Sandrine Soros Villa |
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Antiparos |
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This delightful beachside holiday villa is a traditional island house, built in stone and whitewashed outside and in. A near perfect location and blissful simplicity make this property ideal for anyone wanting the ultimate Greek Island beach holiday. The ceilings are built in the time honoured fashion with cane. All the rooms have wooden shutters, painted deep blue. The villa is set in a lovely garden that extends right down to a beautiful beach, only a minute’s stroll away, with crystal clear sea. There are nooks and crannies in the garden, quiet corners to relax and doze and a hammock for complete relaxation. The villa is set in a garden that extends right down to a beautiful beach from which it is separated by an earth road. The large garden is filled with oleander, bougainvillea, fig and lemon trees, a few vines and tall palms as well as wild bushes and shrubs. In May and June red poppies and numerous other wild flowers blossom. The tall trees ensure complete privacy and provide shade for two hammocks where one can easily fall asleep. There is only one road around the island, and the house is about 8 kms from the main village, and is set in a beautiful sandy bay with crystal clear water. There are about 25 other villas scattered around the bay, plus two very good tavernas. The house is a traditional island house. It is built in stone with thick walls (about half a metre) to keep it cool, and a traditional bamboo ceiling. All the rooms have wooden shutters painted dark blue. The house is all white. It has 5 bedrooms and can sleep up to nine persons. There are four bedrooms on the garden level and one on the first floor. On the garden level is the master bedroom with a small washroom/toilet en suite. Then at a slightly lower level, there are two smaller bedrooms, one with two single beds and the other with one single bed. They open out onto their own shady terrace with an outside shower. They also share an internal bathroom with a shower. At the other end of the house there is a separate guest suite with its own external entrance from the main terrace. This comprises a large bedroom, a small sitting room (which could house another bed) a bathroom with a shower and its own small terrace. All the double bedrooms have air-conditioning. There is hot water in all the bathrooms. There is a well protected outside shower on the lower terrace. Up an internal staircase there is a large double bedroom with its own huge terrace overlooking the garden with great views over the sea. It has its own bathroom. There are no baths, just showers, and no dishwasher or washing machine as water in the Cyclades is a scarce commodity. The central focus of the house is the large open plan living room and kitchen. The latter has marble surfaces and marble sink, an electric oven, and a large fridge. The living room is comfortable and furnished in simple local island style. The walls are whitewashed, the floor is marble, the ceiling is traditional cane. Double doors lead onto a wide terrace facing the sea. This is one of two terraces. It is very large and has a beautiful view towards the beach, which is at the end of the garden, and the open sea. Under the shady bamboo and bougainvillea pergola there is a white fixed marble table which will seat 12 with a built-in traditional bench round two sides of it. Further out on the terrace there is another smaller sitting area with a stone L-shaped bench and a low circular marble table for evening drinks as one can see the sun go down over the hills behind the house. Much of the terrace is covered by a cane awning to give protection from the sun. The villa is fully furnished. There are sheets, towels, a large number of bowls and cooking pots. There are 4 chaises longues and four deck chairs, plus numerous canvas director chairs. The stone benches are covered with specially made cushions in a simple blue and white stripe. Backgammon, chess, scrabble, playing cards and French boules or petanque are available. There are also two large bookcases full of good books to meet a range of tastes. There is a phone and a fax and the nearest taverna (100 metres away) delivers meals if required. It also has the best Greek food on the island. The road out to the villa is dotted with pretty bays and beaches, most of which have a sprinkling of houses and tavernas. It is all very quiet and unsophisticated. The March 2005 issue of Conde Nast Traveller magazine (UK edition) has listed the Soros house as one of “20 great villas on the Greek islands”. Its commentary on the house included the following: “If you were to conjure a dream cottage on a small Greek island, Soros villa would probably come close. It may be basic with none of the design or sophistication of the other villas here, but its simplicity and near-perfect location are irresistible. There are secret hiding places and a hammock in the garden , planted decades ago with oleanders and now towering palm trees, from which a wooden gate leads to the beach ……….” Bookings are from Saturday to Saturday. The house will be available from 2.00 pm, though luggage can be left earlier, and departure must be by 10.00 am to allow for cleaning and preparation for the next guests. Facilities A short path leads through the garden to the beach/sea. There is a large one acre garden, stocked with Mediterranean plants, oleanders, hibiscus, bougainvilleas and palm trees. There are fig and apricot trees. The property is surrounded by trees which ensure privacy. There is parking for several cars and a petanque court. The garden is separated from the beach by a small earth road. The beach and the sea are literally at the bottom of the garden accessible through the garden along a path and it only takes a minute or so to reach the beach from the house. For evening drinks there is a sundowner sitting area with a stone L shaped bench and a low circular marble table with views over the sea. There is another terrace which is shaded by a large tree, plus a small private terrace for the guest room. There are sun loungers, deck chairs and a hammock. Services A maid comes twice a week and gardener comes regularly to water the plants. Suzie looks after the house and is English, but lives in the village and speaks fluent Greek. She will meet guests when they arrive and explain anything they need to know. A large bath towel will be provided for each guest and there will be hand towels in the shower rooms. But please bring your own beach towels. Sheets are provided and will be changed on Saturday/Sunday if you are staying a second week. Local Area There are two excellent tavernas nearby, within a few minutes walk. One is considered to be the best on the island. The other is almost as good and sits right next to the beach. Both serve home cooked dishes and fresh fish and are run by local families who are very friendly. They will also deliver meals. There are two large bays with sandy beaches with easy access to the sea and several smaller secluded bays around the promontory. There is a stunning walk along the hills to the smaller bays. There are a few well tended villas on the hills around the bays. From the villa in the other direction from the village a walk (or drive) over the hills brings you to another quiet harbour. The sunset from here is spectacular. There are several tavernas where you can watch the sun disappearing over the horizon. On the way to the village the big attraction is an enormous cave, which reaches deep into the hillside and has a stairwell constructed so that visitors can see the huge stalactites and stalagmites. A car is essential and can be hired from a recommended agency in Paros. The car will meet you on arrival at the port or airport of Paros. Changeover day - Saturday Damage deposit – 400 Euro |
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