***** 5/5

 

First week of June – from Sarah

‘The children rarely left the pool, it really is the perfect size’

‘We couldn’t have had a better stay, Celia was incredibly helpful with the bookings, recommendations, advice and contacts. Caroline and Adrian were also very helpful making arrangements during our stay. We had fantastic weather; the villa feels so secluded and private yet so close to everything you need. The villa was incredibly clean, really well sized and even a welcome pack of goodies. Our children rarely left the pool, it really is the perfect size. We would highly recommend the Walnut Tree!’

 

 

Late May 2019 from Paul and Maureen

‘Their only concern was that we had a good time in Sami’

‘We visited Sami in late May, and we booked the Walnut Tree Villa. It was a fantastic choice, and the Villa was amazing. It was so well equipped for all the family to have a great holiday and the facilities were second to none, the swimming pool, bikes, table tennis and boules would keep the family amused and the area is lovely. Celia and Rees are very helpful, and their only concern was that we had a good time in Sami. We were in Kefalonia for our daughter’s wedding and the day after the wedding we had a post wedding party at the Villa with Celia’s permission, The Villa is large enough and the grounds are vast, and everyone had a very nice time. The Walnut tree is a great Villa for a family holiday.’

The family based themselves at The Walnut Tree with the Bride and her family staying in the villa.  The day after the wedding, a Lunch was provided for all guests staying around the local area.  Looks like a great time was had by all (see my blog on the wedding week)

 

‘Our party comprised 2 grandparents, 4 parents and 5 grandchildren. The Walnut Tree was an idyllic property, in the perfect location, situated just outside Sami in a quiet area of the countryside. The property was very well maintained and had all the facilities one could need. The fact that the property comprises two self-contained apartments worked well as the first floor provided a quiet area away from the garden and swimming pool. We were also impressed by the fact that the property was cleaned and serviced twice per week. The swimming pool was perfect for the family and was in constant use. It was also kept in perfect condition and was cleaned and serviced on the same days as the rooms The BBQ area was used a lot and it was very enjoyable to sit outside under the stars eating and drinking after a day’s exertion. We covered most of the island during our stay and found that Sami was the location that met our family’s needs best, the town offered all the shopping outlets that were needed and there was a good choice of restaurants and bars. There were also a number of places of interest locally that helped entertain the children and the grownups, the Drogarati caves, the Melissani underground lake, and also horse riding and donkey trekking that can be found nearby. A search on the internet also gave us leads as to some local festivals that were taking place, one of these was a music and dance festival, at Falaga in the wine area, which we visited one evening (OK if you like a late night). We also hired boats in Agia Effimia and spent the day swimming off the boats and mooring at secluded beaches. Trips to the pretty villages Fiskado and Assos also provided pleasant day trips out and some stunning scenery. Whilst we visited Mirtos Beach for one day we were not impressed with the facilities there, and we preferred to use the more local beach at Adissamis Bay where you had all the facilities, bar, restaurant and water sports. As you can probably tell our holiday in Sami was a hit with all that went, and The Walnut Tree provided a perfect base from which to see the highlights of Kefalonia.’

August 2017

‘We absolutely loved our week in the Walnut Tree. Unusually, everything – the island, the house, the beautiful surroundings, the crystal-clear sea – exceeded our expectations! The house is well equipped and comfortable and genuinely feels like a family home rather than a holiday rental. Everything had been well thought out, worked well and was spotlessly clean so we had to force ourselves out every morning to explore Kefalonia. Sitting on the terrace at dusk watching bats and owls swoop down to drink from the pool was magical. I hope we’ll be back soon!’

