Villa Nina has one of the best positions that you could possibly wish for, just above Kera Cove beach, (a little gem that rarely features on maps) and only 1km from the popular seaside village of Almyrida. It is rare to find such lovely accommodation in a beautiful countrified setting with direct access to a number of walking trails but also with comprehensive amenities conveniently close at hand yet unobtrusive.
Whilst much of your vacation time will be spent outside enjoying the islands stunning natural beauty and fantastic weather, the interiors at Villa Nina are tasteful, bright, well equipped, and welcoming in every regard. The decor has been carefully thought through with the emphasis firmly placed on ease of summer living. Due to the position so close to the water, breakfast in bed with a gently cooling sea breeze is a wonderful reality from all 3 bedrooms. So if you have ever dreamt about waking up with a vista of turquoise sea stretching out in front of you then this is the property for you.
This versatile home has every possible modern amenity including Free WIFI access, satellite TV and radio, a DVD player, a stereo system; a fully fitted, well equipped kitchen which includes: a ceramic hob, a built-in oven, a microwave oven, a dishwasher, a coffee maker, a kettle, a toaster; a utility area with the washing machine, iron and ironing board; aluminium doors, window frames, shutters, and mosquito screens; and air conditioning units in the bedrooms and living area. The A/C units also double up as heaters for the cooler nights at the start and end of the season. The water is heated by either solar panel or back-up immersion heater, there is a hair dryer, off road parking (this has narrow access), and a key safe with a coded barrel lock that has been fitted just outside the entrance door which means that you can go to the beach or to dinner without having to worry about losing the key.
Despite the good facilities on offer in the cool, relaxing interiors, you will always be inescapably drawn to the vivid aquamarine ocean directly in front of the property so it is a good thing that the outside terraces are also comfortable, well equipped, and with a choice of sun or shade. Many hours will be spent gazing out across the crystal clear waters of Souda Bay to the Akrotiri Peninsula where the twinkling lights seem to compete with the stars that shine so brightly in the night sky. Just outside the living room there is a lounging area with a couch, arm chairs, coffee table, and sun umbrellas, and adjacent to the pool there is a barbeque cabana and a shaded outside eating area that is perfect for dining “al-fresco” on delicious, fresh local produce. The lush lawn and large boules/sand pit are ideal for children to safely run around and play on whilst parents can genuinely relax on any of the outside terraces or the upstairs balcony knowing that they will always have the perfect vantage point to keep a watchful eye on the younger members of the family.
The good size tiled pool offers a gorgeous sensory experience for our guests. It has a Roman end with family friendly steps that make it easy to get in and out of the pool and also provide a perfect place to sit with the feel of both the hot sun and the cool, refreshing water, the stunning view of the bay, and the scents of typically Mediterranean flowers, shrubs, and trees in the gorgeous, well kept garden. It is very rare to find a pool on Crete that has any form of heating, which is a huge plus at the start and end of the season when the pools can be decidedly chilly. Guests at Villa Nina are very fortunate to find that for an extra fee of €245.00 per week in 2024, and €259.00 per week in 2025 (payable in cash in resort to the house manager) the pool can be heated to a minimum of 26 degrees centigrade (except first thing in the morning, at night, and in the unlikely event that there is unseasonal cold or rainy weather when the temperature cannot be guaranteed) and it is therefore ideal for swimming early and late in the season.
For larger groups or families who like to be near to each other yet value their privacy, Villa Nina can be booked in conjunction with the adjacent Kera View Villa which is set on a terrace immediately above and behind Villa Nina, has 3 bedrooms, and can also be seen on the Villas Crete Holidays website.
We highly recommend Villa Nina for its much envied position close to the beach with gorgeous views of the Souda Bay and the White Mountains, and yet within walking distance of shops tavernas, cafes, water sports, and a choice of sandy beaches. While there may be no immediate need for a car, we do highly recommend that you rent one because, at only 10 minutes drive from the National Highway, Kera is the perfect starting point for exploring the rich and varied terrains, and incredible range of activities and experiences that Crete has to offer.
