A design-led Cretan hideaway that looks straight off a magazine spread: a 25-metre infinity pool, art-lined walls, and the sea as an extension of the living room.
Etouri’s Beach Rock, just outside Chania, feels like the home of someone who loves design and etched it into the cliff itself: clean horizontal lines, vast openings to the water, concrete and wood held in quiet balance, and on the walls paintings and sculptures by the owner’s wife that lend soul and identity. It’s a space you could spot in any interiors feature—yet it invites you to pad around barefoot in your swimsuit and sweats.
Step in and the feeling continues. The large open-plan living room and kitchen slide fully open to the sea—wall-height sliders, polished cement, warm wood, deep sofas, a dining table for the whole gang. It’s the purest version of inside–out living: you’re never quite sure where the house ends and the terrace begins. The sea becomes a second backdrop to the lounge. At the far end, a bold, multicoloured feature wall anchors the room, surrounded by furniture the owner has carefully chosen. Elsewhere, small patios punctuated by sculptures—the shoal of fish along a concrete wall is a standout—and bursts of colour that soften the minimalism.
From afar, it’s striking: a concrete spine set into the rock, a long, low line running parallel to the shoreline. It’s literally integrated into the terrain: a planted roof, courtyards carved into the hillside, outdoor passages that follow the cliff’s curve. From above it reads like an architectural sketch that has settled perfectly onto the slope.
The villa spans roughly 500 sq m over several levels, with five bedrooms and five bathrooms—ideal for families or groups. Bedrooms receive the same care as the social spaces: generous beds with crisp white linens, walk-in showers, and doors that open straight out to the pool terrace and outdoors.
The kitchen is a major plus: fully equipped for real cooking, not just breakfast. We asked for Cretan staples and wines and found everything ready—olive oil, paximadi rusks, cheeses, fruit, and a selection of Cretan labels. It’s the moment you think, “I’m in a villa, but I’m operating like it’s my own home.” Outside, there’s a large dining table, a BBQ, and the full stay-in philosophy: you don’t need to go out to have a great time.
Pool life
The villa’s statement piece is a private, heatable 25-metre infinity pool (90 sq m, with shallow entry). It’s big enough for actual laps, not just a quick dip. On the same level: low loungers, clean lines, nothing but sea ahead. It’s supremely Instagrammable—especially in the morning, when light filters through the slats and “paints” the floor.
Play room & sound everywhere
On the lowest level there’s a play/media room with a huge TV; just outside, a ping-pong table; plus board games, a workout area, and—crucially—JBL audio throughout the house. The intention is clear: the group comes, stays in, and nobody gets bored.
The owner has curated artworks, lighting and small sculptures, while his wife’s paintings and pieces add her signature. It’s not art hung to “fill a wall”; it’s part of the home’s narrative. So even though the setting is decidedly premium, it never feels sterile: it calls you to cook, play, sink into the outdoor sofas with a glass of wine and watch the light shift over the water.
Where you are—what to do
You’re by Kalathas, on the Akrotiri peninsula, very close to Chania—easy for town strolls and a swim at the beach below. To take it up a notch, we recommend a private Notos Mare cruise to Menies and Seitan Limania—departing from Marathi, skimming wild coves by sea, swimming in quiet waters, and returning home for sunset drinks with a view. It’s an experience perfectly in tune with the villa’s vibe.
Staying here feels like stepping into the home of people who know what they love: design, art, good music, good food and the Cretan landscape. And the beauty is, they haven’t kept it to themselves—they’ve opened it so you can live it too, if only for a few days.
