Villa Rayao

The one good thing was the pool, which was kept in good condition. Beyond that, the setting was rough: junkyards and rundown properties nearby, with access along a bumpy dirt track that made our Fiat scrape the ground several times. Parking on the property was very limited, with room for only two cars. We had to buy everything ourselves, from dishcloths to garbage bags. And there was barking and, even worse, whining from dogs around the clock, along with highway noise.

We had a lovely five-day family stay, and the villa is only a few kilometres from the pretty town centre and beach. It’s a warm, well-kept place, with air conditioning in both bedrooms and the living room. Just keep the living room setting at or above 21 degrees Celsius, because colder than that can cause water to leak behind the television, which is dangerous. The solar-heated pool was a perfect 31 degrees, and someone came to clean it very early each morning. Getting the keys was straightforward: there’s a box by the entrance, and the agency sends the code after you book. We booked online and were directed to a second English-language site, “Agni Travel.” The service team answered our questions within 24 hours. The approach roads are very narrow and sandy, so choose a car with that in mind. There are a couple of things to know: small ants can get into the kitchen through the front door, and nothing should go down the toilet, including toilet paper, since it may clog. Everything needs to go in the bin. These were minor inconveniences during an otherwise wonderful stay.

We really liked the big pool, the cool terrace for eating outside, and the barbecue. The sofas were the letdown: they’re old, and boards have been put in to stop them sagging, which makes them hard and uncomfortable.