Villa Balsam: Luxury villa with private swimming pool, garden, and barbeque.

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Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

4 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 10172 sq m

Popular amenities

Dryer
Parking available
Washer
Pet-friendly
Fireplace
Pool

Explore the area

Kato Valsamonero, Rethymno, Crete, 74100

University of Crete
‪15 min drive‬
Rethymnon Venetian Port
‪16 min drive‬
Argiroupoli Springs
‪16 min drive‬
Chania (CHQ-Ioannis Daskalogiannis)
‪76 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 4

1 Queen Bed

3 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Bidet · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 3

Bathtub or shower · Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Balcony

Garden

Dining area

About this property

[Register number of tourist businesses (MH.T.E.): 1041K112K2773101]

Villa Balsam is a 172 sq.m. house built in a 850 sq.m. plot near the village Kato Valsamonero. The villa is suitable for 7-10 persons (4 bedrooms) and has a private pool with deckchairs and parasols.

On the ground floor there is a spacious dining room, 2 living rooms, fireplace, TV 32', satellite TV, computer with internet access and a fully equipped kitchen. Moreover, there is access with special ramps and a suitable bathroom for handicapped on the ground floor.

On the upper floor there are 4 bedrooms in total which are are twin bedrooms .There is an option of 2 camp beds which can be placed anywhere in the villa. Also on the upper floor there two bathrooms. All bedrooms are fully air-conditioned and have a TV 22' and bedside tables.

In the garden there is a barbecue, a traditional wood oven, and outdoor furniture along with several aromatic herbs. Moreover, a new outdoor playground offers pleasure to the young guests. The Villa Balsam has solar water heater,parking lot, and alarm system. In addition, traditional Cretan music nights can be organized upon request.

The nearest beach is only 4km away. The town of Rethymno is 14km away and the nearest traditional tavern is 200m away.

Property manager

Elisavet Kallitsounaki

Premier Host

Languages

English, Greek

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Pool

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Air conditioning

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House Rules

Flexible check-in available (contact host in advance of arrival)

Flexible check-out available (contact host to arrange)

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

Events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

Parties and events are allowed on site

Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip

Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

Property Registration Number 1041Κ112K2773101

We should mention

Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 500, due to national regulations; for further details, please contact the property using the information in the booking confirmation

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Rethymno, Crete

What's nearby

University of Crete - 15 min drive - 12.9 km
Rethymnon Venetian Port - 16 min drive - 13.8 km
Argiroupoli Springs - 16 min drive - 12.0 km
Episkopi Beach - 19 min drive - 11.7 km
Georgioupolis Beach - 25 min drive - 16.3 km

Getting around

Chania (CHQ-Ioannis Daskalogiannis) - 76 min drive

Restaurants

‪Πρίμα Πλώρα - ‬13 min drive
‪Ταβέρνα Ανδρουλιδάκης - ‬11 min drive
‪Fisalida - ‬8 min drive
‪Staras - ‬7 min drive
‪Taverna Alekos - ‬13 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Villa Balsam: Luxury villa with private swimming pool, garden, and barbeque. have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Villa Balsam: Luxury villa with private swimming pool, garden, and barbeque. pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

Where is Villa Balsam: Luxury villa with private swimming pool, garden, and barbeque. located?

Located by the sea, this family-friendly villa is within 9 mi (15 km) of Petres Beach, Episkopi Beach and Argiroupoli Springs. Municipal Garden and Rethymnon Municipal Garden are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.4/10

Communication

9.2/10

Location

9.2/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Catherine M.

18 September 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Villa Balsam

Lovely home near Rethymo. The owner was so helpful and made us feel very comfortable. If your looking for a relaxing and quiet place in Crete, book Villa Balsam!

Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Nicola G.

12 August 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication

Wonderful holiday

Amazing hosts. Wonderful villa with a little pool area for toddlers it was perfect. Really attentive owners. Stunning views

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2023

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Tim L.

2 August 2015

Magnificent villa - highly recommended!!!

