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Yes, we’ve had the “villa” debate here before. There was an Australian host who said she managed something she insisted were called “villas” in her region. I don’t doubt her but it would be confusing for an American. They were small apartments, luxurious inside but in a very nondescript, one story, multi-family dwelling.
Also, you replied to Ritz but the listing belongs to @ViKaCr. I’d also love to see it if she is willing to post a link. Greece is still on my bucket list.
That is a faulty way of thinking. No place is “perfect”. It’s important to mention things like the potential for noise or any other things that might be “cons”. First of all, an accurate description includes not only extolling the virtues of your place, but giving an accurate picture of what to expect in general.
Secondly, it helps to ward off guests for whom those things might be a deal breaker, and if they leave a critical review, you can then leave a response along the lines of “That this a a listing in a vibrant neighborhood, complete with the sounds of everyday life of the village, is clearly mentioned in our listing.”
If you mention that your house is not isolated, but is in a real village neighborhood, and that guests may occasionally hear the normal sounds of village life, including dogs barking, roosters crowing in the morning, and sounds of the village market, they will have no grounds for complaint because you disclosed it!
That’s the standard: Disclose anything that could disturb a light sleeper. Underpromise and overdeliver.
If I was not single I might pass it up — not one double or queen bed? Is there some weird reason why? Most folks that are couples want to sleep together…?
It would be much more attractive with 2 double, queen, or king beds. The empty niches need some art — sculpture or pottery? And others have complained that my bathroom pix are too dark (I’ll have new ones when I’ve finished caulking the shower). Yours are too — you need to have some extra lighting for pictures.
It does look like it would be a great place for a couple of weeks. You’d probably find me playing backgammon in the local taverna most afternoons, or exploring historic sites and ruins, since I’m not a bake-on-the-beach type and don’t care much for swimming.
First off this place looks beautiful, I’d love to visit with my family one day!! You have tons of great reviews (at a quick glance), I think simply mentioning that it’s not remote, it’s in a village setting which can mean experiencing the sounds of daily neighborhood life is enough.
I had a guest complain that there was car noise. My address in Main Street. What did she expect? I did add potential traffic noise to my description, but noted that we can suggest many quiet nearby places to walk. Complaints about location are very frustrating. The review, after all, is about the total experience, not just the hosts. That doesn’t make the 3 feel any better.
Our home has the charm of being in a small village in the countryside, close to the locals. Our lovely neighbors are busy working & living their lives. We love being part of village life and all that goes with it: sounds of the farm-life, roosters, sheep, dogs, neighbors laughing & chatting are part of the total package.
By the way someone will always complain about something. I still don’t always have the wisdom to not take it personally but I’m working on it.
There is a double bed in the master bedroom, but it can be separated so you have two separate beds. A nice feature if you are four friends travelling together. In the pictures you see that it works as a double bed.
By the way - we have added more interior after the pictures were taken. Our guests generally praise the decor of the villa, so I think its okay as it is - not to much.
We really enjoy bering there ourselves. Lots of things to do and see in the area.
Yes…yes…yes! The best way to manage expectations is to minimize them from the start! Our booking photos are not professional (taken with our phone) and people frequently mention how the photos don’t do the listing justice…which we see as a “win.” We don’t really live by the “heads-in-beds” mantra because we want HAPPY heads in beds here! If we lose a booking by being forthright up-front with guests about what they can and cannot expect while here - that is also a “win” for us. A bad review takes a long time to recover from both emotionally and in your star rating due to the way averages work. This is the reason we ask people to tell us a little about themselves and what they hope to accomplish and do while here. If we can avoid disappointment - even at the expense of a booking - we will do so every time. So far it has worked well for us (676 reviews to date…4.99 average)
I live on a busy street and warn people about noise. I don’t tell them that I supply a white noise machine and earplugs…I’d rather people who might be disinclined to book go ahead and not book, and it’s an opportunity to offer some surprise amenities.
We love Crete, had a few weeks there about 3 years ago and will definitely return when we can. Your place looks exactly like the sort of place we love. We have stayed in quite a few Airbnb’s in Greece over the years. Staying in the villages is what we prefer but most of all it’s the Greek people and hosts like you that really make it really special. Keep it up!!