Cottage holiday rentals in Rethymno

Stayed here for three weeks in April. The Makis mother did her absolute best to make us feel at home right away - she often brought us home cooked pastries and Greek desserts. Starlink Internet was stable and fast, had no issues with it. You are pretty high up in the mountains so it can get chilly if you are not going in summer, when we arrived it was pretty cold inside. Water pressure is not great but manageable, it's also solar hot water, so the temperature can be hit and miss. The place has hotel-like access card for the lights and sockets, so when you leave everything turns off, which can be a bit of nuisance. Not much natural light inside, but the mains lighting inside is more than sufficient during night time. For better or worse you are middle of nowhere surrounded by mountains and sheep's, thus there is really no reception in the area, for sms and calls you need to go outside.

Flawless accommodation, beautiful little house tastefully renovated. The jacuzzi is very nice especially at this time of year when the temperature drops quickly after dark! We thank the hosts for their special touches. Ideal for staying a few days with family! Only small negative point, the main road of the village is a little busy in front of the accommodation (do not hesitate to close the gate with children!) However, once inside it is very well soundproofed.

Heike was a perfect host. We could contact her at any time. Everything was correct.

Amazing place to stay and relax. We came to the area for the hiking and wild flowers in spring. I have never seen so many different orchids in one area. The apartment was wonderfully comfortable and so relaxing to come back to. A little luxury !

This is my family’s second time staying with casa magnolia and believe me when I say you really will not find a more generous, loving, and friendly family who genuinely care about your comfort and want to show you the beautiful hospitality that Crete is known for. We were overjoyed to see them again and are very thankful that this family has chosen to share their little paradise on earth with the world. The home is spotless clean, organized, beautifully decorated and in a countryside location that is unique and breathtaking. The owners, without asking, went out of their way to buy us essential groceries and prepare delicious local food and drink for when we arrived. We are grateful for this! Bed linens are of high quality and freshly laundered professionally and were much appreciated after a long day out and about in Chania. Bathrooms are exceptionally clean and so is the rest of the house. We will never hesitate to visit again and hope to do so in future because of this family. ❤

Best host we've ever had in all our travels around the world. So friendly and communicative with lots of thoughtful touches. The apartment is quiet and the view is spectacular! Sofia really went the extra mile. I had an issue with the wifi not being strong enough for my work video conferences and Sofia went out of her way to solve it, with a few options, immediately. Our only suggestion to future guests is, if you want to use the hot tub on your first night, make sure to let her know so that it is hot upon your arrival. We loved our stay here and wish we could have stayed longer!

Our second stay, and it won’t be the last one. :)

Our holiday at Lambros was full of nature and tranquility. There were 5 of us and we had plenty of space. The rooms are divided into two houses separated by the beautiful pool. We were welcomed with fresh fruit, wine, homemade oil and a stocked fridge. There was also a hot meal ready for us. Lambros comes every 2-3 days after consultation and takes care of the pool. We were visited by a few shy cats. The communication with Lambros was great. We will be happy to come back.

Javi was very helpful, accommodating and helped us a lot. We had a huge delay and he helped us alot, waiter for hrs.. got us food for breakfast as we arrived late and also dinner as we arrived close to midnight. Nice lad and a super nice property beautiful for groups of families

Nice place and the house is very cozy. Good area and very nice neighbors.

We had a wonderful time at Stefanie and Zacharias' Olive House. Surrounded by olive trees, we enjoyed the tranquility on the one hand, and we also appreciated the walking distance to the village of Agia Galini. The place was very well maintained, tastefully and comfortably furnished and had everything to offer that we could wish for as self-catering guests - especially in the kitchen. Hikes and beach visits were possible from the house. We also drove to the Triapetra hike once. Communication with the hosts was very pleasant from the start. The personal exchange on site as well as the encounters with the little dog Lucie, who came to greet us from time to time, made us feel welcome and at home. Finally, we would like to thank Stefanie and Zacharias very much for their care and hospitality.

Gonia is a great, quiet village. Perfect for a relaxing getaway after the chaos of the more populated areas of Greece, yet still close enough to get to the other areas of Crete that we wanted to visit. The host is a super-host for a reason! She brought us fresh produce from her garden throughout our stay, including the most beautiful tomatoes that we had ever seen. The house is very quaint and the stone keeps it cooler during the very hot summer months. The outdoor space offered here is wonderful for relaxing, either downstairs in the shade or upstairs in the sun in the hammock or at the second dinner table. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here!