- very beautiful house and garden - extremely friendly and supportive house owner - cleaning service (house, pool & outside area) every few days inlcluded - plenty of space and enough comfortable slepping places for 8 adults - quiet surrounding with great views on the mountains I would highly recommend this villa to anyone who is going to Crete!!!

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Dorlee L.

20 August 2017

We had a wonderful time ! The villa is lovely, we were 10 people and it was perfect.

The villa is in a very nice location, good for day trips to the beach or near by villages. Eva our host was very hospitable and helpful. Great pool, a generous supply of towels (home, pool, beach), and well stocked for cooking at home. Very suitable for an extended family, all ages. A Really Great stay! We recommend it!

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

John C.

5 August 2018

Gorgeous villa, well equipped and fantastic hosts!

Villa Balsam is a fabulous place, in a lovely location with amazing views. We had an extended family group and it was just ideal. The villa is fitted out to a very high standard and Evangelia was brilliant. We had a great night at a local festival with traditional food, music and dancing (invited by our hosts!) and spent many fun evenings in Rethymno. We did plenty of exploring too, a car is essential, but also enjoyed cooking at the villa, the BBQ was well used and we also used the Pizza oven!! Overall it was brilliant.

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2018

This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Martine S.

10 June 2017

Picturesque views and great location

My family and I (2 adults and 2 children - 3yrs and 7yrs) had a great weeks holiday at Villa Balsam. The villa is immaculate inside and out. Breath taking views of the white mountains to look out upon and a beautiful maintained garden and pool. Rethymnon is only a 15 min drive for all the trappings of a busy city and beach but more importantly the Old Town where there is a great selection of craft shops and restaurants. The family welcomed us on arrival with local food and drink and showed us round the villa. The villa is cared for by the family and they make you feel special, with cheese pie treats, fresh eggs, local Raki and on hand if needed. Thank you again for sharing Villa Balsam with us, we thoroughly enjoyed our rest.

Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2017

10/10 Excellent

Liz P.

25 June 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful

The photos don’t do it justice- it’s beautiful, romantic and the outdoor areas are huge. The villa is well equipped inside and out and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this as an amazing holiday stay. The family are lovely, and welcomed us to the villa. Elisavet was contactable and quick to respond. They went over and above when my daughter’s soft toy was lost and were able to locate and return it. The mattresses are on the hard side (for my preference) but other mattress toppers by way of cot bed mattresses are available and made the beds really comfortable. The cleaning and maintenance duo were thorough, did a great job and were very friendly. The location was great- close to beaches and Rethymno town. We will be booking for next year!

Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

1 October 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Eine wunderschöne Villa

Es war ein wunderschöner Aufenthalt in Elizavets Villa Balsam. Es hat uns an nichts gefehlt. Wir kommen gerne wieder. Vielen Dank für die Souvenirs (selbstgemachte Seife und RAKI) zum Ende unseres Aufenthaltes.

Stayed 12 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

Angela R.

22 September 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in

Disliked: Communication

Villa Balsam

Der Zugang zum Haus war sehr berschwerlich, für Personen mit eingeschrenkter Beweglichkein ist es kein gutes Feriendomizil. Wir mussten täglich eine steile Einfahrt hoch laufen oder 35 Stufen steil bergauf. Alles andere im Haus war aber in Ordnung. Der Ausblick war super. wir hatten auch guten Kontakt zum Vermieter, der sehr freundlich war.

Stayed 11 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Greg V.

15 August 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Séjour en Crête

Magnifique séjour, super villa, très confortable, hôtes super gentils. Villa bien située pour découvrir les (larges) horizons !

