Tell us about your visit:
Review submitted by rob from sutton coldfield (Submitted: 5 Sep 2012)
a lovely property, well appointed and decorated. excellent facilities, lovely pool and terrace. Fabulous views across to Ithaca.
the low doorway from the Kitchen onto the terrace caught us out a few times, as did the staircase above the Kitchen sink, but you learn after a few bumps to duck.
wish we could go back but its so popular it seems there are no dates left for 2013!!
Owner reply:
So glad you enjoyed your stay at The Summer House. There are dates left for 2013 - we just hadnt released them yet. Please check online now and you should be able to find what you need. Any questions, just ask. (sorry about the bumped heads!)
Review submitted by Jude from York (Submitted: 6 Jun 2012)
Once again we returned to The Summerhouse and as always we found the villa to be absolutely wonderful and cannot fault the service provided. Needless to say we will be back.
Review submitted by Jude from York (Submitted: 5 Oct 2011)
Yet another return visit to this fabulous villa. As usual everything was fully prepared for us and the same high standards were obvious to see. Suffice to say we are already booked for 2012!
Review submitted by Edwina from Manchester (Submitted: 26 Jul 2011)
This is a beautifully designed and realised property. We loved being there. It is incredibly relaxing and is a short drive away from beaches and other lovely areas. Highly recommended! The only slight drawback is the height of the doors into the kitchen from the terrace - my husband kept forgetting to duck - but despite him banging his head a few times the stay was idyllic. The evening scents of lavender and jasmine, plus all the butterflies in the day, were just divine.
Review submitted by Derek from Claygate (Submitted: 15 Jul 2011)
A fantastic property which offers luxury, charachter, seclusion and tranquility - everything we were looking for. Well be back for a third visit soon
Review submitted by Andrew from London (Submitted: 13 Jul 2011)
We had an amazing week at the Summer House. The villa was perfect for relaxing by the pool and offered easy access to local restaurants and into Fiscardo. Everything was provided and we made full use of the BBQ. I would recommend this villa to anybody who is looking to vist Cephalonia.
Review submitted by Jude from York (Submitted: 8 Oct 2010)
This was another return visit to our favourite villa. Each year the owners surprise us with new additions which just add to the experience of staying in this villa. It is maintained to the highest degree with an excellent management team for the very very rare problem and also an excellent cleaner. Although perhaps more expensive than some the price is reflected in the quality and standard of fittings.
Review submitted by Helen from Wakefield (Submitted: 16 Sep 2010)
The property is excellent and location is good at the moment. The service we receied was first rate in terms of response and the cleaning of the property added a lot to the holiday.
We experienced a small amount of buliding noise for a few days whilst we were there which impacted when we were sat by the pool.
The bed was not that comfortable and my husband especially struggled to sleep.
Whilst we were there the parsasol collapsed and although it was replaced the replacment was not at all sufficient
Owner reply:
Dear Helen, thank you for your time in completing the a review of our villa - we are glad that you thought that the property and location were excellent and always appreciate it when others recognise the tremendous effort we have put in to create the villa.
I am sorry that you experienced a small amount of building works nearby and trust it didnt impact too much on your stay. With regards to the bed being uncomfortable, we have been renting the villa for 3 years now and this is the first mention of this we have had of this - I can therefore only assume that the softness or hardess of a mattress is to a very personal liking. Certainly no expense was spared when we purchased the bed and I can assure you that the mattress is of the highest quality. We will though look to buy a "topper" which would hopefully then offer the option of a hard and soft bed depending on our guests preference.
Finally, as you are aware from your stay, the villa is set on a beautiful hillside with amazing coastal views - with this, unfortunately come some strong coastal breezes that can, over the summer, take their toll on the parasols which we replace/repair every year. We have already taken steps this year to replace the large terrace parasol with a reed covered pergola over the whole eating terrace. This will be done over the winter so we will not have this problem in the future and the pergola will only add to wonderful charm and character of the Summer House. I have now brought the matter up with our managing agents on the island (I was unaware of the problem until your comment) - they advised that they provided you with an alternative smaller parasol as a substitute - I understand that the original was brought down with the wind and was unrepairable - it can often take many weeks to get large items like this replaced as everything on the island needs to be shipped from Athens/the mainland - it is particularly difficult to obtain summer garden furniture at this time of the year as it is coming towards the end of the season and the shops simply dont stock large and expensive items like this at the end of the summer.
All the best
Carl
Review submitted by nichola from marlborough (Submitted: 3 Aug 2010)
A stunning, stylish & high quality property. Equipped to a high standard, excellent interior & exterior furnishings, a really luxurious place. Quiet & private location with stunning views to the sea & Ithaca. This place definitely has the wow factor & the price is justified. I would highly recommend it & would certainly return. Anybody holidaying at this property will not be disappointed.
