Cortijo la Marina

The garden was the only good part. This “villa” is just a small house on a mountain, and it was dirty, cold, and run-down. There was mold all over the rooms and bathrooms. The beds were so bad that after two days my neck and back hurt. The house is meant for six, but three people could barely shower for five minutes before the water turned ice cold. We had to clean the bathrooms ourselves just to make them somewhat livable. The upstairs entrance also wasn’t properly maintained. There wasn’t enough seating indoors either. To sit together in front of the TV, we had to bring wet outdoor chairs inside, or sit on the floor. The cutlery, plates, glasses, and other things in the kitchen cupboards were dirty and grimy.

The area is fantastic, but for what we paid for 10 days, this cottage wasn’t worth it. The garden is beautiful and well kept, with a lovely pool. Inside, though, the house is small, very old, and the furniture is dirty and worn. There wasn’t enough seating for six, so we brought garden furniture indoors. The house has very few windows, just one in the kitchen, one in the bathroom, and one in each of the three bedrooms. There’s mold on the walls, especially in the bedrooms, and the old bathrooms need a makeover. With six people, you have to schedule showers or someone will get cold water. We got far too few towels. The owner said they’d bring more, but they still hadn’t. Bring detergent if you plan to do laundry: a wash takes three hours, and the washing machine wasn’t very clean. The dishwasher broke, and we told the owner straight away, but nobody came or contacted us for three days. There’s no heater, so the house is cold, though it’s warmer outside. You can heat it with the air conditioning, but then it would need to run all day. There was also a lot of the owner’s rubbish around the house, including stone tiles and other things. We gave the cottage and the owner’s service a big thumbs-up. The area is definitely worth visiting, just find somewhere else to stay.

The outdoor space was lovely at any hour, with lights around the garden and pool that made it feel dreamy. The barbecue area was well equipped with a fridge and sink, and there was even a Balinese bed for a nap while watching the sunset. There are beautiful coves to visit from the house, too. Everything was meticulously maintained, with every detail thought of. I hope to come back!

We were very comfortable and would happily return. The location is great, the pool is fantastic, and you really need a car to get around. We did miss some basic kitchen things, including a dish sponge, toilet paper, and a few glasses. A few more parasols would have helped. Overall, I’d give the house a 9 out of 10.