Mansión Alba

We knew we'd be sharing the facilities with another family, but were told the common areas were spacious enough that there wouldn't be any problems. In practice, the pool area was tiny, and the other family made us feel intimidated and uncomfortable. The pool is so small that only six people can swim at once. There was hardly any privacy. The owner walked around the property every day with his guests while we were there, doing construction work on the jacuzzi and other common areas. The concrete facilities weren't finished, and the work kept going while we were trying to enjoy our stay. The house was very dirty when we arrived, especially the floors, which we had to clean completely ourselves. There was very little kitchenware, with many essential utensils missing. Each guest should have a fresh dishcloth, sponge, and other utensils. There was no non-disinfectant hand sanitizer suitable for home use. We stayed this past weekend, and it wasn't what we expected. We won't be booking with them again.

If you're going to Alba Mansion hoping to switch off, I'd think twice. The common areas are small and shared, with only one table and three sun loungers, and no barbecue equipment. Most shocking, there are cameras covering both the pool and jacuzzi. If you want a private swim with your partner or anyone else, the owner told me on the phone that he checks the cameras now and then to make sure everything is alright. House staff also come by occasionally to check the property, which seems pointless when the owner is already watching through the cameras. The house is otherwise fine, but the kitchenware is very limited. The pans are 10 years old and everything sticks to them, and the fridge doesn't cool properly. I told the owner, and he admitted he'd already heard about it from previous tenants, but didn't seem very bothered. Bring everything you need to clean: all they provide is a dirty rag and a used scouring pad. There wasn't even a trash bag or dishwasher tablets, just one roll of paper towels. Never again. To respond to the owner's reply, I booked for five people, and a friend from the next town came over for the afternoon without staying overnight. That isn't doing whatever I please. I paid for both houses, so obviously I didn't share the house. I wanted peace and quiet and to enjoy myself without being bothered or filmed, and neither happened. As the owner says, the cameras are placed to focus on the pool and jacuzzi. I don't see that as security, since there's no camera at the front door. It seems to be for the owner's peace of mind, so he can monitor what people are doing in his house at all times. The fridge didn't cool anything over the weekend, not even after a few hours. I had to take the drinks out and chill them in ice buckets. The owner could check the cameras himself. And if he wants to advertise eight sun loungers by the pool, he can, but he knows there aren't any, and there's not even room for eight. As I told him yesterday, false advertising seems to be his specialty. Best regards.

The house is fantastic, the people who welcome you are really friendly, and the jacuzzi is amazing. I'd recommend staying here 100%.

Everything was perfect for us. It's a quiet, peaceful place with great rooms, all air conditioned, in a house with two separate floors. There are two shared areas, plus a pool and jacuzzi. We had the place to ourselves. The kitchen was fully equipped, and the bathrooms had everything we needed. The host was wonderful and answered all our questions. We'd definitely come back.