When I was looking for a self catering place to stay in non commercial Western Crete, the first problem I encountered was finding a quality villa that accommodated only two to three adults. All the villas that you find with nice views and pool facilities are two to three bed roomed and you end up paying a fat premium for a larger villa when all you want is a beautiful, luxurious, peaceful retreat for two. Well, in Samonas we found it!

The long and adventurous journey up the mountain above Kalives was worth it as the views when we reached Samonas were absolutely breathtaking. We just couldn't stop staring at the uninterrupted view of the silver mountain peaks, below which nestles acres of green, green woodland tumbling down the mountainside and down to the sea. It was paradise found!

The villas themselves are gorgeous stuffed with all mod cons, with a rustic but luxury feel, with romantic textiles and fittings.
Each cottage has its own terrace with large shady umbrellas and seating. My husband and I dragged two of the sun loungers from around the pool and used them in our own private garden for sunbathing, so we could have the shade and privacy when we wanted it.

The pool itself was great and the beautiful waterfall that pours into the pool from a large amphora was welcome refreshment on the head. Our host Constantinos is a wonderful man, full of enthusiasm and happiness for his retreat, which has been his labour of love to build and restore from the ruined farm buildings that they were. Apparently the local villagers thought he was mad to try to get tourists to stay in Samonas as it’s so lofty and off the beaten track, but the retreat is so beautiful that I cannot see how it can fail to continue to draw in the visitors.

Constantinos could not do enough for us and was always bringing us wonderful treats such as his home cooked Cretan dishes, puddings and fruit cocktail drinks. We stayed for two weeks and spent every other night cooking in the villa and eating al fresco enjoying the spectacular views and then the myriad of stars at night, unspoilt by light pollution. We also ate in the excellent tavernas in the lower down village of Megala Chorafia, which is far more touristy, but still uncommercial.

Constantinos has an honesty shop for the use of the cottages at the retreat and it’s stocked with everything you'll need or can think of to eat and an excellent collection of good Cretan wine. The nearest supermarket is 30 minutes away in coastal Kalives and we only went there to buy ice cream and cat food!

Yes there were Kittens about and they were irresistible! Constantios rescues stray kittens and has them around his property there. He does not allow them inside the guest cottages, but they were always hanging around our garden for fuss and attention, especially when they know there is free food to be had! By the time we left, these strays were big fat happy kittens. So be sure that you like kittens if you are going to stay at Samonas. In fact be sure you like animals in general as the village has an array of goats, sheep, dogs and cockerels all making their presence felt.

The village has only one taverna the aptly named Eagles Nest, but the food there is wonderful and the views are equally spectacular. The hostess there will come out and serve you no matter what time of night and always has a smile and a delicious free pudding such as chocolate cake made with olive oil!

It was our first time to Crete and we visited as many places as possible in our little Fiat Panda! You might want to invest in a 4x4 if you intend to stay so far up the mountain! We will next time. Knossos is three hours away, but so well worth the trip! If you want to go to any of the Minoan palaces, try to go on a Sunday afternoon. Then its the most quiet with the least amount of coach parties as they do not tend to have organised trips on Sundays. We went round the awe inspiring ruins in 45 degree heat in late June, but it was quiet without the hordes of brightly coloured, loud tourists! Well worth it as a wonder of the ancient world and an example that a highly advanced technological civilisation can be run by women! We also visited Phaestos and the impressive Roman ruins of Gortys, again, well worth the visit as it was nothing like the Roman ruins you see in Countries like Turkey or mainland Greece. Far more intact and impressive.

Chania shopping rivals that of Athens, but is much cheaper! We loved the beautiful Venetian harbour with Ottoman overtones and the feel of the cobbled streets overflowing with Bouganvillea blossom like you find in Turkish villages such as Kalkan or Kas.

Having visited mainland Greece and other smaller islands in the Mediterranean, we cannot recommend Western Crete enough to anyone who has never visited it before. It has got its own unique culture separate to Greece and has everything you could be looking for in a Mediterranean holiday: beautiful beaches and mountain landscapes, towns and villages rich in unique historic architecture, culture and tradition. Cretan people are the friendliest we have encountered yet in the Med from the large tourist towns to the tiniest off the track village peoples.

