Practical information

What is included in the rental price?

The Rental Price includes:

• maid service
• pool maintenance
• water
• air condition
• bed linen
• bath and face towels
• a cot (please, bring your own linen)
• government and local taxes
• the services of our local representatives

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What is NOT included in the rental price?

Transaction costs: If you choose to pay by credit card using PayPal secure online payment PayPal charges a percentage of the amount transferred for the service. This must be added to the rental price.

If you make an interbank or wired payment you must pay your own charges at your end. The amount on the contract between us should be the net amount that we receive.

Transport: You must make your own transport arrangements to and from Crete. Information about airlines and car rentals can be found in our links pages.

Holiday insurance: You are advised to take out travel and medical insurance for all members of the party.

Beach towels: All clients should take their own pool / beach towels.

Electricity: Electricity cost is not included in the price, and will be deducted from the deposit according to consumption.

Extras: Any extra requirements not specifically mentioned in the contract must usually be paid for locally.

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Can I add an extra bed?

Sorry, no. The maximum number of people allowed to stay in the holiday home is 5 and beds and linen etc. is provided for this number of people.

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What about air conditioning?

Air-conditioning can be very welcome in a hot Mediterranean climate. At Villa Talea there is air conditioning in the two bedrooms.
However, air conditioning uses an awful lot of electricity and in Crete, there are more power cuts on hot days than cold ones!

For environmental reasons and everyone's benefit, we ask that you do not set the temperature gauge below the optimum figure of 22º and ensure that all windows and doors are kept closed while it is in use.

Please, also ensure it is always switched off whilst the property is unoccupied.
For your own health and comfort we recommend that you do not leave the air-conditioning on overnight as it can sometimes cause sore throats or even ear infections. For a good, natural night's sleep it is often better to leave a window open and catch a cooling breeze.

Due to the stonewalls and the double glazing the temperature inside the house is normally between 20 and 24 degrees even when the temperature outside is 10 or 20 degrees higher.

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Will there be local assistance?

Yes. Our English and Greek speaking local representative lives nearby and you'll be given telephone numbers to get in touch with him should you need anything.

He will be delighted to answer any questions you may have with regard to local amenities or, solving any day to day problems, which may occasionally occur.

Our representative will not try to 'organise you' but we hope it's reassuring to know that he is available should you require help or assistance.

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Is my booking and payment secure and protected?

Yes. But don't just take our word for it! Obviously, you will be concerned about your booking and your hard earned money when dealing with vacation rental owners you don't know via an impersonal website. This is how we deal with payments:

Secure payment: We accept payment with direct bank wire transfer. Details about our bank account will be given in the email response to your booking enquiry. This type of payment is secured by your own bank.

We also accept payment through the PayPal secure online payment system. With over 100 million accounts in 190 countries and regions, PayPal is one of the most sought-after secure payment methods worldwide.
If you want to know more about PayPal and secure payment, click here.

We do not accept personal cheques, cashier's cheques, money order, or money gram.

Other security issues: On the contact page you'll find our permanent address in Denmark as well as our phone numbers. Of course, you're more than welcome to call us and/or check the address.

As you can see in these pages our holiday home holds a licence from EOT (the Greek National Tourist Organisation).

Finally, you're more than welcome to contact us for for referrals from previous guests or any other question you may have.

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What's the weather like?

We have described the average temperatures and weather conditions for the North coast of Crete in our description of the 'Climate' in the 'Sights' section of this website.

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How do I get basic supplies?

We advise you to buy basic supplies on your way from the airport to the villa. The maid will normally clear all items left by previous clients.

For the first night and morning we can deliver a welcome basket from the small shop 'Monadiko' in the village.

With the other information, you receive, you will get information about nearby shopping possibilities.

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Can I add a cot/highchair?

A cot is provided at no extra cost. Guest must provide their own linen. We do not have a highchair in Villa Talea.

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Can I bring a pet?

