Luxury Greek Island holiday villa

Our partners will welcome you like one of the family at their locally run seven-acre organic estate on beautiful Ithaca. Ionian nature abounds here with far-reaching sea views, native flower and herb gardens, and estate-produced olive oil on tap.

Saltwater infinity pool Organic coffee & food shop Traditional, organic meals on request Outdoor massage pavilion Hidden hammocks Local taverna for evening meals Babysitting service 10 min walk to beach Optional activities: self-drive excursions, dingy hire, crewed yacht charters, horse riding, cycling, snorkelling, wild flower walks

Price

€2995To€5575 per villa per week

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Location

Ionian Island of IthacaSee map here

Reviews

More info

Low & High Season tariff for 2 adults sharing 1 house.
Additional family members add only a small extra tariff.
Price varies with season.
Sleeps up to 6, babies free, kids 2-5 350/week.
Includes private airport transfers, car, breakfasts & more !

Last minute

Last 2024 availability 21 September to 03 November. Enjoy autumn weather and warm seas. Perfect for couples seeking a tranquil Greek island getaway and for families with pre-school aged kids

Description of Luxury Greek Island holiday villa

No sooner than you’ve stepped a tentative foot onto the fishing boat bound for Ithaca then your very own legendary Greek odyssey can begin.

This luxury self catering Greece estate is all you need to let your mind unwind as your body and spirit soak up the sunshine and the most extraordinary clear blue swathes of the shimmering Ionian Sea.

No smoothed white pebble has been left unturned when it comes to complete and utter guest satisfaction with the scent of sage, rosemary, thyme and salty sea breeze combining to great effect alongside organic olive groves and bountiful vegetable gardens.

The hillside setting is perfect for maximising mountain and coastal views with the peaceful natural surroundings never failing to lull guests into sublime submission or rejuvenate imaginations into creative play or meditative thought.

As you’d anticipate, as much of the estate’s home grown produce as possible goes into breakfasts and evening meals with the resident chef on hand to cater for every whim with children, honeymooners and couples all benefitting from inspirational organic ingredients.

Although the setting screams romance, children are also in their element with free range chickens, a rescued donkey and a companion sheep providing untold entertainment alongside exploring the estate’s forest paths, splashing in the superb salt water swimming pool or enjoying the Monday night Cinema in the Forest evenings.

No matter who you’re travelling with, you’ll soon be made to feel like one of the family with home cooked meals on arrival, early morning chats over coffee and recommendations for local cafes and restaurants, boating, scuba diving or kayaking all helping guests to find a pace and style that’s comfortable for them.

Aside from the family-friendly feel there’s a great choice of wellness and relaxation activities to welcome the day and exploit the scenery. Pilates, yoga and meditation in the alfresco lounge area, underneath the pencil pine trees, are perfect ways to start the day afresh with all over massage treatments in the forest glade just what’s required to unravel a few knots no matter when you plan on getting up.

As the mind is a muscle it makes sense to give it a slight stretch even on small Greek island holidays and there’s no better opportunity other than accompanying a storyteller en-route to the ancient sites that inspired Homer to pen his epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey.

Self guided cycling and walking allows you to explore under your own steam, with no end of mountain tracks and rural roads descending into valleys and secret coves where swimming or snorkelling in window clear water lets you submerge under warm waves until your heart’s content.

Rooms, food and facilities

Our luxury self catering villas are just as sumptuous as they sound and as this estate features four traditional style houses, ideally located overlooking the Ionian, this is your chance to really see how good life can be.

Each of the estate’s properties are situated on a terrace with herb gardens creating a permanent perfume whilst flag stone pathways and stairs lead guests to the morning coffee shop, the shaded alfresco dining and cooking area, and the salt water swimming pool and summer house.

Further down the slope you’ll discover outdoor lounging areas, massage pavilions and hidden hammocks whilst further still unearths the organic farm as well as forested paths to swimming coves or the local taverna which opens in the evening until the night’s sky is twinkling with stars.

The four guest houses are designed to maximise the elements with natural materials and passive heating and cooling systems helping to keep guest comfortable no matter what the time of day.

Each house has two bedrooms which are kept cool thanks to a strategically placed flagged terrace area covered with a vine pergola. Guests can also make the most of well-maintained kitchens, sitting rooms with slow burning wood heaters, and fully equipped outdoor eating and relaxation areas.

Meals can be arranged in many guises including locally sourced marinated meats for the BBQ, carefully packed organic ingredients for a picnic hamper and the chef’s menu which always includes a bounty of organically farmed vegetables and locally sourced seasonal produce.

