White River Cottages
Location :
Aspros Potamos, 72055, Makrigialos Lasithi Crete, Greece
Tel: +30 2843 051120
Email: info@whiterivercottages.com
White River Cottages first opened in 1991, at a time when restoring abandoned houses for use as tourist accommodation was uncommon on Crete. The owner, Vangelis Mavrakis, spared no effort in creating the hotel. His sensitive approach, breathed new life into the ruins, maintaining the property’s authenticity and distinctive architectural style.
The property comprises 13 stone cottages formerly belonging to the seasonal hamlet of Aspros Potamos , which was used when villagers from Pefki had farm work to do in the Valley. The hamlet was abandoned after the Second World War. In the 1970s almost all of the houses were bought by a civil engineer named Manolis Karantinos, who restored a group of cottages.
After his early death the houses were sold on to various owners, and in 1986 we acquired ownership of part of the hamlet he had not managed to restore, consisting of ruined, roofless dwellings. Few people lived in the area at the time, there was no electricity, and the dirt road leading to Makrys Gialos was in terrible condition.
Restoring the houses to their present condition took considerable effort and perseverance. The necessary building materials were brought in along rough tracks, at first by donkey. The guiding principle in our work was the architectural tradition of the area, and the use of local natural materials.
all images courtesy of White River Cottages
Before & After
all images courtesy of White River Cottages
The restoration process took around five years, our main concern at all times being to maintain the authentic feel of the houses and combine it with modern comforts.
Throughout the rebuilding work we made use of natural materials such as stone and wood. By combining colours and materials, we were able to make the houses blend in with the natural landscape. This was added to by the careful selection of plants and an eye to perfect harmony with the surrounding area, all leading to an astounding outcome.
The photo gallery at the right, gives an idea of the original state of the buildings, and how they now look after the restoration. White River Cottages
all images courtesy of White River Cottages
CONTACT
White River Cottages
Aspros Potamos, 72055, Makrigialos Lasithi Crete, Greece
Email: info@whiterivercottages.com
Casalibrary 