Villa Zara provides amenities like a garden and laundry facilities.
Reviews
1010 out of 10
Exceptional
Entire home
3 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 7136 sq m
Popular amenities
Pool
Kitchen
Washer
Air conditioning
Outdoor Space
Parking available
Add dates for prices
About this property
Entire place
You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.
Villa Zara
Sea and mountain Views from each of three terraces over which Villa Zara’s grounds extend, capture the very essence of Crete; the comings and goings of the occasional ferry boat, hilltops capped by sparkling white villages and mountains rising dreamily in the distance. A totally modern Villa, Zara has been constructed and decorated using the best of Cretan tradition, with gleaming wood beamed ceilings and wood furnishings. A few individual villas scatter the hillside on which the Villa is built, from which privacy is maintained behind tree lined, stone walls.
1 km uphill from the sandy sweep of pretty Almerida, with its tavernas almost on the sand itself, the village of Plaka, has a mini market and some very good tavernas whose tables and chairs spill out onto the square, bringing it to life in the evenings. Villa Zara is 800m wandering distance from this square. For a change of beach scene, the small resort of Kalives and Georgioupolis are within easy striking distance. Chania Venetian Harbour is 25 kms away and Rethymnon 40 kms.
Outside Villa Zara
Swimming Pool - Tiled, 9m x 4.5m private pool with roman step entry and jacuzzi jets. Depth 1m - 1.70m.
Sea View Pool Terrace - Surrounding tiled terrace with sun beds, parasol and sofa set.
Sea View Barbecue Terrace - Purpose built barbecue, dining table with benches under a pergola, sink with tap.
Sea View Dining Terrace - Spacious tiled terrace with a large dining table and chairs,
A drying area and washing machine at the rear.
Sea View First Floor Balcony - Furnished with a small table and chairs.
Garden - Grass area and olive trees.
Ground Floor
Sitting Area - Lower level sitting area with corner open fireplace, Satellite TV (limited channels/news only), DVD, comfortable modern/traditional Cretan Sofa and 2 chairs, 3 windows with garden views. Air con unit
Dining Area - Upper Level dining area with wooden table and seating for 6
Kitchen Area - Wooden fronted fitted cupboards, double sink, electric hob, electric oven, microwave, fridge freezer, dishwasher and espresso maker (Tassimo brand capsules)
Twin Bedroom with en suite shower room - 2 single beds, double glass doors to covered pool view terrace and window with sea views. Air con unit.
First Floor
Double Bedroom with, en suite shower room - 1 double bed, window with sea view, French doors to sea view terrace, (shared with twin bedroom ). Air con unit.
Twin Bedroom with en suite shower room - 2 single beds, double glass doors to sea view balcony (shared with double bedroom), window with sea view & window with mountain view. Air con unit.
A 7th person (child) can be accommodated on a simple folding bed, suitable for a child up to c. 12 years old.
Housekeeping
Your Villa will be prepared for you on arrival with fresh bath and hand towels and all beds made up.
For stays of 7 nights or more - house towels will be changed every 3 - 4 days.
For stays of 14 nights or more - bed linen will be changed every 7 days.
Pool/beach towels - one per person for the duration of your stay.
Parking - There is space for parking next to the Villa inside the gated entrance.
Property amenities
Pool/Spa
Pool
Parking and transportation
Parking on site
Kitchen
Coffee/tea maker
Dishwasher
Electric kettle
Microwave
Oven
Refrigerator
Toaster
Bedrooms
3 bedrooms
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
3 bathrooms
Hair dryer
Shower
Towels provided
Living spaces
Fireplace
Entertainment
Cable/satellite channels
DVD player
Outdoor areas
Balcony
Barbecue grill
Fenced yard
Garden
Laundry
Laundry facilities
Washing machine
Comfort
Air conditioning
Pets
No pets allowed
Suitability/Accessibility
Smoking not allowed
Services and conveniences
Iron/ironing board
Safe
Location highlights
In a rural location
Safety features
Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Rules
Checkin 16:00-00:00
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Events
No events 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
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
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 indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Property Registration Number 91002979901
We should mention
Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 500, due to national regulations; for further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation
About the neighborhood
Located in Apokoronas, this villa is in a rural area. Port of Souda and Old Venetian Harbor are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Georgioupolis Beach and Stavros Beach. Art of Living Glass Factory and Maritime Museum of Crete are also worth visiting. Visit our Apokoronas travel guide
Situated in a rural location, this villa is within 2 mi (3 km) of Art of Living Glass Factory, Almyrida Beach, and Koutalas Beach. Kera is 2.5 mi (4.1 km) away.
