As always my timing was terrible. We planned our little escape for the end of July which happened to co-inside with the hottest week in the U.K.
After sifting through hundreds of hotels we stumbled across the lovely Villa Oliva. Sitting on the outskirts of Rethymno Town, this little retreat offered us a tranquil haven for the week. It has the best of both worlds; whilst being a quiet and cozy hotel it gives you access to the nearby bigger Creta Palace Luxury Resort, where we enjoyed the private beach and spa. (I had the most amazing ayurveda head massage).
From the moment we stepped into Villa Oliva we felt at home. After we had drunk our warm Malotira tea we were shown to our beautiful room. All the rooms are finished in rattan and bamboo furnishings with mediterranean terracotta floors. The crisp white bed sheets and marble bathrooms sit beautifully against the clay accessories. I also loved that our room had a fully equipped kitchenette perfect for midnight snacks.
The freshwater pool is set in a gorgeous garden amoungst the olive trees and hibiscus and was made even better by the robot-esque model types that served us ice cold cocktails.