As many have mentioned before The Old Olive Mill surpassed our expectations. Perfectly configured for our family, allowing us to laze away the days and totally recharge. Clean and comfortable and equipped with everything you could possibly need. The owners are lovely and couldn't have been more helpful. We experienced numerous local restaurants and felt very welcome in all of them. Fantastiko has to be our favourite, the food, staff and views are second to none. This was our first visit to Crete and we adored our base spending a great deal of time there. We did venture further a field and enjoyed Rethymno for evening shopping and dinner. We also hired a boat in Georgioupoli- in our minds this is a wonderful way to experience the crystal clear water and spend time snorkelling. Another place of note was the freshwater lake in Fournas- we even saw a turtle! We had a wonderful holiday and thank Jill and Mark for sharing their wonderful home.

I recently returned from a trip to the The Old Olive Mill with my partner and our 4 month old baby. It was our first family holiday and we could not have had a better one. I thoroughly recommend this place. It's fantastic. We spent a week here, only leaving the mill twice - two dinners in lovely local tavernas. The mill is a stunning, high ceilinged building with natural stone work, a very comfortable living area, shower room and a mezzanine bedroom. There is an annex next door which has two en suite bedrooms and two roof terraces that get the sun all day. The garden is beautiful, tranquil and secluded. With one of the bedrooms being downstairs it was so easy for us to look after our baby, she could sleep in the cool right next to the garden as we relaxed in the sun. It was was easy to take her swimming and to shower her. In addition to being very family friendly, this makes the villa great for guests with disabilities or restricted movement. Once in the mill, it can be all compact and one level. What sets the property apart from other villas we have stayed in is the finish and attention to detail the owners have given it. It is beautifully decorated and Jill and Mark have really thought through exactly what you would need while there. I have never been to a villa with so much thought put into the extras; making sure the kitchen has the right utensils, enough towels, BBQ and equipment, and other luxury bits and bobs - a hot tub, DVD library, CDs, games, a working fireplace… You felt at home straight away. Finally the other thing that made our week fantastic was Jill and Mark themselves. They could not have been more hospitable and welcoming, a really lovely couple. They helped us arrange transport to the villa (Mark picking us up), helped us with the shopping and took care of us. They found the perfect balance of being available to help us or to have a drink with in the local cafe neo (literally outside the Old Olive Mill) and leaving us to ourselves to relax. We had a great time with them. Anyone going to the Old Olive Mill is in for a real treat. Its a wonderful place to go. Our only regret is that we did not stay 2 weeks!!

We spent a wonderful week at the Olive Mill in Maroulas with our 1 year old baby and parents. On arrival at the villa Mark and Jill the owners were waiting for us with the warmest welcome and a cold beer and bottle of wine on arrival and had even stocked up on essentials like fresh bread, butter and eggs to get us started for the holiday which was a nice touch. The villa itself is amazing, having been restored from the two arches in the living room over 12 years by the owners. The photos do not do the villa justice as the main living area is an airy and cool retreat from the hot sun with lots of space for our baby to run around in. The bedrooms are furnished to a high standard and the bathrooms are hotel standard with powerful and hot showers. It was like a home from home. The garden is delightful and we spent a lot of time relaxing in the dining space or in the hot tub and our parents made use of the sun terrace in the mornings. Maroulas is a laid back little village and great if you want to get away from the crowds and big resorts. There are several decent local tavernas to dine at (Thavma being our favourite) and also a lovely shop Marianna's, where you can pick up gorgeous handmade essential oils and herbal remedies. The location of Maroulas is also an excellent base from which to explore the Rethymno, Hania and Iraklio regions. We would definitely come here again and recommend it to friends and family visiting Crete.

