Villas Av Los Altos De Marbella

There was a horrible drain smell when we used the upstairs shower and flushed the toilet on arrival. The host sent an engineer to look into it, but nothing came of that, as the smell went away quickly. We were seven girls staying for five nights and left an €800 deposit. We cleaned the villa before leaving. During the stay, though, we only had four sun loungers despite asking for more, and some garden chairs were broken. When the host inspected the house at checkout, he went straight to the plastic chairs and asked what had happened. I told him they were broken before we arrived. He sighed and returned my deposit. I think if we had been younger or left the villa less clean, he might have tried to charge us for them. We also noticed broken lampshades and fridge trays but didn't mention them, and the host didn't raise them either. The villa has lots of space and is close to other villas and apartments, but the high fences make it feel private. It's dated, though, and had only been surface cleaned. Most bedrooms had ants on the floor. The bath towels were very small, just one each. There were no tea towels, and we thought the toilet rolls had been left by the previous guests, since we left about a roll ourselves. The sheets smelled musty, so I'm not sure they'd been washed or if the beds had just been made after the last stay. The bedrooms we used were fine but basic. We didn't use the basement room because there were only seven of us, and it was very dark and uninviting. There were very few kitchen utensils and pots, and no oven trays, though there was plenty of cutlery. The main living room sofas weren't very comfortable, but the dining table was great. It's under a ten minute walk to Mercadona, handy for essentials and making meals. We were there in low season and paid a reasonable price between us, although on the same budget we could have booked a hotel closer to town with fresh towels, sheets, and cleaning. We took a taxi to Puerto Banus each day, costing €15-20 depending on the time. If you just need somewhere basic and spacious with no frills, this villa could suit.

The agent was really helpful and got us anything we asked for, even telling the neighbours off when they got too noisy. It's an easy walk to the beach, the supermarket is very close, and buses are nearby. A taxi from the centre of Marbella costs just €8-10. The villa itself has amazing views, with clean, comfortable bedrooms that are a good size. The kitchen has only the bare essentials, so it seems set up for people who eat out. A lovely place to spend time with friends or family.

We had trouble getting hot water in the upstairs showers, supposedly because of the thermostat settings. After a couple of days and several calls to the agent, it was finally sorted. Wi-Fi in the building wasn't great, so bring your own dongle or mobile hotspot if you want to stream Netflix or TV in the evening. Also, stock up at the nearby Supermercado or bring household basics like a tea towel, washing liquid, sponge, dishwasher tablets, toilet rolls, and soap. The villa has an electric gate and a good driveway along the side, plus on street parking out front for extra cars. The Bus Station is a short walk away, though I wouldn't want to walk there with suitcases, so a local taxi might make sense for the last part of the trip if you're taking public transport. The public transport links are good. It's a beautiful villa, well suited to a large or extended family, though the layout and finishes don't seem ideal for toddlers or very young children. The pool is nice but small and unheated. We went in early May, so it might be better in the hotter weather in June, July, or August.

Our host Jose was helpful and available whenever we needed him. The property was beautiful, spacious, and had a nice pool. A large supermarket a five minute walk away sold everything, though it was shut on Sunday. There was also a bus stop outside for trips to Marbella Old Town and the beach.