There are many hotels and resturants in Greece that rely on the astonishing assets mother nature and/or history has given them and offer little else to the traveller. Villa Andromeda, however, takes it's history, it's art, it's position by the sea, it's aesthetic advantages and adds a hospitality and a friendliness and a warmth that I've rarely encountered. Actually I've never encountered this before.
This is not just a beautiful hotel in a stunning position, in one of Crete's most atmospheric towns. It is also run by two women who could teach a few, bigger, more established places the true meaning of service and hospitality. If you're looking for traditional Greek hospitality of the kind that was widespread in the "good ol' days" as they say, make a beeline for Villa Andromeda.
It is run by Nana - a woman who personifies charm and class and genuine concern for her guests. She is helped by the equally lovely Barbara. Even the maids are wonderful. They don't just go about their business cleaning rooms and serving breakfasts. They chat and recommend beaches and places of intrerest. The human element in this hotel is extraordinary.
I've never felt any emotional attachment to a hotel in my life. But I do now. I was genuinely sad to leave. I'm still sad not to be there. Not to be able to return to my room and have Nana ask me where I had dinner, or whether her dining recommendation was on the money ( it always was ) or where I had gone swimming. I know this is usually a cliche or an adman's byline, but this is the closest thing to a family experience I've ever experienced outside my real family.
Villa Andromeda is just superb. It is the very best that Greece has to offer. It is that experience that can transform a good holiday into a magical one. I don't want it to move higher in the rankings here, even though it deserves it, in case it becomes harder for me to go back there in the future.