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Villa Zara Reviews
Reviews
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 12 out of 12 reviews
10 - Excellent
12
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 12 reviews
8 - Good
0
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 12 reviews
6 - Okay
0
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 12 reviews
4 - Poor
0
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 12 reviews
2 - Terrible
0
10
Cleanliness
10
Location
Reviews
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Marlies
11 September 2024
Superb!
Great house with a very nice pool with a fabulous view in the sea.
Marlies
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Katie
8 September 2023
Loved loved LOVED Villa Zara!
This villa was perfection.. location, view, pool, shady area to eat and cleanliness.. we loved walking to Plaka. We loved Almyrida to eat. We loved the beach at Kalyves.. it was just a perfect holiday for our family! We met some friends at Bali Beach one day as this was a good half way point to where they were staying and this was really fun.
There wasn’t a thing we would change - we had the best holiday and with the English summer weather being so bad, what a year to choose our first family Crete holiday!
Katie
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Mary
25 October 2024
Best view in Crete!
I have been visiting Crete with Freelance for about 20 years and have stayed in many of their excellent villas, but I think Villa Zara must top the list!
The house itself is fine, with 3 en-suite bedrooms. The kitchen and living area is small but perfectly adequate and the outside area is huge. There is a large swimming pool, large barbecue area and large grassed area.
The view sweeps around from the beautiful Lefki Ora mountains to Souda Bay and the Akrotiri Peninsular.
The arrival instructions!!
I'll write an email to you
Mary
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Stephen
28 October 2025
October sun in Villa Plaza
Our extended family stays in villa Zara every year and it is our ‘happy place’ where we always feel relaxed and distant from the pressures of the U.K. There are excellent restaurants in nearby Plaka (especially the incredible Elpis) and it is a short drive to great beaches at Almerida and Kalives. The villa itself has a great pool and good facilities.
Stephen
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Amanda
30 August 2022
Fabulous Family Holiday
Villa Zara was perfect for our family holiday. The set up around the pool was brilliant - so many different spots to take in the beautiful views, read in the shade and soak up the sun. Easy walk to Plaka for some lovely tavernas. Great support from Diane and the team. We loved it!
Amanda
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
David
26 July 2023
Stunning villa in a beautiful location.
The location is perfect, with only a short (10 minute) walk to the Plaka village for the tavernas and local supermarkets. The stunning views from the terrace and poolside, especially the sunsets make this a fantastic location for a holiday. The air conditioning in the bedrooms was essential, and the pool a blessing for cooling off in the hot Cretan sun. Access to t
Poolside shower wasn’t working which was a pity. Plenty outside taps though to rinse off suncream before cooling off in the pool.
David
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Jean
1 July 2022
Another fantastic Freelance villa
Lovely location, super pool, spacious bedrooms, lovely outdoor and bbq area. Helpful and welcoming owners. Fantastic views.
My husband and his friends have commented that it would be much better if the toaster had 4 slots rather than 2 because it takes too long to make toast for everyone in the morning! 🤣 I am almost embarrassed to give this feedback as everything else was perfect.
Jean
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
John
6 September 2021
We loved it !!
We were all overwhelmed by our stay at this wonderful villa in Almirida. It is large, spacious and airy, with many different outside areas in which to relax and enjoy the incredible views. The photos really don't do justice to the amazing sea views you get of the bay - and the fabulous sunsets. We only had a week here this year and very happily spent 3 days just chilling out at the villa. We had all we needed there! The pool is fantastic. The local supermarket in Plaka, has everything you could need - with the restaurants in the village providing a variety of atmospheres and menus. This is our third time in the area, and the best villa we have stayed in. Diana at Freelance Villas was really helpful and on hand at any time to help with any queries we had. We loved it!
David , Date of arrival - 14 August 2021
John
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Nico
29 September 2021
Nicest vacation
Everything was perfect and we will be back
Nico
From a partner site
10/10 Excellent
Stephen
15 September 2021
Howells family stay at Villa Zara
Our family of 6 stay at the beautiful Villa Zara every year and we always regard it as our ‘happily place’ where we can all relax and enjoy the pool and the amazing view. We have got to know the local restaurants and shop in Plaka and look forward to seeing them each year.
We were all overwhelmed by our stay at this wonderful villa. It is large, spacious and airy, with many different outside areas in which to relax and enjoy the incredible views. The photos really don't do justice to the amazing views you get of the bay - and the fabulous sunsets. We only had a week here this year and very happily spent 3 days just chilling out at the villa. We had all we needed there! The pool is fantastic. The local supermarket in Plaka, has everything you could need - with the restaurants in the village providing a variety of atmospheres and menus. This is our third time in the area, and the best villa we have stayed in. Diana at Freelance Villas was really helpful and on hand at any time to help with any queries we had. We loved it!