Michaela

Villa Michaela gave us the quiet, private family break we wanted. It’s remote without being too remote, and we wished we’d booked two weeks instead of one. We’d certainly return. We had no direct contact with the owners, but after an outing to Polis we came back to fresh bath towels and a freshly baked cake. I assume the owner had stopped by to say hello. It was a shame to miss them, and we appreciated the kind gesture. We also had a pool filter issue. I called the Jet2 helpline around 9:30 in the morning, and by midday the pool attendant had arrived, explained that a fuse had tripped, cleaned the pool, checked the chemicals and topped up the water. Great service. The poolside patio was a favourite spot for morning coffee and sunsets. The pool area has plenty of loungers and seating. A pool attendant visits twice a week, but leaves and grass from the field opposite, along with dead bugs, blow into the water. I skimmed it in the morning and late afternoon, about five minutes each time, and the villa supplies what you need. The covered carport keeps the car cool. There’s also a little patio with a table tennis table, though it’s run down and could use replacing. We didn’t use the BBQ area, which could do with some TLC too. The villa was clean when we arrived, with fresh bath and pool towels laid out, and check-in was easy with a key box outside the front door. Inside, it’s very spacious: three air-conditioned bedrooms, two more bathrooms, an open-plan kitchen and dining area, and a master bedroom with an ensuite and large walk-in wardrobe. There’s no air conditioning in the living area, though, and it gets very hot, especially when cooking. It’s a five-minute drive to Latchi or Polis, so a car is essential. Walking to Latchi was uncomfortable in the heat on the hilly roads. I drove there one evening, left the hire car and walked back the next morning to collect it. A taxi to either place costs 10 euro, and there’s a taxi right in the middle of Latchi. We booked flights, the villa and car hire as a package with Jet2Villas. Solmar Villa Holidays looked slightly cheaper for the villa itself, but I chose Jet2 for peace of mind after travelling with them plenty of times before and liking the package option. There are a few areas that need some TLC. The kettle needs replacing, as several people had mentioned in the guest book, and the ensuite has mould spots in the silicone and needs a deep clean. Along with the tired rear patio and BBQ area, those are my only complaints. I’m mentioning them for full transparency.