Casa Olives

The villa has plenty of space, is very clean, and the views are spectacular. We booked it for our 25th wedding anniversary in late September, having had our honeymoon in Cala Galdana. The hotel next door is much closer than Streetview suggests. Four balconies look straight down onto the terrace where you sunbathe, and being near its pool means some noise. You can also hear leaf blowers and pool attendants early in the morning, and get cooking smells from the hotel kitchen. The ventilators are audible all the time. I’m very sensitive to noise, but it wasn’t too bad for our one-week stay. The sea, wind and beach buzz blended with it. I might have felt fed up after two weeks. We expected some noise in such a built-up area. The kitchen didn’t seem well equipped for a villa this size, even with only two of us. The toaster makes just two slices at a time. There are lots of glasses, though no fizz ones, and crockery, but not enough saucepans and such for ten people. Some things need fixing too: one knife in the wooden block has a broken handle and old gunk on it, though there are better knives in the drawer. The ironing board in the small utility room needs more padding and was sticky underneath. The washing machine was fine. The BBQ didn’t look clean enough for people who use it, though we don’t eat meat or barbecue. The pool table takes up sunbathing space, and the sun disappears behind a tree for almost an hour in late September. It could be moved nearer the BBQ. It’s propped up under the feet and has an old stained cover. We slept at the back, which gets sun from lunchtime. The front bedrooms get morning sun, but their pretty, very thin curtains let the light in and wake you. These may sound like moans, but this isn’t a cheap villa. It’s lovely, though it needs updating.