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Tim E., Darmstadt

15 September 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Familienurlaub typisch kretisch!

Wir (Familie mit vier Kindern) waren sehr zufrieden mit unserem Aufenthalt in der "Villa Balsam". Das Ferienhaus liegt in einem kleinen Bergdorf und ist wie der Garten mit Pool sehr gepflegt und sauber. Die Aussicht ist überwältigend. Es riecht angenehm nach Blumen und Kräutern. Es gibt sogar 2x/Woche eine Hausreinigung mit frischer Bettwäsche, Handtüchern und Müllentsorgung. Für eine Großfamilie ist das Kücheninventar geeignet - es ist alles in ausreichender Zahl vorhanden und es gibt große Kochtöpfe. Man merkt überall in der Villa die Liebe zum Detail. Die Anwohner sind freundlich und zuvorkommend. Man kann in der Nähe vorzüglich in den Tavernen für kleines Geld essen. Kleine Supermärkte mit den notwendigen Dingen sind gut erreichbar. Der Service/die Kommunikation zu An-/und Abreise und während des Urlaubes ist sehr freundlich, es gibt ein Willkommenspaket und Abschiedsgeschenke! Wir empfehlen diese Unterkunft unbedingt weiter!

Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

NATHALIE R., NANTES

21 August 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Superbe !

Superbe villa où passer d’excellentes vacances. Hôtes très agréables. Prestations haut de gamme. Propreté et entretien irréprochables. A réserver les yeux fermés !

Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Marc D.

5 August 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

super séjour !

Villa très bien placée, très spacieuse, un espace piscine exceptionnel. Les propriétaires sont très bien et très a l'écoute. La villa est extrêmement agréable à vivre et il ne manque rien. L'espace extérieur est fabuleux pour les repas de toute la famille. Nous reviendrons dans cette villa si nous revenons en Grèce.

Stayed 10 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Dr Holger K.

10 July 2020

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wundervoll

Wer Abseits vom Grossstadt Trubel eine tolle Finca sucht ist hier genau richtig. Mit viel Liebe zum Detail und ausgestattet mit allem was man braucht beginnt der Urlaub sofort. Von unkomplizierter Kontaktaufnahme im Vorfeld über Kontakt per WhatsApp oder telefonisch während des Urlaubes bis hin zur Verabschiedung durch die liebevolle Familie einfach toll. Die Finca selbst ist exakt wie beschrieben in einem hohem Standart und super gepflegt inkl. dem Pool. Die Aussicht traumhaft. Ganz eindeutig Wiederholungscharakter. Liebe Grüße an die ganze Familie P. S. Viele kleine Tavernen sind sehr zu empfehlen mit traditioneller Küche in der Umgebung. Insb. "The Olive" ist einen Besuch wert.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

2 November 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Erholsamer Urlaub in den Bergen

Wir machten Urlaub in der Villa Balsam im Oktober 2019. Die Villa ist sehr großzügig, vor allem der Außenbereich ist wunderschön. Wir wurden trotz Verspätung unsererseits sehr freundlich empfangen. Die Vermieter waren jederzeit für uns ansprechbar und reagierten in Problemfällen sehr schnell. Wir fühlten uns bestens aufgehoben und hatten schöne Tage in der Villa. Herzlichen Dank dafür!

Stayed 9 nights in Sep 2019

10/10 Excellent

simon s.

1 September 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful Time

What a wonderful villa and great holiday we had, this was our first time to Crete and we all enjoyed it immensely. We flew into Heraklion airport, hired a car and drove to the villa, a word of advice please follow the owners directions to the villa. I thought I knew better and used google maps and unfortunately for us it took us twice as long as it should have to reach the villa. Once we finally arrived the owner was there to greet us and show us around, the driveway to the villa is quite steep and there was absolutely no way our small under powered hire car was getting up the drive so we ended parking outside the villa which was no problem. The location is rural and remote with fantastic views of the mountains from the seating area outside. Rethymnon is about 35 minutes away by car but the bus service is regular as clockwork and we used it to travel into Rethymno several times Photos on the website do not convey the size of the villa it’s much larger than you think, the seating area outside was perfect for enjoying breakfast and whiling away several hours in the evening. Wi-Fi is great we were even able to match our local football games on the iPad in the seating arear outside. The pool area was great, plenty of sun shades and loungers, however I would say that the pool depth took us by surprise as it doesn’t slope it is the same depth all the way round. One or two of our party were on the slightly shorter side so did struggle not being able to touch the floor but other than that it excellent and most importantly cool. During our stay we found our neighbours kept chickens which also meant they had a cockerel, we fondly named him “Frank” he certainly gave us our early morning wake-up call! We spent several days of the holiday on the beach in Episkopi, we can highly recommend it, plenty of space, taverna’s on the beach and free sunbeds! Can highly recommend the local restaurants we tried several but the outstanding restaurant I would say is called Tavern Androulidakis in Gonia, fantastic food, very friendly hosts the only downside is we found this restaurant on our last night! The Stone Family August 2019

