A New Proposition for a Different Type of Holiday

Away from the humdrum picture of tourism (sun - sea) every place has another world - which lasts more than just the few months of the tourist season - whose roots are well embedded in tradition. Tradition is still alive but well hidden, like a precious jewel, from the eyes of the ephemeral visitor. Andreas Metaxas, General Manager of the Maris Hotels, with his love and respect for Cretan tradition had a dream and dared to experiment. Thus, Villa Arhanes is a proposition for a different type of holiday, which combines tradition and a return to nature, rural tourism and frugal luxury, entertainment and communication with the locals and time for contemplation.

The building, an original 1890 Cretan mansion in Arhanes -which has been characterised as an architectural entirety of historical and traditional heritage- was restored in the year 2000 retaining intact its foundations, its stone walls (60-80 cm thick), its frame and woodwork. Open the year round, Villa Arhanes consists of 6 apartments for 2-7 persons, each decorated differently, combining traditional architecture and contemporary conveniences. Four of these apartments have names of the seasons, while the remaining two that of Dionysos (God of pleasure, communications and fertility) and Ariadne (who give birth to Stafylos and Inopionas). Villa Arhanes has a reception area - kafenion (traditional Cretan coffee-house) and a fresh-water
swimming pool.

The intentness to tradition is notable everywhere, not only in its architecture and decoration. At Villa Arhanes there are no animators, modern music, waiters with bow ties or chefs with white hats. There is only the simple, tasty and healthy food, prepared by a housewife who cooks the century-old Cretan cooking recipes - and it is a well know fact that Cretan nutrition is one of the world's healthiest diets. Another important factor is that all products (meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, salads, wine, raki and bread etc) are ecological, grown without the use of fertilisers and chemicals, whilst all food, where only pure Cretan olive oil is used, are served in the traditional and not the classical way.

Everything is laid on the table at the same time and not served one plate at a time. Hospitality is the key word at Arhanes, the way Cretans mean hospitality, where there are no clients but guests.
A substantial part of a stay at Villa Arhanes, (an investment of 322.817 €) is the optional participation in any rural and other creative activities - depending on the season - which is harmoniously related to the natural environment, with an aim to familiarise oneself with Cretan rural tradition, as well as communicate and acquire knowledge from the people, who live and work close to nature every day.

For Maris Hotels Villa Arhanes is "an experiment, a daring, a dream, a new dimension for tourism, a searching and attempt to establish a new type of holidays for people with sensitivity and a particular sympathy for: tradition, nature, relaxation, exercise, nutrition with pure ecological products, taste, entertainment and communication with the locals. and time for contemplation". In other words, "real life".

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