despina

2 properties

3 reviews


Joined 2005

despina

Owner from Cary, USA

2 properties


3 reviews

Family from Moscow, Russia

Petrova

Family from Moscow, Russia · July 2017
Very nice, big, clean villa with parking, barbecue and fantastic pool. The pool is not very deep at the beginning and very deep on other side, so that even adults can jump into it. And, of course fabulous view from the pool and from terrace! Very quiet area. Convenient location: 1h drive from Athenes airport, very close to fairy to neighbor island, 10 min drive from the beach. The beach is very convenient for families with children (our case): sand, clean water, trees on the beach to provide some shadow. A lot of nice restaurants around with very good local food. Friendly owners are very welcoming and really caring. I would like to thank them again for all the care they took about us when we had problems with our car and they helped us as a family members! The villa is highly recommended!

Family from Norwich, United Kingdom

Gregory

Family from Norwich, United Kingdom · August 2015
Great villa with wonderful views and a wonderful pool. The owner was on site which was a surprise but you did not see her or her husband as they kept the shutter closed. It was useful if we needed anything and she was very sweet and did not mind the noise generated by our kids. The villa is well equipped and very Greek. There is a wonderful balcony to sit and watch the views and the pool is great. The kids loved the pool and spent hours playing in it. There area is set up for Greek holiday makers which makes it a great experience to see the real Greece. The villa is well placed to get to Athens and surrounding areas. There is plenty to do and lot of information provided by the owner. I would recommend a visit for a villa where you have views and a pool that would cost a lot more in and more well know place. The villa is clean and the bedrooms good sizes with comfortable beds. All in all well worth it and a great experience to see a side of Greece not well travelled by Brits.
despina

Reply from despina

Thank you Greg for the nice review.. We would have also liked to take a vacation as planned, however, with the capital controls that were imposed on the Greek population, it was impossible to do so. I am glad and relieved we were not an imposition on you and your family. We love children, coming from a large family ourselves. My regards Vasso

 From Hereford, United Kingdom

Sophia

From Hereford, United Kingdom · July 2010
The house is in a lovely location just across the road from a beach. The house was clean and comfortable with a safe enclosed garden for the children to play safely.

 From Goole, United Kingdom

Karen

From Goole, United Kingdom · November 2009
What a lovely villa! Lots of space, beautiful furnishings and a fantastic view. The lady who organised our stay whist we were there was lovely - the kitchen was already stocked with some essentials on our arrival and she organised a gift for us for completing the Athens marathon! The local beach was great for all the family. A great villa for a group wanting a peaceful, relaxing break.

 From Philadelphia, USA

Dana

From Philadelphia, USA · May 2008
We had a wonderful stay at bungalow No 4. It completely meets the advertising description and it is the ideal place for a family who wants to enjoy the beach and quietness in a child-friendly environment. The sea is very warm. During the night the humidity disappears, the temperature dro ps and the atmosphere clears to give you a breathtaking view of the stars it is something like combining beach and mountain holidays!
despina

Reply from despina

Thank you so much for taking the time to submit a review on our bungalow. We are very pleased that your family enjoyed their stay and that our house exceeded your expectations. We are particularly pleased that you found the environment child friendly and we hope to see you again at our house soon.

 From San Nicola La Strada, Italy

alfredo

From San Nicola La Strada, Italy · August 2007

 From Northwich, United Kingdom

Lesley

From Northwich, United Kingdom · August 2007
This is an excellent villa, very clean and spacious. The owners were very welcoming and went out of their way to make sure everything had been thought of. Very accessible to major sites with a car. We had a very good time.

 From Memphis, USA

Jeremy

From Memphis, USA · April 2007
The apartment was superb, a little disappointed that there was no CD or DVD player probably wouldnt have used the DVD player that much but the CD player would have been nice. Apart from this the apartment was as described with lots of extras such as bats and balls, snorkels etc which were much appreciated by my 12 year old! Lots of information in the apartment and found the visitor book useful. The weather was fantastic - very hot - the walk into the main Kato Paphos area is quite challenging in the heat. A good 20 - 30 minute walk to the harbour I would say. The pool at the apartment was great, we used it a lot. The shop and bar near the apartment are handy, the food at the bar is excellent and good value for money. Would recommend and would return to Cyprus. Great holiday.