Amazing place - beautifully restored old Cretan villa. Pool area lovely. Village a real rustic treat. Roof terrace views are divine. Loved it

My boyfriend and I had a wonderful week-long stay at Antonio's house! We really enjoyed every minute - could enjoy the view from the terrace, take incredibly beautiful hikes from the house and drive down to the beach in 15 minutes 🙌🏻 The kitchen offers everything you need for cooking and even yoga mats and beach equipment are available for guests! We loved it! If you are looking for some peace and seclusion, this place is paradise! For us, it was the authentic Greek Crete - far from mass tourism. We will definitely be coming back 😍

Our stay at Andreas’ beautifully restored ancient house in Aptera was nothing short of magical. Every corner of the home has been carefully restored, maintaining its authentic charm. Andreas was an exceptional host! From the moment we arrived, he made us feel welcome, offering helpful tips about the local area and ensuring we had everything we needed - even some food in the refrigerator! The location in Aptera is ideal for anyone looking to explore Crete’s natural beauty and ancient sites. We loved the peaceful surroundings, with easy access to stunning views, historical landmarks, and nearby beaches. In addition, there are three taverns in Aptera with great food and hospitality.

We absolutely loved the house and our holiday here. The location is really beautiful, it’s the last house at the end of the village and therefore surrounded by nature. There are some planes that fly across (as other reviews stated as well), but that didn’t bother us at all. The house itself is super clean and has everything you need. There is plenty of space in the kitchen. Its decoration is modern (in a “clean” way, which we really liked) and has a charming vibe, with light and wooden elements. We especially enjoyed the outside part. There is a pool with plenty of chairs to relax and to enjoy the sun. The location is a bit secluded so it’s helpful to have a car to get around (which you can park right outside the house), eventho you can also walk into the next village (which is about 20-30 minutes by foot). A big thank you goes out to Dimitris. He was super helpful and there for us anytime. It was super easy to contact him and he gave us all the information we needed. Thank you!

We spent two wonderful weeks in Stella's beautiful house in Macheri, which we highly recommend. With the coordinates she sent us, we easily reached the house by car from Chania. The house is in a secluded location about 7 km away from Kalives, a very nice place with a beautiful beach, shopping and restaurants, in the mountains. From the terrace you have a wonderful view of the surroundings. We enjoyed the beautiful quiet atmosphere very much. The kitchenette has everything you need to prepare small dishes. A washing machine is available, and the air conditioning worked smoothly. We didn't meet Stella in person, but the written communication via cell phone was perfect and felt very warm. She responded very quickly to questions. The surroundings are absolutely worth seeing, nice villages with cozy taverns and very friendly inhabitants. We will be back.

Our second visit to Il Silenzio and we hope it will not be the last! We stayed last year when the magical view from the porch enchanted us. Though again we were only two, there is a nice pullout couch for more and another apartment upstairs for rent as well if you have a group. We cook so it was handy to have a kitchen full of utensils, a gas range (I don’t even have one at home!), refrigerator, washing machine and spacious place to hang laundry. We had friends over to enjoy the veranda and to sip wine Virginia left for us. Comfortable bed, clean sheets, lots of blankets, private parking and markets/tavernas nearby. So much to do and see but we felt at home. Thanks again for another wonderful to experience at your home!

The house is in an authentic village, a person can smell even the pressed olives in the air, quite nice! Hosts are friendly and accommodation is nice! The only tip would be to add a bit more/stronger lights as it feels a bit dark inside, as the windows are quite small. I would recommend Stella's place to other travellers!

We absolutely enjoyed the stay. The surroundings are very quiet, except for the sheep and dogs you hardly hear anything. The sheep were definitely a little highlight. The place is nice, clean and well appointed. In about 20 minutes you can walk to the sea and the large beach of Triopetra is great. Unfortunately, the tavernas in the area don't open until mid-April, but that was no problem for us. You definitely need a car to get to the place, but the drive offers picturesque views. The neighbors were absolutely friendly and even invited us to an evening of good food and drink, traditional music and traditional dance. We have taken people straight to heart with their warm, hospitable manner. We would recommend the stay to anyone looking for tranquility and immersion in local life. Panagiotis is also a heart person. He wanted to get to know us and brought us pastries.

We were allowed to spend a week at AnnaMaria's place. Everything as described and nicely decorated. Beds are comfortable. There was even a travel crib and children's dishes. Important: no high chair available but we knew that beforehand and brought our own booster seat. The playground opposite is perfect and the little garden is great for playing. We had a fun time!

My family all had an amazing stay at Maria's place. The location is brilliant. Right on the beach and a short stroll to a number of lovely tavernas. We didn't need to leave the bay so we didn't need a car. We hired one for a day to visit a lake when the coast felt a bit too windy. The house is incredibly well kitted out. So many toys and outdoor play things for the kids. The kitchen has anything you could need - Maria is such a generous and consideerate host. she supplied so many things we might need having a baby in the group. She even cooked us a delicious dinner for our first night - leaving it in the oven for when everyone had arrived. Overall a great stay. My kids were crying about leaving. I nearly did too...!