Villa Palma

Sylvana made sure we knew how everything worked and even arranged our airport pickup. We rented a small Toyota from her, and it handled Gozo's steep roads well. The island is small enough that you can reach pretty much anywhere in about half an hour by car. We had a great eight-day stay in the farmhouse. It was clean, with three bedrooms and bathrooms across two floors, and air conditioning in the bedrooms. The big kitchen had a table and all the appliances we needed. The pool area was lovely too, with loungers and a gas BBQ. Just remember that the electricity meter takes coins, and the power cuts out when the credit runs out. We highly recommend Sylvana, Michael's Garage, and Gozo.

The pool was a highlight, and we spent a couple of days stretched out in the 30-degree sunshine. The local shop is only a two-minute walk away and has a surprisingly wide range of essentials and treats. Inside, the villa felt very grand, with marble throughout, a roomy kitchen for our group of six, and a big living room. The owners arranged our trip from Malta airport: we were driven to the ferry, collected on the other side, and taken to the villa. They also organised a hire car, which was very impressive. We were there in September after a friend recommended it, and had a great time. A few things could be better, though. It was so hot, and the lack of air conditioning was a real downside. The bathrooms had seen a lot of use, and the shower felt weak, so we preferred using the one downstairs by the pool. The kitchen needed a good clean too, and I still don't know why the fly swatters were in the cutlery drawer. Even with those niggles, I’d highly recommend staying here.

The Wi-Fi is poorly set up, with weak reception in the upstairs bedrooms and around the pool. There are hardly any electrical outlets, so bring extension leads. The interior feels dated and neglected. There’s no air conditioning, and although there are plenty of fans, their extension cables were badly run and seemed dangerous.

We love this place and keep coming back. The villa is spacious, very clean, and well equipped, and the hosts are wonderfully friendly and helpful. It’s always an outstanding stay.