Villa Anassa

Villa Anassa sits close to Hersonissos, on Crete's north coast east of Heraklion, and is built around a large private pool with an outdoor dining and seating area set up for long lunches. A fully equipped BBQ grill sits alongside, and the pool terrace is overlooked by two of the villa's four ensuite bedrooms, each with wide doors that open straight onto it. Indoors, the living space is generous, with its own fully equipped kitchen, dining area and sitting area.

The lower floor holds two further ensuite bedrooms and a private gym, so the villa can comfortably split a group of eight across two levels. All bedrooms can be arranged as doubles or twins, which helps with families or mixed groups. Air conditioning is individually controlled in each room. A Nespresso machine and coffee facilities are also provided.

Hersonissos itself has calmer beaches west of the port, sheltered by Cape Sarandaris, with Silva Maris the most organized of these and staffed with a lifeguard. The old village, about two miles off, keeps its traditional tavernas and craft shops. Koutouloufari, a hillside village 1.5 kilometers inland, adds cobbled lanes and boutique shopping for an evening out.