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A private estate above a Cretan village. Six to a villa, twelve if you take both — each house with its own pool, its own kitchen and nobody else on site.
Sleeps 6 + 6
Twelve across the two villas
Two private pools
One per villa, not shared
Fenced estate
Behind a single automatic gate
10 min walk
Village, bakery and tavernas
10 min drive
Sandy, shallow Almyrida beach
45 min
From Chania airport (CHQ)
In short. Bleverde has two family villas in Crete on one private estate in the hills above Gavalochori, near Chania. Each has three bedrooms, its own saltwater pool and its own kitchen, and sleeps six. Booked together they sleep twelve, which is how most extended families here do it. The whole estate sits behind one automatic gate, and the village is a ten-minute walk downhill.
Villa Elia
Sleeps 6 · pool 8 × 4 m
The estate’s original stone house. Two equal master bedrooms with en-suites share a terrace on the top floor; a twin room with its own separate bathroom sits on the middle floor, near the kitchen. Thick limestone walls keep it noticeably cool in August, and there is a changing and shower area downstairs so nobody tracks pool water through the house. More about Villa Elia.
Villa Levanda
Sleeps 6 · pool 10 × 5 m
The contemporary house, and the lighter of the two. All three bedrooms are en-suite, and the 85 square metre open-plan living floor gives a family of six somewhere to be together when it is too hot to be outside. The bigger pool is here. More about Villa Levanda.
Taking both, subject to availability, gives you twelve beds, two kitchens and two pools with nobody else on site — so two households can share a holiday without sharing a fridge. One family who did exactly that wrote that it was “the perfect set-up… whilst the villas are in close proximity to each other, they remain very private with their positioning and clever landscaping.”
The pools, and what to know about safety
Each villa has its own pool. They are not shared, and neither is overlooked from the other house.
Villa Elia’s is 8 metres by 4 and 1.80 metres at its deepest. Villa Levanda’s is 10 metres by 5 and 2 metres at its deepest. Both are treated with salt through a small electrolysis unit rather than dosed with chlorine chemicals, which keeps the chlorine level well below a conventional pool — one parent described the water as “soft, warm and clean, with very little chlorine residue left on swimsuits.”
Being straight about the rest of it: neither pool is deep enough for diving, the tiles are slippery when wet, and children and inexperienced swimmers need to be supervised at all times. The estate as a whole is fenced and closed by an automatic gate, which is worth knowing if you have children who wander — but that is the boundary of the property, not a barrier around the water.
If you are travelling with a child who cannot swim, ask us before you book. We will tell you exactly what is and is not in place around each pool, and you can decide with the facts in front of you. We would far rather do that than have you find out on arrival.
Pool towels are provided, so there is no need to pack them, and there is a generous supply of floats and pool toys left by families over the years. Both pools are cleaned during the mid-week visit.
How the bedrooms work for families
Neither villa has a token third bedroom, which is the usual problem with a six-sleeper.
At Villa Elia, the two master bedrooms on the top floor are equal in size and layout and share a terrace — a guest put it well: “often it’s the case that there is one main bedroom and the others are much simpler and smaller, not the case here.” That matters when two couples are sharing. The twin room is on the middle floor with its own separate bathroom, close to the kitchen and living room. A family with a six- and an eight-year-old wrote that the arrangement “suited our family of four perfectly, with the two main bedrooms being next to each other on the top floor.”
At Villa Levanda, all three bedrooms are en-suite. The middle floor is a master suite with its own terraces. The lower floor holds a second master with a private lounge and a third en-suite room next to it — a family whose children were eight and six said the two shared that room “very happily”, and that it was “plenty spacious enough for them to play in when the outdoor heat gets a little too much”, with the lower lounge next door to spread into.
One thing to weigh: both houses have stairs between all three floors and no lift.
| Almyrida — sandy, shallow, sheltered | About 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Kalyves — sand and shingle, quieter | About 10 minutes |
| Georgioupoli — a long sweep of sand | About 15 minutes |
| Marathi and Loutraki — sheltered coves | About 30 minutes |
| Elafonissi — shallow wading, pink sand | About 2 hours |
Almyrida is the one families come back to: sandy, shallow, sheltered from the prevailing north wind, with tavernas and cafés along the front. Kalyves is a little longer and usually quieter in high season. Georgioupoli has a great deal more sand and rather more surf.
Two things worth knowing. The north wind blows through much of the summer, so when it is up, the sheltered bays are far more pleasant than the exposed ones — choose the beach by the wind rather than by the plan. And shade is rare on Cretan beaches; the organised ones have umbrellas, the wild ones have nothing.
Seitan Limania is not one for young children, whatever the photographs suggest — it is a steep, loose scramble down, with no shade and very little beach at the bottom.
More in our guide to the best beaches in Crete.
