The Garden House - 3 Bedroom (Sleeps 7) Villa in Skopelos

Description

The Garden House, Skopelos

LOCATION AND FACILITIES

The location of The Garden House is idyllic, the house sits within over an acre of ancient and secluded olive grove in a valley just a 10 minute walk from Skopelos Town. It truly is a unique location. The original, terraced, olive grove has been carefully adapted into a modern Mediterranean garden.

The spacious interior of the villa is split across two floors. The ground floor is the main living space with a large sitting room and the kitchen and indoor dining area.

The first floor is arranged to provide flexible sleeping arrangement with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

The house was designed by a local architect for Susan Acevedo, the first wife of Neil Young.

ACCESS TO THE VILLA

The villa is easily reached from Skopelos town (Chora) and main port and is approximately 10 minutes’ walk along paved roads.

THE POOL

The 8m x 4m pool has a sun terrace with sun beds, and along one edge of the pool terrace there is a long wooden pergola frame with bamboo and reed covering for shade. The pool terrace is set in the heart of the garden providing complete seclusion.

The pool is unheated and is 1.2m deep throughout. It retains the perfect temperature to cool off from the heat of the day.

The pool area is fully illuminated by solar powered LED lighting.

EXTERNAL AREAS

The Garden House sits within a beautiful and ancient olive grove terraced into the side of the valley (some trees are estimated to be over 500 years old). Over the last 35 years it has been transformed into a modern Mediterranean garden with a wide selection of both native and imported species. There are orange, lemon, tangerine and grapefruit trees. Pomegranate, avocado, apple, plum, quince, loquat and walnut. Cacti, prickly pear, bamboos, eucalyptus, pines and palms, as well as various succulents, lillies, irises, roses, jacarandas etc.

On the ground floor, outside the kitchen and indoor dining room, there is a large external terrace, with a dining table which comfortably seats 8. The dining area is set beneath a wooden framed pergola with bamboo and reed covering for shade. There is a Weber gas fired barbecue, with all required BBQ tools. The underside of the pergola has solar powered LED festoon lighting ensuring the dining area provides a serene atmosphere for evening dining.

On the first floor there are 2 further terraces with seating and tables, one off the main bedroom and one off the 2nd bedroom, offering guests a variety of places to sit and relax.

The main bedroom terrace has an L shaped outdoor sofa and coffee table. The terrace off the 2nd bedroom has a bistro table and 2 comfortable designer chairs. Both terraces provide delightful views over the garden and valley beyond.

INTERNALLY

The large spacious interior is comprised of the main sitting room which has 2 distinct seating areas. The first is focused around the open fire with bench seating and armchairs around a coffee table, the second has a large sofa and 2 armchairs arranged in front of the flat screen TV. The house has a large collection of classic and blockbuster film DVDs for guests to enjoy.

The kitchen is double aspect, looking out into the garden and across the parterre section of the garden up to the pool area. It is provided with most modern amenities and kitchen aids and indoor dining table with seating for six. Electric hob and oven, microwave, Nutribullet smoothie maker and Nespresso coffee machine with milk frother, main fridge/freezer and a second undercounter drinks fridge, dishwasher and washing machine. There is ample storage space within the kitchen, housing plentiful new ceramic dining ware, dishes, pots, pans etc. The kitchen tap has been fitted with a high-quality water filter and delivers perfect drinking water helping to minimise the amount of single use plastic bottles used. Please bring your own bottles to refill.

Internally, the floors are laid with wooden boards. The timber beamed ceiling in the kitchen and dining area, with feature lighting, creates a mix of classic Greek villa and farmhouse feel to the rooms. French style patio doors lead directly onto the main rear terrace.

BEDROOMS

The sleeping arrangements in the house have been designed to be flexible.

Bedroom 1 is the larger bedroom. It has a raised bed base which fits a king size bed, this can be swapped for two single beds. It also has a bunk bed set off to the side with a privacy curtain to separate the two areas. The en-suite bathroom has a twin head shower wet area, WC and designer vanity unit with counter top mounted basin and wall mounted taps. The patio doors open directly onto the larger sun terrace with views out over the garden and to the valley and hills beyond. The traditional Skopeleti open beamed ceiling with spot lighting is a wonderful architectural feature. The bedroom has plenty of storage space with a large wardrobe and chest of drawers, plus pull out drawers below the bunk bed. It also has a wall mounted air conditioning unit. The bedside lights provide USB charging for phones and tablets.