We have just returned from a wonderful family holiday at the Old Olive Mill. My partner and I, and our three children who are young adults aged 19-23. The house is really lovely, a very attractive conversion of a historic village house with lovely, comfortable bedrooms and living space, a very pretty and private garden with shade and sun and cooling pool, and a relaxing hot tub. The roof terrace was great for star gazing and sunset watching, views and of course sunbathing. We really liked the village of Maroulas, it has a slightly tumbledown historic charm and very friendly and welcoming locals. We explored its narrow alleys and paths around and above the village, which are very picturesque. I even enjoyed a bit of sketching and painting as there are lots of things to catch the eye if you're feeling creative! If you like bird watching, nothing beats swallows dipping through the garden over the pool, vultures and falcons spied on the hillside above and Scops owl watching at night when they swoop over the village houses! Our favourite tavernas locally were Katerina's and Thavma for the food and welcome and great views, though the Fantastiko is worth a visit too . We mostly shopped for our provisions at Manolis' store at the bottom of the hill, as they were friendly and it was local and easy, we used Lidl a couple of times, but it felt nicer to support the local shop. A hire car was a real boon, you'd be a bit stuck without the ease of transport, and one of the local companies Jill and Mark recommended, Mustang Travel responded quickly to our booking request and offered the cheapest deal and a decent service. There is so much to see in this part of Crete and it depends what you like, but for us exploring mountain villages and historic sites, & discovering local crafts was fascinating and very scenic. The best beach experience was at Rodakhino on the south coast for its clear waters, good snorkelling and it was quieter, we really wished we'd had more time to discover more beaches down there. Rethymno and Chania offer plenty to see and do and have lovely historic old quarters . Panormo was a pretty little resort with sheltered if small and slightly busy beaches, and we found a local beach down a track off the Rethymno road, marked to the River taverna that was nice enough. Still lots to see and explore, we'll have to go back! We found Jill and Mark really welcoming and hospitable and they gave us lots of good tips and advice, and the people of Maroulas village we found were warm, welcoming and generous. The house was ideal for us, not too far from the coast, close to Crete's inland beauty, a tranquil retreat, relaxing and easy as a family with home comforts yet giving you the lovely experience of staying in a traditional Cretan community away from the crowds. Thanks Jill and Mark and thanks Maroulas! We all loved our hols with you!!

My daughter and I rented The Olive Mill for a week in September and it was absolutely perfect for us. The village was gorgeous, very quiet, but with a taverna and several lovely restaurants within very easy reach. The house itself was very well equipped, with everything we needed there. The garden is a real haven and we spent hours just relaxing around the pool. Sitting out there until at night uninterrupted by noise from anywhere. Accommodation was ideal for us and it has the feel of a real home. I would certainly recommend the village and house to anyone who is looking for a holiday slightly away from the tourist strips - although these are within easy reach too.

The property is a beautifully restored old stone building in an interesting small village 10 minutes drive inland from the outskirts of Rethymnon. There are several small tavernas within walking distance where drinks and basic, tasty Greek food is available. The property itself is comfortable and has the necessary conveniences plus a decent sized pool and hot tub in a private garden. A car is a must for access to tourist resorts, supermarkets and other places to visit. Best point for me was that the house is away from the tourist resorts so really peaceful. It could be improved by somewhat brighter lighting in the lounge area, but this is only an issue if you are stuck indoors in inclement weather or cold evenings. Internet access was a slightly sporadic, but I think this was probably not within the control of the owner. We were especially lucky that Mark himself was seeing friends off at the airport as we arrived, so we were able to follow him to the property and did not need directions.

It's our first visit to Crete. From stepping off the plane we were met with a warm welcome and happy smiling faces. The drive from the airport is picturesque and plenty of secret coves to explore for our week ahead. The Old Olive Mill is in the heart of the village and on opening the door you have a sense of hundreds of years of history. The house has been restored with careful love and care to the years of history the walls hold. A fantastic location in the heart Of the village.

The Old Olive Mill is a unique house situated in a traditional Greek village. There are good tavernas, particularly the Fantastico on the hill behind the house..... Great food and views. The house is handy for walking to the beach but a taxi would be needed back. If you want to get out and about rent a car. Our children stayed for the summer and the pool was a great attraction. If you are looking for a holiday where you want to experience the real Greece, this is the place for you!