JUNE 2016

‘Thank you so much for this beautiful stay in Kefalonia! We were a large group of 12, but the Walnut Tree House managed to accommodate us perfectly. The beds are comfortable, even the extra 2 sofa beds are reasonable and there are enough bathrooms and toilets. The highlight however is the kitchen (both of them!) and its equipment. I have never rented a house that well equipped! There is nothing missing, pots and pans to cook and feed 12 hungry mouths! The bbq area works great as well, and thanks to the beautiful seating area we spent cosy nights outside (mosquitos though, you want to bring some repellent). The garden and the pool are simply beautiful and so peaceful. We even had some homegrown fruit and vegetables! Celia was very accommodating for our complicated travel arrangements, some of us had to leave earlier etc. Communication was easy and no question remained unanswered. On site, Spyros was friendly, approachable and always happy to help. He reserved us a table at his in-law’s restaurant, Zervati, which has a beautiful garden and excellent food and service! I would definitely recommend renting a car once you are in Kefalonia, as you can discover everything the island has to offer in less than an hour from Sami. Hence, the location of The Walnut Tree is perfect, also Sami is a very nice place to go for a quick gyro or some nice seabass. I can only recommend the Walnut Tree House for a stay in Kefalonia, especially for a larger group of friends or family as there is enough room for everyone to do their own thing during the day, but equally it is possible to sit everyone around one table for dinner! Thank you for having us!’

JULY 2016

‘Our second stay at The Walnut Tree in as many years. We absolutely love it there. It really is a fabulous house, with everything you could possibly need, from lovely swimming pool, air-conditioned bedrooms, great BBQ area, pro boules pitch, ping pong table, the list goes on and on, but the beautiful garden is the icing on the cake. Lying out on the sun loungers after dark, spotting shooting stars is also magical!
The location is great – just a short drive from everything you could need in the charming and quiet small town of Sami – and many great beaches.
The taverna at Agia Paraskevi through Karavomilos, on the road to Agia Effimia is one of our all-time favourite places to go for lunch.
Can’t wait to go back again!’

JULY/AUGUST 2016

‘From the time we booked the villa Celia could not have been more helpful. She was extremely pleasant to talk to & went over & above to ensure that our stay in the Walnut Tree was perfect. The villa is everything & more that Celia says it is. There was nothing more we needed or could have asked for.It was spotlessly clean & beautifully decorated. The outside gardens were so pretty & well kept. The swimming pool was perfect for the grandchildren as it had a shallow end perfect for their ages 2 -5. They used to watch the bats dive bombing the pool at dusk.It is also a perfect location & within an hour’s driving of most places or less. Sami is literally a 5minute drive where there are a few supermarkets & an abundance of restaurants & coffee shops. Whilst the supermarkets stocked most things, we found it much cheaper to shop at Lidls in Argostole about 3/4 hour away, we combined the shopping trip with a trip into the town to see the turtles that swim around the fishing boats there, an amazing site,followed by a coffee in one of the seafront restaurants & then a quick shop on the way home. It was a family vacation plus our youngest son’s wedding in nearby Assos. Can I just say if anyone is considering a wedding abroad I can’t recommend Assos highly enough. It was a truly magical day, perfect from start to finish. Greece is so picturesque & the people so friendly, don’t think I’ll ever see another wedding like it! We didn’t get to see all the island which is probably Celia’s fault because the villa was sooooo beautiful we couldn’t drag everyone away from it, but we will definitely return.Before I finish, I also have to mention Spyros who met us & showed us around the villa on the first day there. He was a lovely man & gave us lots of advice on where we should go whilst there & helped us out by replacing a buggy for our youngest grandchild as it had been damaged by the baggage handlers…..he replaced it within half an of being there! I could go on & on but may bore you, all I can say is if you are considering renting this villa do it, don’t hesitate because someone else might get it before you & then you’ll have missed out on a wonderful experience. Thank you so much again Celia for making our holiday/wedding week an amazing one & giving us some special memories. We would love to return one day…….you never know they might re-new their vows out there!!’

AUGUST 2016

Stunning, Beautiful, Relaxing Villa

‘It was our second visit to The Walnut Tree after loving it so much last year. The Walnut Tree is the most idyllic, beautiful, clean, spacious villa, suitable for a large family. We actually cannot find any fault with it and can recommend it completely to anyone wanting to visit the gorgeous island of Kefalonia.’

