This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.
10/10 Excellent
Danuta D., London
26 Jun 2017
Unspoilt paradise with amazing views
Kea is a quiet, relatively undeveloped and unspoilt island. As soon as you arrive you can't help but relax as people are friendly and the living is easy. Villa Sandra Maria is the icing on the cake. It is the last of a group of three villas built down the cliff side so has uninterrupted views, privacy and quiet. The infinity pool was so inviting and warm and the views were amazing. I somehow awoke every morning and watched the sunrise, and we dined outdoors every evening and watched the sun set. Heaven! There are so many different areas to sit, two large, shaded outdoor dining areas, one sheltered from the occasional wind, which was actually quite a pleasant feature in the heat. Because the villa faces north you can find shady areas to sit while still looking out on the view, including a secluded, mature garden area. We stayed in the main house which has an open plan master bedroom suite upstairs with three balconies. There was also a smaller double bedroom downstairs with separate shower room. They both featured plenty of storage and the two showers were powerful and the water hot - there was even a cold outdoor shower which was really handy for the pool. The comfort and decor of the villa makes you feel at home straight away as it has many of Olga's paintings and lovely touches to make it feel like a home. Every detail has been thought of, the villa has surplus amounts of towels, linens and crockery, so we did not want for anything while staying here. Correspondence with Olga, the owner manager was excellent. She responded quickly to any queries, booked the ferry crossing for us and when we experienced problems with the wifi she sent somebody to fix it immediately. We visited two of the local beaches, where you can park on the side of the road, under the trees and wander down to the sheltered, sandy coves which are well organised with loungers to rent. There are many options for eating out nearby, including a yacht marina with several restaurants, or for cheaper restaurants visit the lovely hill town of Ioulida. We shopped for all our food at the supermarket, bakery, butcher and fishmonger in the port and also bought fresh fish from a man on a boat and loved being able to buy delicious local produce grown on the island. We really did not want to leave and will definitely return now that we have found this beautiful island and gorgeous villa.
