"Villa Kerasia" Inn - Kerasia (Heraklion)

				Villa Kerasia Hotel/Inn Pictures: Where it is: Kerasia, see map Open: April to October  Type: Distinctive, Hillside rural inn with pool Number of rooms: 8 2 people/night: 75 to 88 € Why we like it: Peaceful hillside rural location, attractive, fine building, real inn atmosphere, "elegant smallness", dry & airy

OUR REVIEW
When you drive up into the hills the views open up and the trees and rocks become interesting. As all traces of the the city, then the town and finally even the nearby village vanish, Villa Kerasia quietly greets you with its pleasing country house standing on the hillside. Even on the first visit it feels like you are seeing a trusted old friend again.

Villa Kerasia offers a welcoming face that only a building of this quality provides, in this ideal setting, with the beauty of the hills rolling into the distance. Clinging to the hillsides are several villages which you might visit. The countryside around beckons: a lush green much of the year, arable and tree-lined, rock outcrops, distant colourful boxes of beehives, the vineyards beyond. This is a busy wine-making area and the vintages on offer are growing in appeal and quality. Kerasia is here to tempt you, a rather grand country house. A fine small inn.

The air is clear, morning mists miss you and dampen only those in the valleys below  -  leaving you and the few lucky guests at Kerasia to enjoy a drier more palatable climate, rarely too hot, always relaxing.

At Villa Kerasia, the lobby and dining area for guests has a discreet and quiet small back room for quiet corner conversations (it includes the old olive press mill stones). Breakfast (included in the price) in the main hall is a delight and evening meals can be enjoyed at Kerasia when previously requested the same morning. An evening meal is 12 or 15 euros per person (vegetarian or with meat dish) and includes drinks.
Drinks are available when you wish, there is a basic bar selection.

The entrance area leads, via its salvaged ancient iron railing, upstairs to the bedrooms. Two rooms are entered from the outside terrace on the ground level by the main entrance front door. And another is separate, sitting beside the pool facing the hills. The building has been completely re-established, constructed out of old stones salvaged from the original house.

Bedrooms are a perfect blend of light stone and wood finishes - most have wood-beamed ceilings. Doors and window frames are a near-white bleached wood, adding to the light airy feel created by the modern abutting the ancient stones of this country house.
All first floor rooms have views, most across the pool and terrace area, to the rolling hills beyond.
Bedrooms have bathrooms with shower or bathtub, air conditioning, TV with satellite channels, mini-fridge (to keep your own beverages or snacks).
Most have light-wash colored wood beamed ceilings.

The L-shaped pool is large enough for morning laps and well sited for floating and gazing across arable landscapes from its cooling waters, which seem to continue into the infinity of the landscape beyond and below.

The drive from Heraklion airport is surprisingly short for such a welcome rural retreat, at about 35-50 minutes (depending on traffic).

At Villa Kerasia you are just walking distance from the nearest village (a pretty walk by the way).
On any day you choose to explore, the archaeological site of Rizinia affords spectacular views if you walk to it on the way up the  small road which passes Kerasia to Asites.
Drive down towards the main road, just 5 minutes away, at Venerato, and there are several places to eat. Then drive on down south to Gortyna, Phaestos, Zaros or the south coast lapping on the shore at Lentas or the cave-surrounded beach of Matala. The scenic drive via time-worn villages, to Amari is also within reach.

Villa Kerasia Photo Gallery
Read our Heraklion feature

THE ROOMS
6 rooms for two people and 2 rooms that take three people (these have a double bed and a sofa-bed; one of the rooms has a partly separate bedroom, but without closing door - the other is single-space).
In all rooms: Double beds, air conditioning*, chairs for relaxing or writing, writing table, TV and satellite channels, mini-fridge. Bathrooms have shower or bathtub.

*Except for the 2 ground floor rooms, which cannot have air conditioning (they are, however, naturally cooler because of their position).

DISTANCES
Heraklion centre - 22 km, Heraklion airport - 27 km, Venerato 2.5 km.
We recommend that you rent a car, other means of transport are limited and/or infrequent (you cannot reach Villa Kerasia by public transport).

RATES 2008 (rates include our Superb, All-questions-answered Personal service)

Rates are per room, per night. They include breakfast, air conditioning and all taxes.
Children (0-12 years) are free of charge (baby-cot provided for small children).
MINIMUM STAY: 2-5 nights, depending on season.

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