6/10
Like the previous reviewers, we understood we were booking a villa in central Barcelona, so were happy to pay the elevated price. When we arrived at the airport to find our destination was a 40-minute train ride outside the city, we had to rent a car for five, which took a couple of hours; initially I thought I must have misread the listing, so didn’t say anything, but it’s clear from the previous review that there was an error in the listing at the time of booking. Anyway, shifting location aside, we enjoyed our week at this large, quirky, rambling house, a mix of solid old villa with 70s African-inspired decor – with 7 bedrooms there was PLENTY of space for us, three sons and their friends, all in their 20s. The terrace, in particular, was a great spot, and there was enough rather dated equipment in the small kitchen to cook and serve most things (inc a range of paella pans, and one at a metre across the biggest I've seen). And although it wasn’t mentioned in the listing when we booked, we really liked Caldes D'Estrac: it’s a very easy town to stay in, with the sea and long, spotless beaches a short walk away, Barcelona a 40-minute train ride away, several bars, lots of (quite pricey) places to eat on the seafront and a fantastic and affordable pizzeria in town that was recommended by host Patricia and became a favourite. You get used to the church bells very quickly, and the neighbours were delightful, and didn't seem to mind us in their midst. Things to be aware of: no hairdryer; the pool is really only a dipping, cooling off pool (3m by 3m?) – you couldn't swim in it; parking (for one car) is tight, and not for the unconfident driver. More of a bother was the cost – as we thought we were renting a villa in Barcelona we were prepared to take the hit, but that’s not where it was! Beware, if you don't already know, that the 'additional guest fee' isn't for guests additional to the core group - it's for everyone in the group. And though the website quotes in pounds sterling it takes payment in euros and you get slapped with a currency exchange fee too that you’re not warned about (although obviously some banks / accounts don't do that). It just meant that when some loos were without toilet roll, and we had to buy our own, and then ours didn't flush, even on the first day, and though reported wasn't sorted out by the time we left, we felt a bit short-changed. We'd go back to the house, but not at that price.
Katie P.
Estada de 7 nits (jul. 2022)