Hotels that are family-owned by locals offer a unique experience, unparalleled hospitality and a sense of history and culture. And that is exactly what you get when staying at Marathi Villas, with the Fillippakis family ensuring they offer their guests a traditional taste of Cretan life while spending time at their seaside apartments.
In 1998 the Filippakis family, having years of experience in the tourism industry, created their own seaside property at Marathi beach, which is located around 15km from Chania, 15 km from the port of Souda and 5 km from the airport. It is on the southeastern coast of the peninsula of Akrotiri, making it the ideal spot to explore the island at large.
Placing a huge emphasis on respecting local history and natural beauty, the Filippakis family chose a style that was in line with Cretan architecture and they now have eight apartments in total that are ideal for those looking to stay in rooms that are quaint and close to both the sea and mountains.
After 20 years, Ioanna has now taken over from her parents, managing the villas and is always around to offer insider tips and suggestions on how to make her guests stay in Chania even more special.
“We want our guests’ holiday to be a pleasant experience and to ensure they get a taste of real Cretan lifestyle, hospitality, tastes, history and so much more,” says Ioanna.
With Marathi Beach, only a hop, skip and a jump away from the villas, this gorgeous sandy beach with clear and shallow waters is an ideal spot for families with young kids. And we should also mention this is the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis favourite beach, as his holiday home is only a few minutes away and was spotted swimming at Marathi throughout the entire summer of 2019!
Marathi Villas is ideal during the warmer months as the beach is organised with sunbeds and a variety of eateries fill the boardwalk, with local taverns offering traditional Greek and more specifically, Cretan cuisine.
And for those who don’t want to move, Marathi has its own eatery ‘Psamathi’, where you can start your day tastefully with a delicious Cretan breakfast including homemade pastries, pies, local yoghurt with organic fruit, honey, as well as fresh juices and Greek coffee.
The restaurant is open all day and night and also serves homemade traditional meat and seafood dishes, as well as vegetarian options that are all made up of local top-quality ingredients that are consistent with the famous Cretan diet.
A: Kato Marathi 731 00, Marathi, Chania
PH: +30 6978 850 675