We recently had a family and friend gathering for a week at Villa Karga in Almyrida, Crete. I cannot say enough about our experience.  Everything was wonderful. The villa is beautiful and well designed. It has all of the amenities we wanted and more.. it even had a gym! The spaces are decorated in a style the reflects the rusticity of Crete mixed with a modern sleek Scandanavian influence. Each of the 4 our bedrooms were lovely and comfortable and offered views of either the sea or the pool. The bathrooms were spacious and modern. The kitchen was large and well appointed. Everything we needed was there. We had a chef come and prepare us dinner twice during our visit and it was a highlight of the week.  One night the chef used the villa’s outdoor grill to prepare us delicious BBQ dinner.  Cretan cuisine is wonderful and healthy.  The pool is beautiful and offers views of the sea and mountains. The terrace is spacious and there is plenty of furniture for sunning, relaxing and dining outdoors.     The location of the villa could not be better. It is only a 5 -8 minute walk to the beach and all of the cafes and tavernas overlooking the water. We easily picked up fresh croissants and baked goods for breakfast each morning. The Pear Tree grocery store had a great selection of fresh fruits and vegetables. There was a book with plenty of information at the villa about the area concerning activities, shops and suggestions for local restaurants. Roula, the villa manager, met us upon our arrival and explained the details of the villa - how things worked and where to locate different items. She was great.  We had a wonderful week. I would highly recommend the Villa Karga. The only downside is that Crete is so far away from Seattle- otherwise we would come often since there is so much to see and do.