We stayed at Villa Givera in August of 2021, and it was our favorite stay throughout our 14 days in Greece.
We loved, loved, LOVED the house itself. Our teenager had his own room and our 5-year-old was excited by the kid toys that the host had left for her.
Having your own private pool with a view of the ocean was amazing! We made a point of watching the sunset from the pool every day we were there.
Definitely use the outdoor kitchen as well. One of the best dinners of the entire trip was when we picked up souvlaki, lamb burgers, and halloumi cheese from a nearby supermarket to grill and had a family night in cooking, drinking wine, and watching the sunset.
The location is wonderful. You can be in old town Rethymno in less than 10 minutes, our favorite restaurant was Taverna Zisis--only six minutes away--because it has a playground for kids to play while you take your time with dinner. Also nearby-- hiking in Myloi Gorge in ten minutes or on a beach in 15. The bigger beaches of Triopetra and Damnoni are a bit further, but manageable -- about 45 minutes away on the other side of the island.
We would absolutely stay there again!