This sand-coloured stone villa sits just five minutes outside of Kokkino Chorio, a pretty Cretan village. Sitting on the terrace, the panoramic view of Souda Bay is mesmerising, stretching all the way to the mountains. This is a home that puts relaxation above all else – it’s the perfect holiday home. Inside, huge windows and sliding doors bring in light and mean that you don’t have to miss out on the view. The lovely open living and dining space feels like an extension of the terrace, which wraps around the home. We loved waking up and stepping outside straight from our bedroom, ready to start the day with a poolside yoga session. Take your breakfast and coffee under the shaded canopy – when the sun gets too hot, it’s lovely to sit here with a book. The pool looks out over the bay, so as you swim you can spot yachts sailing in the distance. If swimming laps feels too much like hard work for a holiday, sit in the shallow part of the pool with hydro-massage jets and feel your worries melt away. The villa is just a twenty-one-minute walk from the beach – Zeus Bay. If you’re itching to get into the clear, calm sea faster, why not hop onto one of the bikes available during your stay? After a day at the beach, call into one of the local tavernas for a beer, and maybe stick around for dinner.

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Additional fees

• Your host can help arrange a variety of extra services during your stay, including massages and beauty treatments, local day trips or tours, laundry and dry cleaning, extra cleaning, fridge fills, restaurant reservations, private chefs, airport transfers, and car hire

• If you’re travelling with children, your host can organise babysitting services – alternatively, a live-in nanny can be arranged at a cost of £475-£670 per week

• There may be some extra fees to pay here, such as charges for utilities, final cleaning fees, city tax and security deposits – all of which you may need to pay in cash to the homeowner. Please reach out during the booking process to confirm.

Additional fees subject to a 3.5% handling charge.