Review submitted by Linda from Claygate, Esher (Submitted: 19 Jul 2010)
Wonderful villa, you have thought of everything, we will be back next year. I dont think we have ever been as relaxed, the Summer House was so delightful and in a beautiful quiet location.
Thank you so much
Review submitted by Benjamin from Huddersfield (Submitted: 18 Jul 2010)
This was our first trip to Kefalonia and we had an amazing stay at the Villa. We were looked after very well and will definitely be back.
Review submitted by Jude from York (Submitted: 4 Jun 2010)
This was our fourth visit to the Summerhouse and even now the owners surprise us with additional features to the property. This year an outside settee has been added. We also appreciated the fact that all the linen had been renewed since our stay last year and that bath sheets have been provided rather than the smaller bath towels.
Review submitted by Jude from YOrk (Submitted: 22 Oct 2009)
This was out third visit to the Villa and I am pleased to say it has been maintained to its original high standard with everything we needed right on hand.
Review submitted by FIONA from WAKEFIELD (Submitted: 11 Oct 2009)
The Summer House is a superb villa with outstanding views and a high quality finish, It is very peaceful and tranquil, and yet a 40min walk will take you to the bustling harbour at Fiskardo. During our stay we were very well looked after and nothing was too much trouble. Highly reccommended!
Review submitted by Sue from Thornton Hough (Submitted: 23 Sep 2009)
Just returned from 2 weeks at The Summerhouse. The house played a very major part in the enjoyment of a lovely holiday. The views from the outside areas to the sea & Ithaka are even more beautiful than they appear on the website, whilst the inside areas are tasteful, comfortable & very clean. Before our departure Carl was extremely helpful, even arranging for a Bodum to be put in place for coffeeholics. His recommendations for eating out we tested with enthusiasm & didnt have one bad experience. The management team in Fiskardo of Jamie, Richard & their team are excellent, wish every rental home had such a reliable safety net, even though we needed them only a couple of times. If I had to make one less that completely positive comment it would be the steps from the kitchen to the lounge & the proximity of their outer edge to head level when loading dishwasher or the bin. I dont know if some designer edge cushioning is possible but it would stop accidental & somewhat painful bumps, same goes for kitchen door to outside, you dont always remember to duck. I think if the house were on the other side of the Atlantic they could be a lawsuit waiting to happen! That should not detract however from a beautiful house that does feel like your home for your stay.
Review submitted by Nina from London (Submitted: 17 Sep 2009)
We stayed in the summer house for one week at the end of August and had the most amazing holiday there! The house is beautifully decorated and renovated in a high quality fashion. Everything is functional and practical as well as comfortable and stylish. The exterior as well as the interior have been refurbished with excellent taste and great care. The price was not cheap, but it was definitely worth paying for the quality we got. The villa with its pool, terraces, barbecue etc even exceeded our expectations. Everything was as promised on the website and better! We would definitely recommend this place to friends and hope to return there ourselves! The house is perfect for relaxing by the pool, barbecues, long evenings outside and inside. Plenty of space and all commodities we could have wished for! The property managers were very helpful, always responsive and friendly when we needed anything. Overall this was probably the most amazing property we stayed in for a holiday! And the island was really nice too. We couldn’t have asked for anything else! Except maybe to be able to stay another week :)
Review submitted by Ilda from London (Submitted: 15 Sep 2009)
Beautifully decorated and maintained. Gorgeous view of Ithaka.
Quite high standards.
The local maintenance people were great, responding very quickly to our demands.
We had the most wonderful time.
BUT:
- We thought the kitchen area was very closed and dark, with only very small windows
- A little bit too much stone and cement around the outside areas
- The garden not kept at the same standards as the rest (partly dry)
- The wasps in the area, an absolute nightmare (we had to rush to the local Doctor after a hugely swollen after bite)
Owner reply:
Thank you so much for taking your time to review our villa and we are really glad you had a lovely holiday.
I understand your comment regarding the kitchen - however, the house is over 300 years old and restricted what we could do in its restoration (without losing the charm and traditional features of the original house). The small doors and window in the kitchen were originally used to ensure the house remained warm in the winter and cool in the summer - the three feet thick walls also help to achieve this and although there is airconditioning throughout the house, it rarely needs to be used in the old part of the house due to this.
The summers in the Mediterranean are quite harsh and rainfall is very low. The garden is becoming more established over time but as water is in such short supply on the island (primarily being shipped from the mainland) it will take time. We have created a garden that provides some of the local plants and is as eco-friendly as possible.
