλλά ήταν τέλη Ιουλίου. Σίγουρα θα έμενα ξανά εδώ.
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The views are unbelievable; the location is perfect for rest and relaxation; the villa (we stayed in “Anezina”) is the best vacation residence we’ve stayed in for roominess and had 3 terraces! Yannis, the owner, could not have been more friendly or helpful. A perfect mountain hideaway!
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We stayed at 3 different plcaes during our 2 weeks stay in crete and this was the best by far. We are a family of 4 inc 16 year old twins and it was a hit with all of us. Can’t fault it at all. Parking is bit tight but apart from that perfect.
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The place is located on the top of a small village, not far from the town of Georgioupolis. The owner provided us with driving directions with photos for better orientation. The apartment we stayed in (Bardis), was large, well equipped and nice, with a big sunny balcony with a view over the mountains and the sea. The kitchen facilities were good for breakfast or a small uncooked meal, but better to go to a Taverna for dinner.There’s a small swimming pool, not big, but good enough for refreshing. We used it mostly in the end of the day. The place is perhaps a bit secluded for people that are looking for night-life. But perfect for relaxing holidays. Near by there is a small taverna, mostly visited by locals, with great food (if you want to experience the real Crete cuisine this is one of those great places, non touristic). Or instead, one can always drive to the lake, Georgioupolis or even Rethymno (which is only about 20min drive away, and quite much nicer than Georgioupolis).The only drawback I see is the parking place, which gets very messy when the taverna is full in the evening. Overall we had a good time, and the relaxing holidays we needed.