Ismini Apartments

We have been going to Kalives for 20 years now and 15 of those years have been spent at the Ismini Apartments which says it all. The Apartments and House are well situated with a big lawn and gorgeous colorful flowers. Open a gate at the end of the garden and and you are on the beach where there are high quality umbrellas provided for the sole use of clients. Ismini is very welcoming and kind with a cake on arrival, fresh oranges and grapes when in season. The accommodation has everything you need, is kept very clean and if you have any problems Ismini is always there to help. Tavernas and shops are two minutes walk away. Perfect!! Beryl and Mark

Ultra clean. Gorgeous sea view from every window. Ismini is a delightful host who personally saw to every detail. We now think of her as our friend! The apartment is quite new but carefully built in the old Greek style with solid wood, thick walls etc. Every modern comfort inside. We'll always remember our visit.

Ismini's place was so relaxing! The complex consists of two small houses with "balcony" bedrooms for 3 people each, a bigger 2-storey house for 4 people, and the house where Ismini herself stays. The buildings share between them a huge lawn that is surrounded by flowers and trees. The apartment complex is located between a restaurant and a hotel, but due to the tall trees and bushes along the perimeter you don't notice these neighbours. All of the buildings have terraces facing the lawn and - beyond that - the beach. We loved that we could cross the lawn and go directly out on to the beach, where Ismini has set out umbrellas and sunbeds - exclusively for her guests and at no extra charge. We (my husband and our 5-year-old) stayed in one of the small houses. The house has good and sturdy furniture - loved the beds! - and beautiful old lamps. The terrace was wonderful: we ate all our meals there. The staircase to the bedroom and the bedroom floor are not creaky, so you don't have to worry about waking up your child when you go to bed later at night. The house has a window (and an extra door) facing the main road - but you don't hear any noise due to excellent sound isolation; and there is a blind and a pretty curtain that together shut out the road also visually. There is cleaning twice a week, when you also get clean linen and towels - we appreciated this very much. The air-condition works well, and so does the cooking stove. We absolutely recommend this place. Thank you for being such a nice host, Ismini, and of course - for your delicious cake :)

Homely atmosphere and breathtaking view! Greek hospitality at its best... Ms. Ismini is a kind-hearted and a warm person and truly cares about her customers and went out her way to make our stay pleasant and comfortable. We had a great time and would love to visit again! :)

Είχαμε προγραμματίσει να μείνουμε στο Ismini's Apartments για μία εβδομάδα, και μείναμε μία εβδομάδα επιπλέον γιατί ήταν τόσο τέλεια. ΄Hρθαμε με το μικρό μας κοριτσάκι και ήταν απίστευτα και γι' αυτή. Το σπίτι και τα δαμερίσματα έχουν όλα όσα χρειάζεστε. Είναι καθαρά και όμορφα διακοσμημένα. Φαίνεται ακόμα καλύτερο απ' ότι στις φωτογραφίες. Τo σπίτι είναι μεγάλο και καλαίσθητο, τα διαμερίσματα έχουν περισσότερο το στυλ σπιτιού στην παραλία. Αλλά το καλύτερο μέρος είναι σίγουρα η μεγάλη αυλή, μπροστά στη θάλασσα, τα πάντα θρεμμένα με αγάπη από την Ισμήνη. Η Ιμήνη είναι τέλεια, και μας βοήθησε με όλες τις πληροφορίες, τα εστιατόρια τριγύρω είναι καλά και όχι πολύ ακριβά, εκτός από την παιδική χαρά στην αυλή, υπάρχουν δύο ακόμη παιδικές χαρές πολύ κοντά οπότε είναι το τέλειο μέρος για παιδιά. Η παραλία είναι επίσης τέλεια, μία από τις λίγες παραλίες της Κρήτης που δεν πάσχει από τους ισχυρούς ανέμους. Θα θέλαμε πολύ να επιστρέψουμε! Συνιστάται ιδιαίτερα!…

We planned to stayed in Ismini's apartments for a week, and stayed 1 week more because it was so perfect. We came with our baby girl and it was amazing for her too. The house and the apartments have everything you need, They are clean, and beautifully decorated. It looks even better than the pictures. the house is big and elegant, the apartments are more beach house style. but the best thing for sure is the great yard, in front of the sea, all nourished with love by Isminis. Ismini is great, and helped us with all the information, the restaurants around are good and not very expensive, besides the playground in the yard, there are 2 more playgrounds very close so its a perfect place for the kids. the beach is also great, one the few beaches in crete the relatively do not suffer…

All in all a perfect stay. We stayed here with our one year old for a small week at the end of April. The apartment had everything we needed. We had lunch and breakfast at the apartment, dinner we had outside most of the time. What the other reviews forget to mention is that the beds are brand new and very comfortable. Ismini was, as you can also read in other reviews, very friendly and helpful. The garden and direct beach entrance are all you need. We definitely recommend this place and would come again.

I have stayed several times at Ismini's many times over the years and cannot recommend it highly enough. The main "apartment" is really a house, not an apartment, but Ismini is reluctant to reflect that in her prices up and charge the market value because she is a generous soul and feels loyal to her repeat customers (of whom there are many). The house is spotless, the situation is absolutely idyllic and Ismini is charm and kindness personified. This is just a gem of a place and we hope to go back again and again...

We have stayed at Ismini's appartments two times, and the place is very nice indeed. The house where we have lived in, the Guest House, has always been very clean and well equipped. The location by the sea is fantastic, and Ismini's garden is absolutely the best. On windy days, the garden gives shelter, and in warm days, the nice terrace area gives shadow. There was also two small soccer goals in the big flat garden, perfect for family soccer games. Ismini, who is the hostess, is very friendly and tells stories of Kalives in the old days, if she is asked for it. But she is also very careful not to disturb her guests.

This year we´ve been already the third time to Ismini Botonakis Villa (guesthouse) and we can recomment the accommodation very much. It is a fantastic place for a great vacation! The beautiful old house with the large garden is in front of the fine-sandy-beach. Ismini furnished the mansion very tasteful and rich in details with antiques and old hereditary pieces. In the ground floor there is a WC in the input area. Furthermore there is a big dwelling with a well equipped kitchen. In the upper floor there are two cosy sleeping rooms with space for 2 adults and max. 2 children. The bath on upper floor is also equipped very well for Greek conditions. The view from the small balcony at the parents sleep area is sensational. From the large, wine-over-climbed terrace you get a…