Review submitted by Louise from Nottingham (Submitted: 25 Aug 2009)
We had a super holiday at the Summer house, it was a great location and met our expectation.
The information we were given was useful, we were looked after but left alone and the right balance was achieved for a very lovley holiday, thank you
Review submitted by Jude from York (Submitted: 29 Oct 2008)
A beautiful restoration and providing everything we needed for a lovely stay. This exceeds other villa properties we have stayed in and we will return.
The Villa has wonderful views is set in a lovely garden with differing terraces to catch the sun or the shade and with plenty of outdoor furniture.
Review submitted by Pete from Wigton, Cumbria (Submitted: 24 Oct 2008)
The Summer House is a beautiful villa that has been tastefully restored, decorated and equipped to a very high standard.
We were delighted to find the villa exceptionally clean with ample cutlery, plates and all the facilities working unlike some other villas we have visited in the past.
Whether we wanted to sit outside in the shade and relax or sunbathe around the pool there is a large comfortable six-seater outside dining table with shade from the midday sun and six good quality sun loungers for soaking up the rays. We were pleased with the large terraced area which affords absolutely stunning views over the sea and the island of Ithaca.
We have been visiting Kefalonia twice a year for the past three years and previously used Thompson for a packaged deal. By booking direct with the owner we received a reassuring personal response and I would also recommend the car hire booking facility linked to the villa booking site. By using the link we hired a large car for less than an economy car through Thompson and Europcar.
The Summer House is a lovely, comfortable and well appointed villa that is a perfect base for exploring and enjoying this beautiful Island.
Review submitted by David from Southport (Submitted: 30 Sep 2008)
A very attractive small villa in a nice location with wonderful view. Pool excellent.
The overall standard of construction and fittings was good but it is clear that this is first season and, in our view, the property lacks a few "finishing touches" to take it beyond minimalist. Not everyone wants a TV on vacation but nice to have the choice. selec tion of DVDs amounted to 4- even Captain Correllis Mandolin was missing! Not sure if a washing machine is eco-friendly in that environment but certainly useful given airline baggage weight restrictions if there for 2 weeks or more.
Owner reply:
Please accept our apologies for the lack of selection of DVDs - we can assure you that there were considerably more at the start of the season and we will replenish the stock for next season. We will take your comments on board as we do from everyone who visits the Summer House and will endeavour to implement as many of requests as possible for next year.
Unfortunately we shall not be installing a washing machine - due to a lack of water on the island during the main summer months this is simply not practical and we would hope that all our guests would agree that it is important to preserve the local environment where possible. With best regards.
Review submitted by David from Morpeth (Submitted: 13 Sep 2008)
Beautiful villa in a beautiful location. Perfect peace. Very helpful owners
Review submitted by G. from London (Submitted: 3 Sep 2008)
The Summer House was the perfect retreat from busy, stressful London life - It exceeded our expectations in ecvery respect.
Excellent outside space, lots of room for everyone plus extra friends over for a BBQ if you like and French doors from the master bedroom onto the terrace and pool gave the place a very luxy feel!
Decor was very tasteful - bright white bed/bathroom linen and contemporaty furnishings made a great contrast to the traditional build of the cottage and the clever use of space and the master bedroom extension made for a great family living space. The whole house is finished to an extremely high standard.
Kitchen/Diner was a good size and well equiped for all kinds of cooking.
Very clean, good air-con (!), friendly cleaner, pool guy and local agents in case of any problems (which there werent). Hard to find anything to fault but if I was forced, I might sugest a larger fridge, or a separate drinks fridge. Apart from this small observation this is a 5-star cottage and I would not hesitate to recommend it.
Review submitted by Mary from Old Woking (Submitted: 19 Aug 2008)
An extremely well appointed house with a very high standard of fixtures and fittings. A lovely well maintained pool has stunning views across to Ithaca. The few problems we encountered were swiftly sorted out by the local agents. We would happily return to The Summer House and would reccommend it to other families as a relaxing and enjoyable place to stay
Review submitted by Andrew from LONDON (Submitted: 1 Aug 2008)
A very tasteful interior, a well equipped kitchen plus a stunning view from the master bedroom across the infinity pool to Ithaca make this a special property. The quality of the fixtures, fittings and the finish to the walls and flloors raises this above the standard holiday let.
The care taken in designing and completing the villa has paid off.
The outside has generous space fro relaxing with the BBQ on a raised and secluded terrace. The maid service was excellent.
The owners well crafted recommendations were useful and enabled us to get the best from the locality. This property deserves to be a success.
Review submitted by alexandra from bristol (Submitted: 10 Jul 2008)
Wonderful! One of the nicest places I have ever stayed. We will be back. Heavenly views and beautifully renovated property. I wish it were mine!