To make your stay at Crete even more magical, you must stay at Samonas. Its easy to get to from Chania airport and well worth the climb up the mountain. I understand that Constantinos has completed his two bedroom cottage that can sleep 5. So if you are looking for a romantic, luxurious retreat, then this place is perfect beyond measure. However, if you have a small group of adults, it will now be great to.

My husband and I can't wait to return as there is so much on the Island we did not get to do and we miss the retreat and its soul restoring beauty already.

I had a wonderful stay at Samonas Traditional Villas just a couple of days ago (July 2007). The memory is still very vivid. I feel so grateful that the best thing I thought I could do to compensate would be to share this experience with as many possible visitors as I could.

The term "traditional" is being used and abused quite frequently. Samonas is not traditional-like or something; tradition here is the root where the place comes from, the identity formed though the years. Everything is restored with love and respect, using the valuable experience of local technicians and of the most advanced technology. Just ask Konstantinos to tell you how the key locks were made and you'll understand what I mean.

The term "hospitality" is also being mentioned all the time. In Samonas, hospitality is not restricted to politeness, kind words and sweet smiles. It's all about feeling like home. Everything has been taken care for before you even think about it. More than surprised, I was even shocked by the generosity and the trust I was treated with, yet with a modest way as if this was only natural. I know it isn't and I can only hope that Konstantinos will always remain this way.

On the whole, the village of Samonas is far from fancy and glamorous. It is peaceful and quiet, relatively isolated, with a nice view of the stunning White Mountains and the valley of Apokoronas. The local taverna, called "Aerie", is an excellent choice to get to know genuine Cretan cuisine as well as authentic Cretan people - not easy to find in the crowded touristic places of the island. One suggestion of personal taste: "staka" cheese, far more delicious than fondue.

One more suggestion for future guests: please, do not visit Samonas as tourists passing by. Try to use all your senses, live the complete experience and get to know the people. The place will not disappoint you...

I can't say enough to recommend Samonas as a place to stay in Crete. My husband and I stayed for 2 nights as part of our 9 day honeymoon in Greece and it was without question the highlight of our trip. We wanted to stay longer! Our "room" was fabulous-two stories, with two separate balconies with gorgeous views, and lots of character. Konstantinos was a friendly and helpful host. Although Chania is a nice town to visit it can be touristy and it was so nice to spend our day there and then return to a peaceful night at Samonas. The road up to Samonas in the mountains is a bit frisky but definitely worth it-the views were amazing. In sum, we highly recommend Samonas!

This small and charming group of private apartments/villas was the highlight of our 16 days in Greece, which included Athens, Rhodes and Heraklion. Konstantinos could not have been a more hospitable host, providing fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, olive oil and feta to create our own salad in our fully-outfitted modern kitchenette. The views from our balcony were spectacular, though stormy weather dominated our three-day stay. We loved that the only sounds we could hear were the bleating of goats and the cackle of chickens! Truly remote and relaxing and in tune with the natural world. The decor in our suite was authentic and tasteful, and the furnishings completely comfortable. It was too cold to swim in the pool, but hopefully on our next visit we'll be able to enjoy it. Throughout the property, Konstantinos has decorated with gorgeous flowering plants and herbs. He has even included a small cafe, where we purchased excellent local wines along with the essentials for our breakfasts. The drive up the mountain to Samonas was definitely challenging, but well worth the time it took on the hairpin turns. We made several trips to Chania and west to Falasarna's spectacular ruins and coastline. Each night of our stay was punctuated by authentic Cretan cuisine prepared by Katarina of our local Taberna. Even though her English-speaking ability matched our own Greek competence (approximately 4 sentences!), at the end of our three dinners, we had become friends and said goodbye with promises to return. We will never forget her amazingly moist chocolate cake prepared with olive oil. We had the good fortune to meet fellow travelers from Holland and enjoyed an evening with them, along with others in the taberna from Chicago. All in all, a wonderful adventure in Western Crete!