Villas Dulcinea

We had a great family trip in this modern, two-story townhouse with a garage. It’s in a gated complex that was very quiet, with residents living alongside the holiday homes managed by the hotel. There’s a pool and a paddle tennis court that needs to be reserved, and the beach is walkable. The nearer beach is pebbly, so it’s fine with a pet; the sandy one is about a 15-minute walk, maybe less. In the heat, especially with children or older relatives, having a car is better. The waves are good, surprisingly so for the Mediterranean. It gets busy, as is typical on this stretch of coast, and parking by the sandy beach can be difficult. The area is mostly hotels and second homes. The villas are in the quietest part of Alcossebre, which suited me since I wasn’t after nightlife. Anyone wanting beach bars and shops closer by might find it a bit far, though a 15-minute drive fixes that. The decor is modern and nice. Upstairs there are two bathrooms, and downstairs there’s a toilet beside the kitchen and dining area. The ground floor also has an outdoor dining terrace, while the bedrooms have little terraces. The top floor is basically an attic rooftop space with another great table and a barbecue. I didn’t use it, since carrying food and drinks up two flights was inconvenient and complicated. All those stairs are a real hassle if you have mobility problems, especially with no bedroom on the ground floor. There’s a washing machine and dishwasher, but no cleaning supplies or food basics. You’ll need to buy a basic kit if you want to use the machines or clean up after cooking. Don’t expect salt or sugar to be there. The garage is a real luxury, with direct access into the house. This is only the second time in my life I’ve had that, and it made me feel almost "rich." Street parking was also readily available. The area is quiet and residential. The air conditioning is a bit old but did its job. The TV is huge and has Netflix and Prime. The beds and furniture are good, and pets are welcome at no extra charge. Access is through an app where everyone in your party must register and use their phone to lock and unlock the door. Traditional keys are inside as a backup. Check-in and check-out are self-service, and I didn’t speak to anyone. You follow the app’s registration instructions, and each guest must register and provide a copy of their ID. Do it before you arrive if you can, so you have time to call or write if the app process goes wrong instead of waiting outside. In my group, some children were over 11, so they counted as adults for billing but were still legally minors. The registration said there were no minors and expected everyone to be an adult, so it wouldn’t let me finish. I called, they fixed it, and then I could add the children, but it took about an hour. I did it while traveling, so I didn’t have to wait on arrival. I’d seen complaints about the registration process and did it well ahead of time for that reason. You can register on arrival day, it doesn’t have to be at check-in, which starts at 5 pm. Check-out is at 10 am, so you can’t enjoy the facilities on your last day. It isn’t cheap, but it was worth it for us. A few days there felt like a summer for the "rich," with the gated community, villa pool and beach nearby. For those of us used to apartment living, staying in a villa is wonderful, even for a short while. Avoid peak season if you can, as prices and crowds are better outside the usual July and August rush.

The cleaning was a real letdown, and the damp smell was unbearable. I wouldn’t return to the villa. After I edited my review, they got in touch and sent someone from the cleaning service. She was very pleasant, and her work and professionalism were excellent.

We really enjoyed the barbecue area and felt very comfortable there. It’s a peaceful, clean place with good management, and we could relax with our pet. A lovely spot to unwind and enjoy a bit of luxury.

The kitchen was missing a lot of basics, which disappointed us. There were seven of us, but the coffee maker only made enough for two or three, and we couldn’t find serving trays, pitchers, tablecloths, or kitchen towels. Aside from that, the house was lovely and very comfortable, with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, television, and other amenities. We’d stayed in the same complex in previous years, though this was our first booking through this agency. It’s a quiet complex, and you can easily walk to the beach.