Villa Zander Greece

Villa Zander is tailor made for those seeking a holiday of quiet seclusion and privacy, ideally located on the south east coast of Crete in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, with a back to nature vibe. This simply stunning beachfront villa can be found on a high bluff, with sweeping panoramic turquoise sea views, near the quaint village of Goudouras, in the exclusive holiday region of Lassithi. Villa Zander has six ensuite bedrooms, and can accommodate up to fourteen guests in some comfort and a lot of style, perfect for a large family gathering or friend’s get together. This has-to-be-seen-to -be-believed, four hundred square metre, two storey property, is built on extensive private land, surrounded by a stone wall, enclosing a paved terrace with private swimming pool with four splash pools, and lawned gardens. Villa Zander comes with its own private parking spaces, and for your comfort and entertainment, complimentary air conditioning and Wi-Fi throughout, as well as satellite televisions in all the rooms. This architect designed villa is built out of classic Mediterranean white washed walls, with stone walls and tiled paving, whilst floor to ceiling sliding doors let in lots of natural light and cool sea breezes. The interiors have been furnished in a formal fashion, using lots of natural wood pieces and parquet flooring, and decorated with a palette of crisp whites, shades of browns, and hints of blues.  
Enter the villa at ground floor level where you will be welcomed to a holiday home of light and airy open plan living. There is a seating area with floor to ceiling windows that give access onto the garden, furnished with two brown leather sofas and matching armchair, glass coffee tables, and facing a flat screen smart television. There is a separate smart dining area with a classic table and six chairs, with a matching sideboard, ideal for some impressive indoor entertaining. The all white modern kitchen is fully equipped with all the appliances you will need to cater for your holiday, and a six seater dining set on which to serve it. On this level there are two well-appointed double bedrooms, with satellite televisions, ensuite bathrooms, and access to the gardens. A separate studio with its own private entrance has a small living area with a lounge and kitchenette, a double bed, and an ensuite bathroom. This room can be transformed into a baby room or fitness studio on request. A laundry room with washing, drying, and ironing facilities completes the ground floor. Take the stairs to the first floor, where you will find a hall that gives access to the outdoor furnished sea view terraces, and is home to a handy guest cloakroom. The first floor also has an open plan living space, with a panoramic sea view sitting room with an open fireplace, a spacious dining area, and a superb fully fitted kitchen with built-in appliances, including that must-have morning coffee maker. There is a smart office, which can be converted into a bedroom space on request, and a separate guest loo. On this floor there are three beautifully-appointed ensuite double bedrooms, all with bateau lit style beds, picture windows, furnished balconies, and sea views.
Access the outdoor space via the floor to ceiling sliding doors of the living space, to find a fabulous alfresco entertainment area that could be a film set. The tiered terrace has sweeping vistas as far as the eye can see, with lawned gardens, and steps leading down to a centrepiece private swimming pool. The pool is huge, ideal for a few lengths to start the day, and has four splash pools where you can play. The pool is surrounded by sixteen white cushioned sun loungers, strategically positioned for maximum sea views. Amuse yourselves with a game of ping pong or table football, shoot a few hoops through the basketball net, and keep fit on the running machine and stationary bike. After all that, relax with a morning coffee at the shaded soft seating area. Meet for cocktails on the terrace and admire the sun sets, before dining at the alfresco seating set, with local delicacies served freshly grilled on the built-in barbeque.
Villa Zander is located in a secluded spot, high on a bluff overlooking the azure blue seas of the Mediterranean, situated on the south east coast of the Greek island of Crete. The villa is near to the quiet and quaint coastal village of Goudouras, in the hot spot tourist area of Lassithi. The nearest international airport is at Heraklion, one hundred and thirty kilometers away, you can fly in to Sitia from Athens, or island hop and take a ferry. The villa is within walking distance of the village, where you can find local shops for your holiday provisions, family run cafes, bars and restaurants for some refreshments, and sandy beaches for sunbathing. The immediate area is renowned for its ancient olive groves, and lush soils for growing fruit and veg. The nearest beach is just one hundred and forty metres from the villa, an easy stroll to a little place of paradise. To the west is Votsalaki beach, set in a beautiful bay, with small pebbles, crystal clear water, which takes on hues of blues, greens, and reds from the soil, and where you may even meet a naturist or two. Nearby is Vai beach, set in a horseshoe bay, surrounded by a backdrop of Europe’s largest protected pine forest, and offering golden sands and calm seas. For the beach babies this area of Crete is pure paradise, take a romantic walk on the long sandy beach of Voulisma or Golden Beach, get active in the wind-sheltered Ammoudara Beach, famous for its water sports, or sit in a taverna sipping retsina on the thick sand of Pacheia Ammos, a protected bay with a small harbour.
The area is soaked in history, particularly Minoan and Dorian, in the fifteenth century the island was conquered by the Venetians, who built fortresses to keep the Ottoman pirates at bay, then finally gained independence in the nineteenth century and became part of Greece. Get active and explore the three hundred caves the island hides, hike over hillsides, streams, and rocky ravines to discover watermills and ruins, and stop off along the way at a local winery and taste the fruits of the many vineyards. Explore Psychro Cave, reputedly the birthplace of Zeus, and rock climb Mount Ida to find the Ideon Cave. Sitia Geopark is three hundred and fifty square kilometres of the island’s diverse eco-system, where you can trek through gorges, bathe on beaches, walk the wetlands, become a bird-watcher, and be at one with nature. Keep fit with a hike across the Richtis Gorge, stroll through streams to reach the twenty-metre waterfall, where you can cool off in the inviting pool. If you prefer sea to dry land, all aboard a boat trip where you can scuba or snorkel underwater ruins, and strap on your jet skis or paraglide with one of the many water sports clubs. Take a scenic drive through the Cretan countryside to find peace and solitude in the fifteenth century Toplou Monastery, with its beautiful Byzantine icons.
Go north to exclusive Elounda, shop in luxury designer boutiques and dine on local delicacies. Then take a boat across the sea to the intriguing island of Spinalonga, a former leper colony until as recently as the 1950’s, once home to a Venetian fortress, and now an open-air museum. No visit to Crete is complete without a trip to Agios Nikolaos, seventy three kilometres north of Villa Zander. Agios Nikolaos is a harbour town that uniquely houses a lake in its centre, it is home to the Archaeological Museum full of Minoan treasures, and full of tavernas, shops, bars, and restaurants in which to sit and sip an ouzo and watch the local life go by.
At Excellence Luxury Villas, we pride ourselves on going that little bit further for our guests. From private chefs to travel services, we can help you arrange those little extras that make it a truly memorable holiday. Simply fill in the
concierge request form or contact Excellence Luxury Villas Concierge Team, who will be happy to help. We can typically help you arrange any of the following:
– Maid service/extra cleaning- Private chef/cook/catering- Welcome hamper/pre-stocked fridge- Local day-trips or tours- Airport pick-up/drop-off
Simply fill in the concierge request form or contact Excellence Luxury Villas Concierge Team.
Please note that all extras are subject to availability and must be requested in advance of the holiday (prices on request). Due to some rural/remote locations, not all services will be available at all properties. However, we will always do our best to fulfil your requests!