Villa Samitos: elegance and tradition in undiscovered Crete

We spent a week at the villa and it was truly wonderful and everything we had dreamed of for a “week of relaxation in a beautiful, authentic Greek village in a very quiet area.” A few things made it wonderful: -Manolis and Mrs Rumy could not be more helpful and ready to help. Manolis waited for us late into the evening our first night so we could meet and he could show us his amazing villa. Mrs Rumy brought the delicious food we had pre ordered. Manolis was helpful and available throughout our stay, providing taverna and day trip recommendations. -the villa is spacious and incredibly relaxing. Our favorite “activity “ was hanging out on the terrace, which is accessed through French doors in the living room, looking at the gorgeous view of the valley and listening to the goats. -beautiful walks around the village and in the nearby woods. Our time in Amari and Crete was the highlight of our trip which included some other amazing places; Santorini, Thessaloniki and Athens. One last thing about Amari-very few tourists!! We liked that :-). I can’t recommend Villa Samitos enough and we hope to return.

A five star hotel pampering and treatment by the host Manolis. He left us with many regional delicacies, gave useful tips and precious information helping us make beautiful discoveries. The exceptional services of Mrs Rumy who cooked and delivered all our suppers. Delicious Cretan dishes from her elaborate and refined menu. If we could give Manolis 6 stars, we would. We will always remember Amari valley with astonishing mountains, pure air, natural spring water and sheep bells tinkling. The view from the terraces were just perfect and the historic property renovated with absolute taste. We came from Québec, Canada looking for Cretan taste of life and we found it here. Thank you Manolis and Mrs Rumy for your wonderful hospitality. Andrée and family

This was our second stay at Samitos though we have stayed at the sister villa Idi several times. Refurbished by the family whose parents and grandparents originally owned and lived there the layout and decor retains all the rustic charm but provides every possible modern comfort and convenience. The villa is spotless and is maintained by the housekeeper who lives on site. Mrs Rumy ( the housekeeper ) provides a personal cooking service if required and her dishes reflect all the local produce and are delicious. Amari itself is a very quiet village but amenities can be found a few miles away at Agia Fotini and many local merchants visit Amari offering fresh bread fish and other local products. Communication with the host Manolis is both regular and informative-he goes out of his way to provide information and advice regarding both the local area and further afield. We cannot recommend this property highly enough and thank Manolis and Rumi for their care and attention during our most recent stay.

Manolis and Ms. Rumy were the most amazing hosts. They made us feel welcome and cared for our entire stay. The villa is absolutely beautiful, comfortable, and peaceful. We left feeling grateful to Manolis for sharing his family heritage and homeland with us. We cannot wait to return!