 From Newquay

Matt

From Newquay
We stayed in two different villas on our recent holiday in Greece, the first week of which was at Villa Stella. Our flights were delayed, and then we had problems with the hire car at Athens airport, which meant we arrived later than we expected. The holiday then didnt really get off to a good start as we were lectured by the owner on what we could and could not do, in what can only be descrived as a school matronly manner. Future guests will note a portrait of the owner in the living area, and I swear the eyes move! The introductions were made worse by the demanding, even though wed paid insurance cover, of a cash deposit from my wife. Unfortunately I was not there to dispute this as I had to go back out to the local store to get provisions that the website had promised, but were not there. We were then advised of an itinery that we had to adhere to, but increasingly as we did not, the dissaproval levels rose. We, for example, did not want to go into Athens the day after wed arrived, but prefered to go a couple of days later via a route that did not involve the local taxi driver. The villa is modern, with air conditioning, but relies on keeping the many windows closed and shuttered to keep the heat out during the day. Not much point having a good view if the shutters are closed. There is no real air conditioning outside the main bedrooms, and so the heat in the remainder of the building builds as the day goes on. Part of the sleeping arrangement is the provision of 4 beds in areas with no air conditioning, which in older, better built buildings, is not a problem, but in this villa was like sleeping in a sauna. The star of the villa is the pool, which the kids loved. The only draw back is the advised restriction on times when it can be used - between 9 in the morning and 9 at night. One of the pleasures of stays in other villas has been the ability to swim very early in the morning and at any time, but here the dissaproving gaze of the owner was just too off putting. You may wonder how the owner can look at the pool so early in the morning, and want to restrict its usage later in the day. The reason is that they live beneath the villa, and over look the pool, that you rent. Because of that, and the internal stairway that goes down into their dwelling, they are an ever present presence that cant really be got out of your mind. Its difficult to relax when the headmistress is watching you. As a base to explore mainland Greece the villa is well located. We went to Athens & Corinth, and also visited the deserted but excellent ruins at Ramnous. The nearby cove, as recommended by the owners, was fantastic, as were the local restaurants. Our holiday in Greece was based on two different locations, and two weeks of activities. The first week at Villa Stella was alsways going to be pool based, with a few trips to tourist points. Our host didnt seem to get this, and as such spoilt our stay at the villa. Is it a good villa, yes, but it needs to sort its air conditioning out. Does it have a great pool, yes. Is it conventiently located on the mainland, yes. Would I stay there again, No. The only reason is because we did not relly gel with the owner. Thats my opinion, and Im sure many other people will find this villa a great place to stay, but at the end of the day it just wasnt for me. Matt
despina

Reply from despina

This is our home, the upper part which we rent. We keep the downstairs apartment for ourselves. Over the years we have enjoyed great times and established friendships from all over the world. And we do hope that this group of guests were an isolated case..

Our villa is not centrally air-conditioned and the description makes it perfectly clear which part of it is. That would be prohibitively expensive in Greece especially during a heat wave with serious brown outs. To do so by shutting down the shutters, and turning the bedroom air - conditioners on was wasteful and very expensive. However, we said nothing.

In retrospect, our guests would have been better served if they taken advantage of the breeze, the beach and the local sports clubs, or the local museum, great for the 6 teenagers in the group. We can do a lot of things to make our guests comfortable, but control the weather we do not. The hottest part of the year are 2-3 weeks from mid July to mid August.

For guests who do come from afar and late, we do offer to do some basic shopping for them, upon request. At no tome during our communications such a request was made. Additionally, our guests arrived at 8 pm and the local grocery store was 3 km away. Wut that must te did have a welcome guest basket.

The pool ground rules are there for safety reasons. Nothing else. We also do not allow unaccompanied children in the pool.

Pertaining to the personal dislike of the hostess and our portrait with the shifty eyes, I do not know what to say..

I believe our guests will be better served in the future either renting a whole (centrally air-conditioned) villa to do as they please or a hotel.

 From Cochrane Alberta Canada

Denean

From Cochrane Alberta Canada
The Stargazer Villa is as beautiful as the pictures depict. This villa has all of the amenities PLUS more to ensure a comfortable, relaxing home away from home. The owners (Despina and Steve) were on site and provided more than we could have asked for. They were incredibly helpful and accommodating and really helped to make our stay a memorable one. They are very personable and took the time to show us around the community and any areas of interest. Both Steve and Despina offered us the locals perspective on great places to dine and visit. They were also responsible for introducing us to Stavros the tour guide. He was a valuable asset to our trip and our family highly recommends connecting with him when you take your next vacation at the Stargazer Villa! Thank you so much Steve and Despina. We will definitely be back in the future! Lyle, Denean, Brielle and Chanelle and Grandma Cheryl.