Villa Darkum

The location was okay, near cute fishermen’s villages, but far from Malaga’s center. The villa itself was disappointing, outdated, falling apart, and nothing like the pictures. After two days, we complained directly to Booking.com because so much furniture was broken and the kitchen wasn’t equipped for a large group. There were broken, unclean kitchen cabinets, a broken bed, one shower that didn’t work and another that leaked from both the shower head and cabin, plus a broken toilet. We found cockroaches. The fountain and garden furniture were old and broken. There weren’t enough kitchen supplies for a group, so we bought our own wine glasses. One of us woke in the night when rain leaked onto her bed. Bags of dirty laundry were left by the front door all week. Booking.com compensated us 10% of the amount, but then the owner complained that we had broken a bed and now refuses to return the 800,- Euro deposit. Booking.com hasn’t helped with that. Please don’t book this villa. It doesn’t look like the pictures, and I’d urge people to check reviews across platforms, including Booking and Google.

Be careful, this place is a scam. The villa looked nothing like the pictures, and everything seemed old and broken. We waited two days before deciding whether to complain or just leave, and I wish we’d left. We raised several complaints, including about a broken bed. Now they’re claiming we broke that bed and won’t return our 800 euros deposit. I’ve tried to get it back through Booking.com, but they haven’t helped so far. The owner no longer answers the phone. The kitchen cabinets were broken, one bed was broken, one shower didn’t work and another leaked at both the shower head and cabin. One toilet was broken, and there were cockroaches. The fountain and garden furniture were old and broken. There weren’t enough kitchen supplies for a large group, so we had to buy wine glasses ourselves. One of us woke in the middle of the night because rain was leaking onto her bed. They also left bags of dirty laundry by the front door all week. Don’t book this villa. Your money isn’t safe.

The worst rental experience I've ever had. The house was in terrible shape, nothing worked, and there were cockroaches everywhere. We were also without water for at least 20 hours a day. I’ll upload some videos. This place is a total scam. Don’t go under any circumstances!

We were left with a stressful stay and a disputed deposit. After we left, the owners refused to return it, claiming we caused damage that was already there. They were also unresponsive or dismissive when we raised problems during the stay. It felt like they were blaming guests instead of taking responsibility. The villa was advertised as a luxurious 5-star retreat, but the garden was neglected, with too little seating for our group, a broken, filthy BBQ, and a fountain that clearly hadn't worked in a long time. Inside, the kitchen had no pots, pans, or utensils. I had a small perculator, but that was no help for a big group, so we had to eat out for every meal and pay an unplanned amount. The bathrooms had leaks and broken fixtures, and some toilets and showers didn't work at all. There was no WiFi despite the listing saying full amenities, which made work and travel planning difficult. I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience seriously undermines trust in Booking.com. A property in this condition shouldn't be listed there. Avoid it, it's a waste of money.