- By : Mr. Satyavir Singh
- Date: 12-08-2013
- Views : 1922
- [Thila, Yemen]
This stylish villa offers the privacy of home, plus easy access to watersports and restaurants, finds James Litston
Situated towards the northern tip of Zakynthos in the Ionian islands – an hour's drive yet a world away from the rowdy resorts in the south – Anna's House sits in a hilltop grove of ancient, twisted olive trees. This lofty position affords far-reaching views down the coast and across to the mainland beyond. In the foreground, a garden of fragrant shrubs tumbles down from the terrace to a large, private pool. Turtle doves purr from secret perches, adding to the sense of sleepy seclusion. With the summer sunshine beating down, it's peaceful, enchanting and utterly relaxing.
When activity does beckon, Anna's House is one of a sizeable collection of villas attached to the British-owned Peligoni Club, an upmarket and laidback seafront complex with sailing, windsurfing, tennis, spa and a very good brasserie-style restaurant and bar. The union results in a traditional villa holiday with the refreshing option of adding resort-style extras.
The Rooms
Although it looks to have been part of the landscape for centuries, the house only dates from the late 1990s. Inside the single-story, tiled-roof structure, whitewashed walls and antiqued doors and rafters add to the illusion of age. The large open-plan living space – incorporating country-style kitchen and comfortable seating area – is decorated in a rustic-chic style, mixing local farmhouse artefacts with paintings, furnishings and embroidered fabrics collected on the owner's global travels.
There are three en-suite bedrooms in the main house, all of which have direct access to the garden terrace. A fourth bedroom occupies the separate, original olive-grower's cottage adjacent to the front door.
Outside, the covered terrace runs the length of the house and offers daybeds and seating for dining al fresco. This leads on to another, open terrace and on through the gardens to the pool beyond. Whether you prefer baking suntraps, or the welcome shade of an olive tree or poolside pergola, the two-acre plot feels endlessly spacious, even when the house is fully occupied.
