El Matorral Chalet

The beds were comfortable, the setting was peaceful with mountain views, and the owners responded quickly when we reported problems. But the house needs maintenance. They brought a new dishwasher while we were there, and the refrigerator and some kitchen utensils also need replacing. Pool chlorination was uncontrolled. We had power and water outages for maintenance, they said, with no advance notice; ours lasted more than eight hours. The solar panels didn’t provide electricity during those outages. The well water is very hard, so bottled water is recommended. This place could be a 10, but for us it was only a 5.

We had a wonderful few days with family or friends at this house. It was spotless and even better kept than the photos suggest, with plenty of land for pets. The owner and cleaning lady were both friendly, helpful, and easy to communicate with. It is a bit of a drive from Conil and Vejer, but that didn’t bother us; either town is about 15 minutes away by car. One small suggestion: hedges by the driveway make it hard to pull out unless someone can warn you about oncoming cars.

We paid €1100 for a week in a dirty, neglected house. The kitchen had very little old cookware, the windows wouldn’t open properly, and some blinds were half broken. The shower drained badly, and sheets weren’t provided for all the beds. The towels felt like sandpaper. On the last day, a loaf of bread we’d left on the table had a hole in it. I don’t know what bug made it, but it was pretty unpleasant.

Quiet, comfortable houses surrounded by nature, close to both the beaches and town.