From families with babies and active kids to small groups and couples into yoga, meditation, Pilates or just generally relaxing, luxury self catering Greece style does not get any better than this.

Map

Contact Us

If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one, we're very happy to help

01273 823 700

Call us until 6pm

Calling from outside the UK rosy@responsibletravel.com

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Holiday information

Our top tip:

Take your time to do pretty much everything on Ithica as often the most treasured of rewards are only realised once you've returned to the real world.

Room description:

4 traditional houses, each with 2 bedrooms, living room with fold out bed, kitchen, bathroom, sea views and private verandah.

Amenities:

Set in a 7-acre organic olive farm with infinity pool and gardens.

Meals:

Self catering. Stocked with refreshments from the estate on arrival, with fresh bread daily. First breakfast included.

Also included:

Transfers, housekeeping, beach equipment, car (in high season).

Single Parent Families:

Tariffs are always per person so single parents will not pay a single supplement. A single parent with pre-schoolers would be paying for one person, for example, or with two school age kids, they would pay for 1 adult and 2 kids. Perfect for single parents, they don't need to feel alone as they would be in a villa, there are activities for kids and the kids and others often make solid friendships.

SINGLE USE PLASTIC-FREE:

In creating accommodation on our Estate, we simply never found a need for the use of one-use plastics, especially living on an island where the transporting away of waste is quite an operation. Although single use plastic can have the tendency to creep into our lives if we are not careful, we have taken steps to ensure we continue on as those before us did, without the need for throw away plastics.

PRESERVING FOOD:

On our farm produce such as vegetables, fruits and eggs are provided to guests in baskets and hopefully used when they are fairly fresh.
Throw-away plastic products are unnecessary in our kitchens. Each of our kitchens are fully equipped in ceramic, stainless steel,and glass, including storage, cooking, food preparation and serving tools and equipment.
Meals are provided in stainless steel, glass or food-grade re-useable plastic bowls.

BAGS:

Guests are provided with cotton laundry bags, paper carry bags and material beach bags.

IN THE ROOMS:

Skin care and toiletry products provided to our guests are made here on our estate. We package them either in paper or re-usable bottles. We offer discounts when bottles are brought to us to refill. Paper bags go into recycle bins to be re-used, or composted after a few uses.

WATER BOTTLES:

All water on the Estate is underground spring water and we provide guests with glass bottles.

RUBBISH:

Our Chef’s kitchen Rubbish bins are washed daily rather than lined with plastic bags. The only plastic we need to deal sometimes is plastic wrapping on items guests buy whilst elsewhere on the island during their holiday. This could be a pair of swimming flippers, a child’s game or perhaps tetra packs containing juices. However, this has always been so minor, I daresay we are lucky in that our guests tend to be very well educated in all matters.

EDUCATION:

Prior to their holiday we send all guests a long list of the items which they don’t need to bring on holiday which, I think, educates them from the outset - they understand immediately that they will not need anything except clothes!
The local community is becoming far more aware of ecological issues such as the need to reduce and dispose of rubbish in a way which is kind to the planet, the need to keep the island, its beaches, hiking paths and villages clean and tidy. We like to think that we have had an influence on this over the last 20 years!

CHANGE MAKING:

We have always wanted to find an alternative to the one large plastic bag we use each day in which to collect non-recyclable, non-compostable rubbish to the local council’s bins. These have to be strong enough not to break in transit and previous attempts with a reinforced paper sack were unsuccessful. When Responsible Travel got in touch we reignited our search for a new solution and happily, we have tracked down potato and rice starch bags which are working well so far.

Multi generational:

This holiday is suitable for grandparents, parents and children.

Dietary requirements:

We can cater for vegetarian and vegan diets.

How to find us

Head to Kefalonia Island, located around 50kms west of mainland Greece, whereupon it’s a 45 minute small fishing boat ride to Ithaca and your luxury accommodation at the organic farm estate.

