Holiday Arrival Information
Villa Koumos is easy to find using Google Maps or by downloading printable directions from the links below. When you arrive, you’ll discover that everything has been beautifully prepared for your stay. The Villa Welcome Book will help you get acquainted with your new surroundings. We have also included the same information below to browse before your arrival or to refer to when you are at the villa. Our villa management team is available to help, if you need it.
Driving From Chania Airport
Driving from Heraklion Airport
Welcome Pack
Our welcome pack contains bread, butter, jam, juice, water, milk, and a bottle of wine. In addition, we supply English tea, sugar, and Douwe Egbert's instant coffee.
Click on the picture for Google Maps directions to Villa Koumos, Gavalochori 730 08, Crete.
GPS Coordinates: North 35.42271 East 24.21574
Park your car on the drive. The key safe is on the wall to your left next to the courtyard gate and contains keys for the gate, front door and safe. The key code will be sent to you two weeks prior to your arrival.
The door is double locked. The light switches are inside on the wall to your left. The Wi-Fi network name is villakoumos.com, use the password koumos12. Coverage is available throughout the villa.
Make yourself at home
To help you settle in, here is some key information about the villa, which your will also find in the Welcome Book. Please click the links for more details.
Appliances
You’ll find laminated guides near the showers, washing machine, coffee machine, and TV/DVD/Audio system, as well as for the outside lighting. You can access these by clicking the links or find them in the Welcome Book. Manufacturer's operating instructions are in the large folder in the bottom kitchen drawer.
Water
We advise using bottled water for drinking as the quality of tap water can vary especially during extended dry periods. Our hot water is solar heated with an immersion heater backup, operated by the switch near the front door. Unlike other facilities in Crete, our toilets have European plumbing and can handle flushed paper but not nappies, towels or wipes.
The water supply can be interrupted without warning. Try the tap on the wall of the courtyard store. If it doesn't work the mains supply is off. All other taps are fed by water pumped from our tank and if it's not being refilled it will soon run out. You will need to reduce water usage until the supply is restored. If the situation is prolonged, fill bowls from the pool.
Comfort
Each room is equipped with wall-mounted units for air conditioning and heating, operated by remote controls. For optimal comfort, we recommend setting the temperature between 20-22 °C, whether in cooling mode (snowflake symbol) or heating mode (sun symbol). Running them with windows or doors open and in unoccupied rooms is ineffective and wasteful. The shutters can also be used to regulate temperature. Keep the outdoor furniture cushions dry and ready for use by placing them in the large, plastic boxes or bringing them in at night or if rain is expected.
Electricity
The electricity supply is 230V 50Hz, which is standard across Europe. The electrical sockets are also of the European type. For our guests from the UK and Ireland, you will find adapters in the bedroom and kitchen drawers. Occasionally, we experience power cuts. However, a loss of power could also be due to a tripped fuse. You’ll know when the power is off because the emergency lighting in the living room, stairs, and downstairs landing will illuminate. Click on the link to find out what to do.
Thunderstorms may cause electrical surges and you are advised to unplug the TV, Wi-Fi router and phone chargers to avoid damage
Pool Rules
- Use at your own risk. No lifeguard on duty
- No diving
- Not to be used after dark except when the pool lights are on
- Do not use against medical advice or under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Shower before entering the pool
- No glassware on pool deck
- Children under 14 years must be supervised by an adult and access gates fastened when children are present
- Only use safety equipment for its intended purpose and do not lift poolside metal covers
Creatures
Please close the sliding metal gate to keep sheep out. They would much prefer to munch on our plants than their usual diet of dry grass and thistles! Please don't let cats into the villa. They're quite happy to be fussed and stroked outside.
It's wise to take precautions around dusk to prevent mosquito bites. We have plug-in repellent devices for use in bedrooms and refills are available from local shops.
Millipedes are harmless, dark brown or black insects around 50mm long. If touched, they curl up and give off an offensive odour! Remove with a dustpan and empty it outside.
Out and About
Beaches
Our local beaches are sandy and have Blue Flag awards. Sunbeds, toilets and changing facilities are provided free by the beachside tavernas in return for your food and drink purchases. Take our blue striped towels to use on the beach. The nearest beach is just a few minutes drive away at Almyrida. Turn right at the end of the lane, then left at the cemetery. Follow the road all the way to the sea. This is a sandy beach and suitable for children.
From Almyrida, continue towards Kalyves. After turning right, negotiating the hairpin bends and continuing to the bottom of the hill, take the track opposite, leading to a parking area and the beach.
Take the road out of Kalyves, keeping the sea on your right. On the outskirts of Kalyves, there's an SYNKA supermarket on your left. Turn right down a track to the sea. This lovely beach is suitable for swimming.
Tavernas
Gavalochori has three tavernas within walking distance. Walk down the hill towards the centre of the village and you will find two tavernas on opposite sides of the road, just past the bakery. on the left is The Hope and on the right Monica's. Both serve a great selection of local dishes. Turn left and immediately right, following signs to the museum to get to Arismari. They serve excellent local dishes and barbecued meats. Those preferring vegetarian or vegan food are well catered for in Gavalochori and throughout Crete.
If you don't mind a short drive, there are many excellent tavernas nearby. There's a wide choice of tavernas by the beach in Almyrida. There are also tavernas along the sea front in Kalyves and more on the main street from the centre towards the SYNKA supermarket. Vamos has tavernas in the centre of the town. There are cards from local tavernas in the Welcome Book.
Shopping
Shopping in Crete is still done the traditional way with many more specialist shops and fewer large supermarkets. Gavalochori has an amazing choice of shops for a small village. The bakery sells wonderful fresh-baked bread and pies, the general store sells fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and grocery items. The mini market sells grocery, wine, and beer. You can also buy olive oil and wine from bulk tanks if you have your own containers! There's also a shop selling local handicrafts and gifts and a gent's and ladies' hairdresser. Everything is around the village centre.
A short drive to Vamos will bring you to more shops including an English butchers. The nearest supermarket is SYNKA in Kalyves where you will also find a wide selection of shops. The nearest bank is Piraeus Bank in Vamos. There are cash machines in Vamos, Almyrida and Kalyves.
