It’s no small feat to transform your grandfather’s house in a tiny village into a guesthouse that makes Conde Nast Traveller’s list of the best Airbnbs in Crete for 2024.
Based on reviews from travelers around the world, the magazine compares the hospitality at the guesthouse to that of a luxury hotel.
In its article, Conde Nast Traveller notes: “With an average of 300 sunny days a year, over 100 beaches, a rich archaeological history, and stunning landscapes, Crete continues to hold its place as one of the most popular Greek islands for travelers, year after year. We’ve done the hard work for you and found a list of the best Airbnbs. Each of these has been a visitor favorite, meaning they’ve received high ratings across the board. So, you can book with the confidence that you won’t be disappointed.”
“Thymises” in Haraso – Live Like a Local
The magazine describes the guesthouse “Thymises” in Haraso: “Hidden in the small village of Haraso, this little villa offers a genuine experience of living like a local.
No, you can’t walk to the beach – though Gouves is just a 15-minute drive away, and the bars of Hersonissos and Malia are only 20 minutes by car – but you can enjoy classic Greek hospitality in a pleasant and peaceful setting…
There’s a hot tub, good air conditioning, and plenty of interesting things to discover throughout your stay.
Previous guests have been particularly impressed by the care provided by the hosts, with many comparing the hospitality and attention to detail to staying at a top-tier hotel.”
The house accommodates up to 6 guests, with a minimum stay of 6 nights, priced at around 100 euros per night.
“For Us, They Are Guests, Not Customers” The newspaper reached out to the owners of the guesthouse, Zacharias and Maria Stavrakakis, who were unaware of the magazine or the fact that their property had been selected among thousands of others in Crete. They shared their experience as hosts and the relationships they build with their visitors. Zacharias Stavrakakis explained:
“It’s the home of my wife’s grandfather’s father, built 140 years ago, and it reminds us of everything that our family lived through in this place.
There are many memories, photos, objects, and keepsakes that we’ve left untouched in the space. These are our memories, and we share them with our guests – that’s how we see them, not as customers, ever since we decided to rent the house for 6 months out of the year in 2019. The other 6 months, we live here ourselves.”
He added that they take care to pick up guests from the airport and bring them to the village, staying close by in case they need anything, and always offering a small gift like wine, olive oil, or raki.
This year, they had many guests, and by the end of November, they’re looking forward to enjoying the house themselves once again.
“We’re doing fine, we don’t want to get rich; we just want our guests to have a good time,” commented Mr. Stavrakakis, who was thrilled to hear about the recognition from Conde Nast Traveller, even though he hadn’t heard of it before.