NB: Meet and greet transfers between Kefallonia airport and the Estate, a car and breakfasts are included in tariffs

Reviews

12 Reviews of Luxury Greek Island holiday villa

5 out of 5 stars

SHOW

Reviewed on 15 Aug 2024 by Gila Sharon

Excellent!...Great people!! Beautiful, peaceful surroundings. Lovely swimming pool Read full review

Reviewed on 23 Sep 2023 by Linda Plummer

Run by a family who live locally; local restaurants & shops recommended; the whole ethos of the estate is harmony with nature, organic foods & products... Absolutely brilliant! Read full review

Reviewed on 06 Aug 2023 by Elizabeth Liddiard

Excellent. Very relaxing and a lot of fun. Read full review

Reviewed on 21 Jul 2023 by Ruth McGill

We had an amazing holiday. It's a beautiful peaceful setting that also offers so many things to do. The customer care from the owners is exceptional and it makes for a secure and happy holiday with lots of fun. The combination of setting, food, service and amazing things to do on beautiful Ithaca made it the best family holiday that we've ever had. Read full review

Reviewed on 21 Jun 2023 by Jane-Anne SHAW

Five stars....We were lucky to have the estate to ourselves, and life was reduced to simple levels: eat, sleep, swim, read. Repeat. It felt as if we’d travelled more than fifty years back in time. I loved it. Read full review

Reviewed on 06 Jun 2022 by Claire Peplow

Excellent - highly recommend. Beautiful setting, comfortable lodging including hammock, fantastic pool and food, welcoming hosts and all transfers arranged for us to take away any hassle. Read full review

Reviewed on 17 May 2022 by Vladimir Gorelov

Very good Read full review

Reviewed on 18 Jul 2019 by Katie Wheatley

We have lots of lovely memories so it is difficult to single any one thing out. But as we have to choose we would say the beautiful views gardens pool and the charming cottages which provide a wonderful environment in which to relax and also the great welcome and inobtrusive support of the family who built, own and run the estate. Read full review

Reviewed on 22 Sep 2018 by Bryan Parker

Our stay was a unique & happy experience, unlike any previous holiday. While it can be a challenge to get there, the effort is repaid abundantly. It’s an eco-chic vacation in a cottage where everything can be taken care of, according to one’s wishes. One returns refreshed in mind & body. Read full review

Reviewed on 11 Jul 2017 by Chris Kearney

Birds, bats, bees, lizards, pine martens, countless types of flowers and olive, eucalyptus and cypress trees blend in with the traditional style houses. We loved the walks around the forest... I could have spent the entire 10 days happily without leaving the estate at all. Read full review

Reviewed on 30 Aug 2015 by Susan Purnell

A wonderful holiday which far exceeded our expectations. Read full review

Reviewed on 22 Jun 2015 by Alison Brookes Day

The location of the accommodation, our home for the next few weeks was simply stunning. The gardens lovingly tended to by the owners Marilyn and Spero, provide a perfect relaxing haven to unwind. The entrance to our cottage was awash with wisteria and the fragrance of white jasmine filled the air. Spotting a Pine Martin one evening was really exciting for all of us! The place is awash with all kinds of wildlife, green lizards, giant centipedes, and birdlife galore. A very exciting playground for adults and children alike. However it is the hosts Marilyn, Spero and family who made this holiday so special and memorable. We really enjoyed our 'coffee morning' chats and were made to feel like one of the family. If you enjoy having whole beaches to yourself, swimming in crystal clear waters with perfect air temperatures, then May is the month for you to visit the beautiful island of Ithaca. Read full review

Responsible Travel

As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your holiday to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.

Planet

The first guiding principle of offering luxury Greek Island holiday accommodation was to invite people to share our lives and begin to learn about a new environment at the same time - to offer the experience of 'living in Greece for a week or two' rather than mindlessly taking a holiday in a different country.

Producing organic olive oil has been extended to other farming activities - raising sheep and chickens; and providing a biodiversified environment which also includes gardens planted with native flora; vegetable gardens growing greens used in the local diet, a wide range of other vegetables, and Mediterranean herbs. We are a member of the National organisation for organic producers. We work to encourage the idea that holiday destinations offering high quality accommodation and services can be, at the same time, in harmony with a natural, living environment.

Providing organic foods and gardens rich in native flora and foods; having passive cooling and using our own timber for heating our accommodation; providing natural spring water; harvesting rain water for the gardens; using grey water for maintaining forest trees; recycling organic waste, we are providing a sustainable environment and encourage guests to become inquisitive about why they feel so at rest, firmly believing it's the affect of their 'whole' and peaceful surroundings.

People

Our second guiding principle is that tourism income should always 'stay at home', and so we operate independently rather than risking a compromise on this.

Our local community benefits because we provide a full time income to two people (and families); and local families own every service we recommend or routinely make use of - taxis, car hire, boat hire, sea excursions, scuba and kayaking, restaurants employing local people and sourcing foods locally, grocery stores, cafes, food producers such as shepherds and fishermen. The economy of the island therefore benefits from every guest being here.

Luxury Greek Island holiday villa