Villa Gamboa

Some taxi drivers were reluctant to come right up to the front gate because the track to the villa is rough. We also had two dogs turn up unexpectedly one day, which wasn’t great with small children in our group. Inside, some things didn’t feel up to the standard you’d expect from a “luxury” villa, and the marble stairs between levels seemed like a trip hazard, especially for young children or older guests. Parts of the villa were shabby and could use better upkeep or a refresh. The cheap sun loungers also broke easily. The owners need to put in more effort.

We were wrongly accused of damaging sunbeds and outdoor plastic chairs. We disputed it repeatedly, but the agent is still withholding £300 and no longer replies to our emails. The £900 damage bond was charged to our card four weeks before arrival, so the agent held our money for seven weeks in total. When we questioned this, the only response was that it had been reported to the finance department. There were serious safety and upkeep problems during our two weeks in June 2025, when 17 family members stayed. A small child fell through a broken plastic cover over the unsafe pool drainage and got scratches. One morning an underwater pool light was floating, still attached to its wiring. We reported it, but the maintenance man simply pushed it back into its casing. There was also an electrical box with exposed wires near the pool. A fold-out bed kept collapsing and caused an injury, and the villa was generally tired and needed modernising. There was a major problem with ants and other insects, which was a significant health concern. We had only two parasols for 17 beds, and the day bed had no canopy. Just two gate fobs and two front door keys were provided, which was nowhere near enough. The rubbish collection point was a five-minute drive away, which was inconvenient. It was problem after problem.

We stayed at Villa Gamboa for two weeks in June 2025 as a group of 17. The villa had ants inside and out, so we couldn’t use the outdoor BBQ area. We also saw rats, cockroaches and stray dogs. The pool drain was broken, and our four-year-old fell into it and scraped his leg. The downstairs toilet was out of order for two days before it was fixed. A pool light came loose underwater and the maintenance person just slotted it back in. There was an electrical box with exposed wires. We dispute being blamed for breaking three sunloungers and five chairs, but £300 has been kept from our damage bond and the agent is now ignoring our messages. Don’t book this villa.

Wonderful 😊 So peaceful, luxurious and relaxing.