If you want to see a region rather unknown of Crete and you are looking for peaceful holidays then Amari is the right choice. The villa Idi is an authentic greek house with a wonderful view on the Psiloritis. The very kind owner of the villa is offering greek hospitality "philoxenia" as the ancient greeks defined it. Manolis gave us all the information needed to explore this wonderful region (mountain and sea). We were welcomed with flowers and a food basket. Honestly one can't imagine a more pleasant stay. Leonie R.

We were spending three weeks in Crete and spent 4 nights in Villa Idi in the mountains overlooking Mt Idi, the tallest mountain in Crete...still showing some slivers of snow. The villa has a terrace and pool and is near the top of the village of Amari in the mountains. You can reach the southern beaches or explore this 'unexplored' region of Crete and see what life is like for the 'real' people of Crete. The owner is extremely helpful and was before, during and after our departure...even offering travel tips for our further adventures. In addition, Mrs. Roumy, a lovely woman who has an apartment on site, is available to cook authentic Cretan delicious meals for you to enjoy at the villa.

Sadly we only stayed for 2 nights. 2 of us in a villa for 8 was an indulgence between the beaches of the south and the beaches of the west, so we didn't have time to immerse ourselves in the full Amari experience, but we got a taste and I'm sure we'll be back for more! We did however have more than enough time to appreciate the beauty of the villa and the highest levels of 'customer care' from both Manolis (the owner) and Mrs Rummy (the housekeeper). Within an hour of booking on-line we received a welcome email from Manolis, soon followed by volumes of highly useful information, a menu of authentic Cretan dishes that Mrs Rummy can provide and a choice of recommended routes to Amari from our specific starting point, with personal insights into points of interest detailed along each. Manolis sets the bar very high and does not disappoint. Greeting us from the terrace Manolis proved to be a warm and engaging host, giving us a tour of the villa, making sure that any questions we might have were answered and promising to forward recommendations for our journey onward before we left. Mrs. Rummy was a delight. Never far away but always discrete and the option to have her wonderful food served directly to our terrace was a huge plus for us! As promised, we received a variety of recommendations from Manolis for our onward journey, together with Google map links, which lead us to stunningly remote and little known sites of interest known only to the locals and the well informed. Thank you Manolis! I cannot recommend Amari villas highly enough.

We did not want to leave this wonderful villa and its surrounding landscape! Villa Idi is a true gem that we are so glad to have discovered. It has ample space for families and groups, yet is cosy for couples as well. It is spacious, comfortable and exceptionally well appointed with excellent appliances and facilities. We cannot fault the cleanliness and maintenance of the property and surrounding terraces and gardens. We arrived late at night after our flight to a welcoming 'home from home' offering complimentary fresh bread, wine, raki, flowers and essentials - enough for a couple of days. We must credit the (now infamous!) Mrs Rumy for her excellent hosting during our stay. Like others, we took full advantage of the catering she offers via her extensive menu for dinner - and breakfasts. Whilst there are some lovely tavernas in the area with friendly hosts and excellent food - Mrs Rumy couldn't be surpassed and as a result we ate at the villa a lot. This works well because exploring the local area is a priority - there is so much to see and experience in the Amari valley and surrounding area. We could make the most of our daytime exploring, knowing there would be a delicious feast waiting for us on our return! Here is where we must also credit Manolis, the villa owner. The extensive information for travel, local 'must see' places and the villa provided before our trip helped us prepare and he was always on hand during our stay if we needed advice or help. (We needed little as everything had been thought about in advance and sent to us). In summary the villa, hosting and support are faultless. Support is always available, but you are left to your own relaxation. A bit of space remains to talk about our Cretan experience. A car is recommended if you want to see the area-we made full use of ours during our stay. You soon get used to the roads and in the countryside, the roads are quiet; every corner offering another beautiful vista. From the villa we could see the twinkling lights of at least four other villages across the valley. Wildlife lovers will see animals and birds aplenty in the countryside. History lovers will find ancient monasteries, local culture being kept alive in the villages and some fantastic ancient sites. 10 minutes drive from the villa is a fascinating archaeological dig uncovering an important Minoan palace! Rethymon is also worth a visit (around 30 mins drive). Unforgettable. We would return in a heartbeat. Thank you!

