Kamares Houses - Maheri Village — Hotel in Municipality of Apokoronas

We spent a week in one of the Kamares apartments on a holiday organised with Inntravel. The apartments have been lovingly restored from old Cretan buildings by our host Kostas and his family. Our apartment was on two levels with a large verandah looking out to the mountains and the coast. On arrival we found a generous collection of food and wine for us – olive oil, olives, tomatoes, coffee, a variety of fruit, yogurt, milk, butter, cheese, home made jams, fruit juice juice, home made lemon squash, bread, eggs and biscuits. The family produce their own olive oil, fruit, vegetables, herbs and make jams and preserves and juices. The apartments – we looked at a few others – are simply furnished and feature wooden beams and attractive windows and pleasant and comfortable soft furnishings. Linen and towels are changed twice a week and rubbish removed daily. We made our own breakfasts and evening meals, using local fresh ingredients but an excellent breakfast is available and includes fresh fruit and juice, yogurt and cream cheese, very good bread and those delicious jams, even eggs, under the mulberry trees looking across to the mountains through Kostas' lovingly cared for plants. A very kind girl called Zeni looks after the breakfasts and the housekeeping and kept us supplied with tomatoes, figs and oranges, and advice on beaches and excursions. There is a large swimming pool surrounded by fig trees, with a partially shaded seating and sun bed area. Nearby, Kostas has created a large orchard-style garden which he has terraced and created seating and tables ideal for a picnic or to just quietly read a book. The village of Maheri is quiet and unspoilt, with only a few houses, with just one cafe, and one feels a world away from the stresses of the modern world. The nearby villages have small mini markets and tavernas and further away there are bigger shops and eating places. We made many interesting excursions and also a few walks, with the routes provided and described by Inntravel. There is a lot to do in the area and Zeni is very helpful with ideas and is keen to give the guests as good an experience of the area as possible, We plan to return, but next...

After spending a couple of days in bustling Chania, we were ready for a few days in the country. Having found Kamares by accident, we had no preconceived ideas, but were not prepared for the feast of the senses that awaited us. This amazing historic property set in tiny Maheri village at the foot of the White Mountains, has been lovingly restored by Kostas and his family. We stayed in one of the larger apartments in the main building, which has its own courtyard with fruit trees and distant views. Mulberries and plums are just a few of the fruits growing all around you at Kamares, and other fruits and vegetables thrive on the family farm a short distance away. We chose to have breakfast outside each morning, lovingly prepared by Genny, and overseen by Kostas, whose hospitality is peerless… Fresh flowers and fruit bowls grace the tables each morning, and the yoghurt and homemade preserves and other local breakfast treats are exquisite. We followed the advice of our hosts, and took a most scenic drive to the south coast where we found the perfect beach and taverna. We enjoyed exploring the small villages around Maheri, and a visit to the studio of one of Crete's most notable artists, Manousos Chalkiadakis, located in the neighboring village of Paidochori, was another highlight of our trip. This was our first time in Crete, but hopefully not the last one, and we would recommend Kamares to anyone who wants a taste of real Crete. ||PS -- Speaking a few words of Greek, but mainly navigating in English, we encountered no problems at all in communicating with anyone in Crete, including our...

We stayed there for a week and we enjoyed every minute in it! It is an ancient building, restored with care and emphasis in details! Excellent facilities, with very comfortable rooms where we felt as if we were at home! Kamares houses is in the heart of a tiny but picturesque village, only 5 minutes from the nearest beach and 25 km from Chania. We enjoyed the serenity of the small village as well as the variety of a number of choices during our stay concerning quality food, sea and visits at the nearest sites! As soon as we arrived in the appartment, we were happily surprised with bio-products (olive oil, fresh fruits, olives, tomatos) and a bottle of Cretan wine waiting for us. We totally relaxed and filled our 'batteries' beside the pool. The view towards the sea was magnificent from our balcony, especially at sunset! We will...