GROUND FLOOR: Spacious open plan lounge, fully equipped kitchen, and indoor dining area with two tables, seating 12 people easily. Separate large bathroom, playroom, office, and utility room with washing machine, dryer, and back yard with clothes-drying lines. Outside the open plan area is the main patio and garden. There is also a cosy patio outside the front door. Both patios, and the balconies upstairs, have tables, chairs and lovely views of the village and mountains beyond in Samos and Turkey. UPSTAIRS: Six bedrooms and three more bathrooms. The master bedroom has an esuite bathroom, and connecting extra room with wardrobes. Another very big double room has its own sofabed (which parents can use for young children to sleep in the same room if preferred). Both have plenty of room to add a cot or two. There is a large communal balcony. One other double room has its own balcony. Artwork from the owners' travels adorns all the rooms and corridors. Private parking for at least 4 cars is provided on site, with no stairs between the parking and the ground floor of the house. SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS for 11 people. The beds upstairs can be set up as 5 doublebeds and 1 single bed, or 2 doubles and 7 singles, or any combination in-between. (The photos show the setup with 3 doubles and 5 singles.) A double sofa bed downstairs in the large playroom can also be used, on request for extra bedding, to save a couple going up stairs if need be.

Sofia Papadopoulou and Keith Henson Sofia is Greek, born in Athens, grew up in Samos, and speaks English as well as Greek. She is a professional home-maker, and ensures the house is cleaned and set up for guests to the high standards she has always maintained. Sofia loves reading, playing cards and cooking. I'm her Enlglish husband. Keith. I was born and in Kenya, grew up and worked there and in England. I met Sofia in London, and moved to Samos with her over twenty years ago. I've travelled the world by bicycle and paraglider, learning several languages along the way (main ones listed). I still cycle a lot, and also enjoy long distance sea swimming and kayaking in Samos. I've been a keen bridge and chess player since I was a young boy. Sofia and I built our large home in Paleokastro to raise our five sons and have friends and relatives to stay from Greece and abroad. The house has often happily slept a dozen or more, including children and babies. We love having visitors and meeting new people. We look forward to helping make your stay enjoyable, and will be on call 24/7.

The picturesque square and playground of Paleokastro village are just 200m away. Its Triantafillos ('Rose') restaurant is one of the best in Samos. Several lovely beaches, with sand or pebbles, and sunbeds, showers and restaurants, are just a few kilometres away. So is the island capital, Samos Town (7 minutes by car). There are stunning sea and mountain views along the way. During the long dry summer, villages and towns have frequent free concerts, wine and dance festivals. There are two open air cinemas, one on a roof terrace in Samos Town and another in a beautiful big garden in nearby Mitilini. Samos has several museums, and is also great for hiking, horse riding, sailing, windsurfing, scuba diving and go-kart racing. It also has a friendly bridge club in Samos Town which welcomes visitors.