A week here with children
The rhythm most families fall into is simple: swim in the morning, lunch on the terrace, out of the sun for the worst of the afternoon, then down to the village or over to the beach when it cools. Gavalochori is a ten-minute walk downhill — tavernas, a bakery, and a village shop that stocks rather more than you would expect, including fresh things. It is uphill on the way back, which is worth remembering after dinner. Guests eat in the village most nights rather than cooking, and the tavernas are used to children. Both houses have a fully equipped kitchen, a washing machine and air conditioning with room-by-room controls. Villa Elia has a library and a studio; there is internet television in both. A barbecue sits by each pool. You will need a hire car. The estate is uphill from the village, the beaches are a short drive, and there is no practical bus. Almost every family hires at the airport.
Days out from our family villas in Crete
- Almyrida beach, about 10 minutes: sandy, shallow and sheltered, with tavernas on the front
- Lake Kournas, about 25 minutes: pedal boats and shallow freshwater swimming
- Chania harbour, about 30 minutes: an evening walk to the lighthouse
- The Imbros gorge, about an hour: a manageable walk for older children
More ideas in our things to do in Crete and beaches guides.
A grocery delivery
We can have shopping in the house before you arrive, for a fixed fee of 30 Euros. Worth doing if you land late or are arriving with small children.
Babysitting
Arranged locally, at extra charge. Tell us when you enquire rather than on the day, so we can line someone up.
Extra comfort
Add little extra comfort to your stay with a massage therapist and/or a private chef. Due to our renown retreats we have a good network of professionals
Travelling with a baby or a toddler? Ask us before you book what is in the houses and what is not — cots, high chairs, stair gates and the rest. We would rather tell you plainly and, where we do not have something, try to source it before you arrive, than let you discover the gap on the first evening.
Ask us about equipment
Our 6 and 8 year olds loved the pool and the pool toys that were kindly left out. The villa suited our family of 4 perfectly, with the two main bedrooms being next to each other on the top floor, plus the very handy utility space off the main kitchen area was great for family life!
On the same floor as this suite is a smaller bedroom which is perfect for children; ours shared this very happily. This room is plenty spacious enough for them to play in when the outdoor heat gets a little too much.
How many children can stay?
Each villa sleeps six people in total, in three bedrooms. Rates are based on four sharing, with a supplement of 50 Euros per night for the fifth and sixth guest, whatever their age. Taking both villas gives you twelve. Prices for each season are on the rates page.
Are the pools fenced?
The estate as a whole is fenced and closed by an automatic gate, but that is the boundary of the property rather than a barrier around the water. Neither pool is deep enough for diving, the tiles are slippery when wet, and children and inexperienced swimmers must be supervised at all times. If you are bringing a child who cannot swim, please ask us before you book and we will describe exactly what is in place around each pool.
Do you have cots, high chairs or stair gates?
Ask us before you book and we will tell you plainly what is in the houses and what is not, and try to source anything we are missing before you arrive. Both villas have stairs between all three floors and no lift, which is worth planning around with a toddler.
Which villa is better for a family?
Villa Elia if you want the twin room with its own separate bathroom on the same floor as the kitchen, and a house that stays cool in August. Villa Levanda if you want all three bedrooms en-suite, a much larger indoor living space and the bigger pool. Families book both. Compare Villa Elia and Villa Levanda.
Which beach should we go to with small children?
Almyrida, about ten minutes away. It is sandy, shallow and sheltered from the north wind, with tavernas along the front. Kalyves is a similar drive and usually quieter. Our guide to the best beaches in Crete covers the rest of the coast.
Is there anything for children to do at the villas?
The pools, first of all, with a well-stocked supply of floats and pool toys. Villa Elia has a library and a studio. Both houses have satellite and internet television, gardens to explore and terraces at several levels. It is a quiet estate rather than a resort with a kids’ club. For days out, see our things to do in Crete guide.
Can you arrange a food shop before we arrive?
Yes, for a fixed fee of 30 Euros. Tell us what you need when you confirm and it will be in the house.
Is babysitting available?
Yes, arranged locally at extra charge. Ask when you enquire rather than on the day.
Do we need to hire a car?
Yes. The estate is uphill from the village, the beaches are a ten-minute drive and there is no practical bus service. If you would rather not drive at all, a taxi from Chania airport is around 50 Euros one way.
How far is the airport?
Chania (CHQ) is forty-five minutes by car. Heraklion is two hours, so fly into Chania if you can — the extra time each way is a real cost on a week with children.
Is there a minimum stay?
Seven nights, with a fixed changeover day. Check which weeks are free on the availability calendars.
Can we take both villas?
Yes, subject to availability. Twelve guests, two kitchens, two pools and nobody else on the estate. Tell us when you enquire and we will hold both. Check which weeks are free on the availability calendars.
Bring the family
Two villas on the hillside above Gavalochori, each with three bedrooms and its own saltwater pool. Book direct with the owners using the button below.
Check availability
See the two villas