AUGUST  2015 (2nd fortnight)

AUGUST 2015 (1st fortnight)

‘We all had a wonderful holiday and everything went perfectly. On behalf of all 11 of us, thank you so much for the loan of your beautiful home for two weeks. It was perfect. We’re so pleased we decided on the Walnut Tree as our chosen villa as the location was perfect for exploring the island. We visited Katelios, Skala, Fiscardo, Agia-Efimia, saw the turtles at Argostoli, did lots of water sports and snorkelled at Antisamos beach, visited the caves and took a boat trip to Ithaca. We also ate out at lots of lovely tavernas, got lost on a mountain (and met the goats close up!) drank far too much local wine and watched some amazing thunderstorms. We also sat and watched the moon appear from behind the mountain on a couple of nights, truly magical….On the days we chose to rest, we chilled out at the villa and relaxed around the wonderful pool. We played scrabble, boules, table tennis, Uno, volleyball in the pool or just read and slept on the sun beds…….Sheer bliss! When we had the energy, we biked to the mini market for ice creams.I’m sure you’ve heard all this before and it’s not really helping me to get over my homecoming blues by reminiscing about our superb holiday, but it is delaying me from tackling the washing crisis! Honestly, we had a brilliant family holiday and made some special memories. I’m sure we’ll revisit sometime soon. Finally, thank you a million times for everything.’  Our reviewer reports ‘ … how ‘normally’ Kefalonia’ is functioning. As the Wifi was so good at the villa, face book was being updated each day whilst we were there, but we’ll certainly continue to spread the word.’

July 2015

‘Just a quick note to say how much we enjoyed our all too brief week at Walnut Tree.

The house was perfectly arranged for our group – the early risers were upstairs, which meant that the rest of us were able to enjoy a few more hours of sleep in the morning than we have been used to on family holidays in the past!
The location was perfect for us to head off on sorties across Kefalonia, though we tended to stick to the Sami/Ag. Efimia side and loved the taverna at Ag. Paraskevi. The water sports at Antisamos were very popular with the kids.
Dinners around the big table were a particular highlight, especially when we all decamped to the sun loungers after pudding for a spot of ouzo inspired star gazing!
It was a week that we will cherish.’

July 2015

‘What a wonderful villa you have and location. It was my first time to Greece, and it did not disappoint in any way. Walnut Tree is a marvellous place for families to stay, such space! All age groups well catered for. Home from home.

……….Very nice, peaceful, clean, tidy and everything in working order. Such a change from say South of France or Spain where all villas seem to be cheek by jowl. Sitting outside watching the sun rise was a delight.

Impressed so much so that I am thinking of returning with my daughter & family, who were part of the group, and some more of my family.   A jewel of a holiday, very special. You are lucky to have such a place in a fabulous part of the world.’

July 2015

‘My wife and I, together with our two young children (aged five and two) have just returned from a fantastic stay at the Walnut Tree and felt it important that we share our experience, since there has been much spoken and written in the media about what is currently happening in Greece.

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 ‘A group of ten of us spent seven days at the Walnut Tree villa. It was an unforgettable experience and one which I would thoroughly recommend to anyone wanting to visit Kefalonia. The Walnut Tree is an ideal villa for large groups as you can divide into two smaller ones which isn’t a bad thing with a large group of people, even if you are good friends! Booking the villa was simple, and Celia was so helpful and informative before we went, with bags of useful information and advice. Nothing was too much trouble for her, and she was so friendly on the phone. We had the added bonus of meeting her before she flew home. Once we arrived, we had every assistance from her on-the-ground crew who couldn’t have been more helpful. The villa is fabulous, large, airy and spacious, and everything has been thought of to make your stay superb. It is also spotlessly clean. It is equipped with everything you need including towels, sun-loungers and two bicycles. It feels like a home, not a holiday let! It is in a beautiful location with stunning views and very quiet – all you hear is the sea breeze and the goat bells! But it is also brilliantly placed to explore the island. It is a short drive (or fast cycle-ride downhill on bikes) from Sami but out of the way enough to feel that you have the utmost privacy. Sami is lovely – a quiet place but with nice restaurants and enough shops to get whatever provisions you need (and no night clubs thank goodness). The locals are friendly and helpful. There are beautiful beaches a short drive away, and it is well worth exploring the island because the scenery is spectacular (even if the driving can test your nerves!). Kefalonia is probably my favourite greek island so far and I have seen quite a few over the years. It is lush and green, with spectacular scenery and beaches, and very unspoilt. An added bonus is that although the temperatures are high, there always seems to be a sea breeze to make the heat bearable. Eating out is very reasonable and the food lovely. Finding this beautiful villa was the icing on the cake!’ May 2014