Stayed 14 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Anne-Erita B.

30 July 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Flott villa

En flott villa med alt man trenger for en familie på åtte. Vi var fem voksne og tre barn som hadde to fantastiske uker i Villa Balsam. Bassenget og uteområdet var som "balsam" når vi kom varme og slitne tilbake fra turer rundt om på Kreta. God mat på tavernaene i nærheten gjorde at vi hadde flere dager ved bassenget og i huset. Bil må man ha, med den beliggenheten som villaen har. Deilig å komme tilbake til huset og landsbyen etter en bytur.

Stayed 15 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Martine S.

22 July 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Our second stay at Villa Balsam and even better. Great location near the city and perfect hosts.

Great location, everything within the villa you would expect and a breathe taking view.

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Viktoria W.

23 June 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Traumhafter Urlaub

Wir haben 9 Nächte und Tage in der grosszügigen tollen Villa verbracht. Der Pool, der Grill und Essbereich haben eine traumhafte Aussicht auf die Berge Kretas. Die Ausstattung des Hauses ist super und die Klimatisierung ebenso. Das Örtchen ist ein verschlafenes kleines authentisches griechisches Örtchen. Ohne touristische Attraktionen, Tavernen oder Supermekets. Ein Auto ist immer notwendig. Alle Tavernen und Einkaufsmöglichketen sind in 10 Minuten erreichbar. Der Strand ist in 15 Minuten erreichbar. Die Vermieter sind sehr sehr freundlich, hilfsbereit und grosszügig. Vielen Dank liebe Elisavet für die gute und schöne Zeit in ihrem Haus !!

10/10 Excellent

Elke A.

28 May 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wunderschöne Anlage in sehr bergiger Gegend

Wir hatten einen traumhaften Urlaub, vielen Dank! Besonders die Kinderfreundlichkeit der Anlage (sofern die Kinder schon sicher Treppen laufen können), der Ausblick und der Kontakt mit der Vermieterin sind als außerordentlich positiv hervorzuheben. Lediglich die Anfahrt über die engen und steilen Bergstraßen war ziemlich abenteuerlich, aber wenn man sich darauf einstellt, ist es kein Problem. Klare Empfehlung!

Stayed 10 nights in May 2019

10/10 Excellent

Damian H.

27 October 2018

Lovely remote villa in Crete hillsides with amazing views

We have just returned from a half term break with friends at Villa Balsam. The villa was lovely and very well equipped for our needs (4 adults + 4 children). The pool and ground were well kept and the views across the valley idyllic. Elizavet and her family were amazing hosts and very welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. We would have no hesitations in recommending this villa for a family or group get away.

Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Sara R.

28 September 2018

Eine Villa, die keine Wünsche offen lässt!

Wir waren mit vier Erwachsenen und zwei Kindern in dieser Villa auf Kreta und haben dort einen unfassbar schönen Urlaub erlebt. Man hat von der Villa einen herrlichen Blick auf das Bergpanorama von Kreta und die Innenausstattung der Villa entspricht voll und ganz den dargestellten Fotos. Man spürt außerdem sofort, dass auch Kinder hier herzlich willkommen sind. Die Kommunikation mit der Vermieterfamilie war stets sehr freundlich. Sie waren jederzeit für uns erreichbar und haben immer ihre Hilfe angeboten. Zudem haben sie uns sogar ein paar kleine Geschenke am Ende unseres Urlaubs überreicht! Wir können diese wunderschöne Villa wirklich auf jeden Fall sehr empfehlen und wir können uns auch sehr gut vorstellen hier nochmal einen Urlaub zu verbringen!

Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Neil L.

16 September 2018

A beautful holiday in Crete - summer 2018

A beautiful villa! From the start, the booking was easy and the owner’s family were very responsive and accommodating to all our enquiries right up to our day of departure. Despite being a late flight we were welcomed with a smile not forgetting their gorgeous homemade cheese pies and local greens’ pies all washed down with the family’s own raki! The villa’s own olive oil is also very tasty and a delight. Look out for the fresh bread man and his van at 10:20 you’ll hear him pipping. The owners were very helpful during our stay but not intrusive and made sure we had an enjoyable stay. We were an extended family of eight and the villa easily accommodated all of us without being in each other’s laps. There were three children in our party and the villa was perfect for their enjoyment (and ours) from the clean swimming pool, swings, basketball net and the wifi connected PC. There are even two bicycles, which we used to ride into the local villages albeit in the relative cool of the morning and evening. The location is beautiful with fantastic views of Crete’s mountains and interior. The rural location is very relaxing and peaceful but Rethymnon is only about 25 minutes away by car and there’s even a daily bus service! The beach is a similar distance away. The local village is a typical relaxing Cretan agricultural village, we enjoyed walks to and through the village and were invited for drinks in the local café by very generous and welcoming local residents. To summarise we had a beautiful holiday, the villa was perfect for our every need and the owners made sure we enjoyed our stay and had a truly wonderful time, which we did! We thank them for letting us enjoy and stay in their villa and also for all their hospitality from the olive oil to the lovely gifts at the end of our stay, we hope to see you again soon – the Lewis’, August 2018.

10/10 Excellent

pavel c.

23 August 2018

beautiful villa with a great host

The place was beautiful, very large (we were two families with three very young kids), with a great swimming pool and bbq area as well as a great patio. It is just outside the little village of Kato Valsamonero, so in a very quiet location with a stunning view. It also remained very cool in the evenings and there was a constant breeze, so we did not need to use air conditioning at night. Eva and her family made us feel very welcome, responding to all of our requests and making us feel very welcome, including being at the villa to meet us at 2.30am! Would highly recommend.

10/10 Excellent

alexandra c.

3 August 2018

Villa incroyable en pleine nature, des hôtes extrêmement gentils

Nous avons passé 15 jours fabuleux dans cette villa qui a tout pour relaxer et bien vivre ses vacances. Nous étions 3 adultes et 2 enfants. Elle est spacieuse, opérationnelle, très propre. Merci aux propriétaires pour leur gentillesse, disponibilité, générosité et discrétion, merci également à Sofia, nous avons adoré notre séjour grâce à vous!

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2018

About the host

Hosted by Elisavet Kallitsounaki

My name is Elisavet Kallitsounaki. I have graduated from the University of Piraeus and I am a professional Accountant. I am running my own accounting office in Rethymno, Crete.

I am a mother of two young ladies, Kiki and Eva, and I am married to Mathios.

Why they chose this property

Villa Balsam is a luxury house built in a peaceful area. The biggest advantage of my villa is the fact that, even if it is built in the wonderful Cretan countryside, it is close to everything a guest may need. In our village,you can take part in goat milking,mountain hiking,cooking together local food and pies and try our fresh farm eggs.The closest beach is only 4km away in Gerani beach, while the town of Rethymno is 14km away.

What makes this property unique

Calmness, Privacy, Luxury, Countryside, Close-to-everything location.

Languages:

English, Greek

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests

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Villa Balsam: Luxury villa with private swimming pool, garden, and barbeque.

Photo gallery for Villa Balsam: Luxury villa with private swimming pool, garden, and barbeque.

Reviews

Popular amenities

Explore the area

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2

Bedroom 3

Bedroom 4

3 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Bathroom 3

Spaces

About this property