Off Bedroom 1, adjacent to the en-suite bathroom, is Bedroom 2. This is a cosy single bedroom with a window that looks across the garden and out to Skopelos town and the port. The bedside light provide USB charging for phones and tablets. The single bed has under bed storage and a wall mounted air conditioning unit.

Bedroom 3 is located on the other side of the house and is accessed via a covered terrace with bistro table and chairs. It has a raised bed base with two single beds, which can be swapped for the double in Bedroom 1. The bedside lights provide USB charging for phones and tablets. It too has high beamed ceilings with spot lighting and a wall mounted air conditioning unit. The en-suite shower has a large shower area, WC and designer vanity unit. The side terrace overlooks the parterre and across to the pool area. The bedroom has ample storage with a large wardrobe and chest of drawers.

As mentioned previously, the sleeping arrangements can be adapted to meet certain needs. The king size double and the twin beds on the bed bases in Bedrooms 1 & 2 can be swapped around to provide 4 singles in Bedroom 1 (2 singles on the bed base and the bunk) and the king size double moved into Bedroom 2.


OTHER FACILITIES

The garden has a Boulles/Petanque court, inside there are a wide selection of books, games and puzzles. 2 adult mountain bikes are also available for guests to use.

GENERAL INFORMATION

• All bedrooms have wall mounted air conditioning units.
• The villa has Wi-Fi internet connections. The internal routers and WiFi extender provide both internal and external usage.
• There is a large TV with a very large collection of DVDs.
• High thread count linen is provided for all beds.
• High quality towels are provided for use within the house.
• Beach towels are provided for use by the pool and at the beach.
• A welcome pack is provided when you first arrive at the house.
• Additional mid-week cleaning can be arranged, but this will be at an additional charge.
• The pool is cleaned twice per week.
• There is an information pack kept within the villa. The pack includes some history of the house and on Skopelos itself as well as lots of information on local eateries, bars, beaches, scuba centres, kayaking and other interesting places and activities available whilst staying at the house.

EATING OUT

The town of Skopelos, only a 10 minute walk from the house, is the main hub of the island. The pretty harbour front is the bustling heart but there are excellent bars and restaurants located throughout. Wandering through the maze of lanes in the old town inevitably means you find somewhere new. The islanders take huge pride in the quality of the local produce and the island is renowned for its seafood, game, plums and honey.

BEACHES

The island has a large number of beautiful beaches (shingle and sand) which are easily accessible via the main coast road, the town road and many more which can only be reached from the water. Skopelos is often referred to as the “blue green island” or “the emerald of the Aegean” due to its crystal-clear turquoise water and lush pine forests and olive groves. It was chosen as the setting for the Mamma Mia movie and there are some landmarks made famous as locations for various scenes.

ACTIVITIES & THINGS TO DO

There are a wide range of activities available on the island including, but not limited to, the following:

• Sea kayaking. Excellent tours organised.
• SUP. Rental available from various locations.
• Road cycling/mountain biking. Rentals and guided rides available.
• Horse riding.
• Walking/hiking. Lots of well-marked routes, local guidebooks and accurate maps.
• Trail running. As above.
• Diving. Professional diving company based in Skopelos town.
• Snorkeling. Excellent at most beaches. The house has a variety of equipment and sizes for guests to borrow.
• Motorboat hire. Several companies offer rentals. We recommend that bookings are made via Madro Travel in Skopelos town.
• Boat day trips. Boats are moored in the main port and offer all sorts of day trips.
• Yachting. As above.
• Yoga. Classes are available to be booked.
• Boules (Petanque) court at the house.


GETTING THERE

Skopelos can be easily reached via several travel routes. The quickest and easiest is to fly to the neighbouring island of Skiathos and then a ferry (1hr 15m) or hydrofoil (0h45m) transfer from Skiathos port to the main port of Skopelos. Ther are also water taxis available which will take you to the port of Loutraki/Glossa. Alternatively, you can fly to the airports of Athens, Volos or Thessaloniki and there are various ferry transfer options from there to Skopelos.

CAR HIRE

Due to the location of The Garden House, you do not need to hire a vehicle during your stay. The town and supermarket are within easy walking distance of the house, no more than 10 minutes and along paved roads, and there is an excellent bus service which runs throughout the day from the main town harbour front along the coast road all the way to Glossa and Loutraki in the north of the island. However, having a vehicle at your disposal does mean you have the opportunity to see more of the island. There are several hire car companies located within Skopelos Town for you to choose from. If requested, we will be pleased to assist you on help and advice where best to hire a vehicle from. Personally we recommend Magic Cars who usually have the best deals. There are a limited number of rental vehicles on the island, so we recommend you book early.

AMA: 01237450910

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