Philoxenia is a lovely villa with private pool in Chania region, located within walking distance to the Gerani Beach, a sea side village on the western side of Crete.
The villa which can accommodate a maximum number of 7 guests is located about 15km from the capital of the region, the bustling and scenic city of Chania. Philoxenia has been through complete renovation and has been turned from an old traditional stone built house to a cozy and modern villa with private pool that has a separate children’s section. It consists of 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a kitchen and the living – dining room area.
It stands inside a beautiful landscaped garden, full of various plants, trees and flowers, composing an ideal environment for perfect holidays. The villa can accommodate up to 6 guests in its 3 bedrooms with 2 single beds each that can be joint to doubles and 1 extra guest on the sofa bed in the living room. It is fully equipped with everything someone might need for a comfortable stay. Last but not least, the villa is located less than 400 meters from the Gerani beach. Villa Philoxenia is ideal for families with children, couples and groups of friends.
Philoxenia is a term that truly describes the Greek hospitality. “Philoxenia” might be a difficult word to pronounce for non-Greek speakers, but the word, name and term itself which has its roots from ancient Greece is worth exploring. It is translated directly as “friend to a stranger” and can be used in the way we think of the word “hospitality”. The word itself though has a deeper meaning and philosophy.
“Xenia” which has its roots from ancient Greek, meaning “guest friendship” can be translated to the way we look at hospitality. In ancient Greece, we may think of the way the Greeks showed their generosity and courtesy to those who had travelled from afar, and whom were offered friendship as guests.
The ancient rituals of such hospitality is said to have been of both a reciprocal value in terms where both guests and hosts expressed their philoxenia with gifts, but it also meant provision of protection from weather, shelter and warmth of a house, and friendship.
From the ancient Greek Gods, their leader Zeus is often called Zeus Xenios in his role as the protector of guests. According to the Greek myth, he was born in Crete and carried the obligation and responsibility to be hospitable to travelers. Many Cretans may therefore argue that philoxenia holds a special bond to their way of displaying hospitality.
Another theme displayed in the Greek mythology is Theoxeny or theoxenia; which is the act of human beings displaying and extending hospitality to strangers (xenos), disguised as deity (theos) with the ability to review the given hospitality. The true essence of the stories, is a reminder to all that hospitality should be offered to any guest, be it a God disguised as a humble traveler or a true guest. The theoxenia and xenia is therefore well embedded in the Greeks, from the ancient mythology to the culture and social setting today. During the Renaissance, the term theoxenia was described in classical art as a Feast to the Gods.
Above all mentioned, the Philoxenia and Theoxenia reflects so many feelings of just the word hospitality as we know it. Today’s guests travelling to Greece will often feel the warmth of the hospitality overwhelming, and very different from home. The famous Greek hospitality certainly has made its trademark and its very much alive today as it was presented in ancient times. Welcome to Villa Philoxenia!