*** N.B. Villa Nina is set on a terraced, walled plot, above the road between the villages of Kalives and Almyrida.
Villa Accommodation
Ground floor (1.5 steps up from the private parking area): Open-plan lounge, dining area and kitchen, 1 cloak room with the washing machine, a large terrace part of which is covered, a barbeque cabana, and a shaded dining terrace.
The entrance door is at the rear of the house and it opens into the hall section of the open plan lounge/dining and kitchen area which has a mirror with a wooden frame. Immediately to the right is the staircase to the top floor, and to the left is the cloak room. The cloak room off-white and brown tiles, a sink with a mirror, spotlights, and a wooden vanity unit, a toilet, a frosted window, a wall cupboard, and a washing machine. The lounge and dining area has a large milk chocolate coloured couch with turquoise cushions , a brown leatherette pouf, a coffee table, a TV unit with cupboards with a flat screen TV, a DVD player, a stereo, a bookcase with a selection of books, a dining table and 6 cream leatherette chairs, diaphanous curtains, and 3 paintings. There are 2 sets of double doors that lead out onto the front sea facing main terrace (part of which is covered) which is equipped with 2 sun umbrellas, a 3 person brown rattan couch with off white cushions, 2 matching arm chairs, and a matching coffee table. Adjacent to the lounge terrace is a covered barbeque cabana which has a barbeque, a refrigerator, a bar, a table, a stool, a sink, and cupboards. Next to the barbeque is a pergola shaded dining area with a table and 6 chairs. The modern, fully equipped kitchen area also has a set of double doors that lead out onto the main terrace, and it has light wood built-in cabinets, black and grey work surfaces, off white wall tiles, a dishwasher, a ceramic hob and built in double oven with cooker hood, a fridge/freezer, a kettle, a toaster, a microwave oven, and a window that looks out over the side garden and parking area.
First Floor (17 steps down from the ground floor): 2 double bedrooms, 1 twin bedroom, 1 en-suite shower room, 1 main shower room, and 1 balcony with views to the sea and mountains.
At the top of the stairs is a hallway with all 3 bedroom doors on the north side of the hallway, whilst the main bathroom door on the south side of the hallway. The first bedroom has a double bed with a white iron headboard, a small cream wood bedside table, reading lamps, a small wall mirror with a mosaic frame, a double wardrobe with hanging space, drawers and shelves, blue string curtains, and double doors that lead out onto balcony with sea and mountain views that is shared with the other 2 bedrooms. The middle bedroom has 2 single beds with reading lamps, a single wardrobe with hanging space, drawers and shelves, a mirror, a bedside table, beige curtains, and double doors that lead out onto the main balcony. Opposite the door to the twin bedroom is the door to the main shower room which has floor to ceiling cream tiles and brown floor tiles, a walk-in shower with a glass brick screen, a vessel sink on a vanity unit, a wall mirror with spotlights, a toilet, and a frosted window. At the end of the hallway is the master bedroom which has a double bed on a wooden platform with a built-in wooden headboard with side shelves with 2 reading lamps, a wardrobe with hanging space and a shelf, a chest of drawers with a circular wall mirror above them, black string curtains, and double doors that lead out onto the main balcony. The en-suite shower room has floor to ceiling cream tiles and brown floor tiles, a walk-in shower with a glass brick screen, a sink with a mirror, spotlights, and a wooden vanity unit, a wooden shelving unit, a toilet, and a frosted window.
*** As of January 01, 2024, the Greek government have replaced the old “bed tax” with a new tax that is applied to all stays in short-term rental accommodation in Greece. The Climate Resilience Levy is a response to the devastating forest fires and floods that Greece has experienced in recent years, with the government hoping to generate extra funding that will go towards financing reconstruction, supporting victims, and increasing the country’s defences against future natural disasters.
The owners of all short-term rental accommodation are legally obliged to collect the Climate Resilience Levy as a separate tax for all overnight stays (per villa) as follows:
In 2024: €10.00 per night on stays between March 01 and October 31, and €4.00 per night on stays between November 01 and February 28/29.
In 2025: €15.00 per night on stays between March 01 and October 31, and €4.00 per night on stays between November 01 and February 28/29.
The Vrbo system does not yet have a section for collecting the Climate Resilience Levy and we have, therefore, had to add it to the billing section as an extra fee which will show on the booking as a Host Fee (until Vrbo update their system).