Sorry, no. For maintenance reasons and due to other guests, who might be allergic, pets are not allowed.

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When can I occupy and vacate the villa?

Villa Talea will normally be available for occupation from 4pm onwards. Wherever possible we endeavour to make the holiday house available sooner for clients arriving on earlier flights on the understanding that it may not always be fully prepared.

Please note that we require guests to vacate the holiday villa by 10am on the day of departure, to facilitate cleaning in readiness for new arrivals.

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What about driving in Crete?

The roads in Crete vary in their quality and state of repair. Major cities are generally connected by wide highways, smaller ones by lesser roads. Along the coast of northern Crete there is a highway (the National Road) from Agios Nikolaos to Kastelli (Kissamos) via Heraklion, Rethymnon and Chania. In many parts the National Road is a dual carriageway road with the different directions separated by barriers and usually two lanes in each direction.

Away from the north coast the the roads become narrow and can have blind bends. If you want to reach the most remote areas, you may find some of your trip includes roads with long gravel stretches. This is common in the mountainous areas. Some mountain roads are only suitable for 4WD vehicles.

Rules for Driving in Crete: Driving in Greece is on the right. Vehicles coming from the right have the right of way unless otherwise posted. This means that cars entering a traffic circle go first, drivers already in the circle must yield.

If there is little room to pass on the road, fast drivers expect slow drivers to pull onto the hard shoulder (emergency lane) in order to let them by. Be aware though that the hard shoulders can be very narrow and can end suddenly or they may be obstructed by rock falls.

Traffic signs throughout Crete are generally in Greek and English, and Greece uses internationally recognized traffic control and stop signs.

Parking is permitted along most city streets, but vacant places may be difficult to find. In some areas you have to buy and use a Parking Card, which can be bought at a nearby kiosk called a 'περίπτερο' (periptero).

Speed limits in Crete:
50 km per hour (30 mph) in built-up areas
90 kph (56 mph) on the highway.
There are road signs informing you about the speed limits, which vary from one area to another. And with this said; don't expect these limits to be respected by most of the Greek drivers!

Alcohol tests are frequent and strict and the limit is 0,50 mg.

Fuel: Many gas stations close at 7pm except most stations on the highway. In every city there will be at least one gas station which will be open during the night. Only some stations accept credit cards. Lead-free petrol is everywhere.

A gas station's staff will fill your vehicle, there is no self-service in Crete . There are no gas stations where you can buy petrol with your credit card automatically after closing times.

Source: www.explorecrete.com which also have some very good hints for safe driving in Crete.

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How about the laundry & maid service?

In Villa Talea, clean bed linen and bathroom towels are provided and will be changed once every 7 days. Maid service is provided once a week i.e. the villa is cleaned on arrival and at the end of each week of your stay. The pool is maintained as a minimum once every week. In the high season more often.

We arrange maid service in order to ensure that our house is kept in good order throughout the season and the maid will sweep, dust and make beds but will not normally do the washing up. (The dishwasher will do that)

If you have any questions concerning maid service, please mention this at the time of booking and we will be happy to explain. If you feel that the service is lacking in any way please contact us immediately as it is not possible for us to personally supervise the work of the maid.

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What is an EOT licence?

In order to legally rent a Greek property to holiday makers one must have a licence from the Greek National Tourist Organisation (EOT  - Ellinikos Organismos Tourismou). It's a lengthy and costly affair to obtain the license and some landlords don't. But the Greek authorities are clamping down heavily on rented property that is not licensed, so it's really not worthwhile.

And it's all for the benefit of the holiday maker! The licence is a guarantee that the house and facilities meet certain minimum requirements.

The building must correspond exactly to the architectural plans and there are strict requirements for swimming pools - its depth, markings and warning signs.

Among many other things the license ensures that the house has a certificate of Fire Safety, a certificate of Water Clarity for the drinking water supplied to the house - and even that the owner has no criminal record.

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