Our third year at Amari Villas over and we are still mesmerised by the panoramic mountain views, beautiful sunsets and the quite nature of village life and sheep bells. Manolis and the most excellent Rumy have made us feel very much at home; with each visit we grow more familiar with the location (both on and off road) and with gorgeous home cooked food from local produce and organic wines. As a family (including 2 teen girls) our expeditions have taken us to beautiful off-the-beaten-track places with details carefully listed in the villa documents, along with all the more familiar information on nearest towns and beaches. Villa Idi has been our house each time, extended one year to include friends in the adjacent villa. Situated high overlooking the village square you are fortunate to have an eye on the activity of village life (and the van deliveries of bread, veg & cheese) whilst enjoying privacy round the pool. We couldn’t have been better provided for, our experience has been deeply memorable and without doubt we will be back. Thank you Manolis. Nicki

We were recommended Villa Idi by friends who have stayed several times, so we expected it to be great. It was so much better. A view out over the lush Amari valley to the drama of the mountains, the sounds of birds and goat bells, amazing walks along winding stone paths, gigantic ancient olive trees and hidden Byzantine chapels. Manolis was incredibly helpful and hospitable and Rumy, who lives on-site is an amazingly good cook, who can provide the best sort of local-produced food for any number of guests. I can't recommend this place enough for anyone who wants to experience Crete away from the crowds and to appreciate the extraordinary beauty of this island.

This is the second year we have stayed at Villa Idi and as before it was superb. Manolis and Rula are amazing hosts and made our stay very special, introducing us to local events, giving great recommendations on things to do in the area and beyond and helping with any questions and queries. Mrs. Rumy's home cooked food is probably some of the best you will find on the island and the taverna at Meronas is also excellent. The Villa, outside space and views are fantastic - a perfect place to relax and unwind. We will be back again I'm sure.

After a long flight from Canada (and a 7-hour jet lag), Amari Villas has been our first stop in Crete to unwind and recharge. What a great decision! A newly renovated ‘’luxurious’’ and traditional style villa (if you can opt for Villa Idi - the one with a private pool - it’s a real plus) with a splendid view on the mountains where you feel a refreshing breeze, you can admire beautiful sunsets, and you can hear the goats climbling up and down. You’ll recieve a warm welcome by Manolis, the owner, who’ll give you a quick tour of the Villa and some suggestions. You’ll also meet Mrs. Rumy, a lovely ladie who lives in her appartment next to the Villas and who’ll take care of you, like your mom would :-), from the moment you arrive until you leave. Forget about going to the restaurant, she has a great menu and she cooks with local and fresh ingredients. Very delicious ! All in all, that’s a must !

We first stayed at Vila Idi in 2016 as a party of 4 adults & 4 children, lured by the glowing reviews on this site. If anything they failed to do it justice. Within a week of returning home, we had booked to return again in 2017. The only reason we have not booked a 3rd stay for 2018 is that we are planning to visit family in Australia next year and probably can’t stretch to going to Crete as well. The villa has been lovingly renovated by the Manolis, owner and still retains a connection with the family home it once was with character to match. Comfortable and well equipped, the interior is cool in the high 20s heat we had for most of our stay. The terrace has wonderful views over the tiled Amari rooftops and rest of the valley with Crete’s highest mountain, Mount Ida (Psiloritis) looming in the distance and is a lovely place to sunbathe, or just sit and relax in the warm evenings. The small pool was also perfect for cooling down in the heat of the day the children were constantly in and out. The Amari valley is a charming series of fields, sleepy villages and twisting, climbing roads which all but forces you to slow down and chill out. The people are unfailingly welcoming and life seems so much rooted in the land. We bought cherries from a lady selling them by the roadside directly from her garden, ate at tavernas where the owner could proudly state that he had grown or reared everything on the menu himself, and once even had pointed out the very goat in the next field which produced the cheese we were eating. We spent an evening sitting on the villa terrace with Manolis drinking raki which was so local he could literally point to the house where it was made while offering directions to the fields where he grows his own grapes. He also provides with the villa, a detailed list of places of interest in the area, (monasteries, tavernas, gorges beaches) which we made full use of. Out of the valley further south, we visited several of Manolis recommended beaches walked though rugged gorges and relaxed with excellent food while watching the sun sink behind the mountains that plunge down into the Mediterranean. We had some really excellent meals out in the local area, and made use of the terrace barbecue. However as an added bonus, the villa’s on site housekeeper Rumy, is able to provided some absolutely wonderful local food on request, and nothing we found anywhere was as delicious as her home cooked meals. Lastly, I cannot really describe how wonderfully welcome and at home both Manolis and Rumy made us feel. You will simply not meet warmer or more generous people who were so happy to do anything to make our stay as enjoyable as possible. A huge thankyou to both for a couple of the best weeks I have ever had. We will most definitely be back

super lokalizacja na wypady w każdym kierunku. Obsługa hotelu jest bardzo dobra. Okolica bardzo ładna spokój cisza pełny Relax bardzo dobre jedzenie / Great location for trips in every direction. The hotel service is very good. Area very nice quiet full relax Very good food. Rumi you are the best. Thanks for Manolis