Villa Jeanic

The area around Gale is lovely, with a gorgeous beach and some nice little shops, restaurants and bars. The local Spar is also within walking distance and has a good range of produce. You do need a car to get anywhere else. The villa itself feels worn and dated, and James Villas' marketing photos look about 20 years old. The interior doesn't look like them at all. It was probably wonderful once, but now it feels as if nobody cares for it. The high ceilings are covered in cobwebs and dead insects, and the old furniture smells musty. The towels and bedding are dated, and the sunbeds are dirty with torn covers. The sofa and beds are uncomfortable. There's no dressing table or full-length mirror anywhere in the villa, and one bedroom window has been covered with sticky-backed plastic instead of having a curtain. The shower head is so low that even I, at 5'1", touched it with my head. There's no heating or air conditioning, so you'll struggle whatever time of year you visit. The villa is on an estate where construction is still underway, so expect noise. For some reason, the bathroom floor was constantly wet, and we had to keep a mop and bucket outside the bathroom door all week.

The location is nice.

Our stay was going really well until the last night, when we were burgled while everyone was asleep, even though the whole house was locked. The burglars climbed over the house's wall, forced the entrance door lock and came inside. They took whatever they wanted, then left by way of the pool. You can never be too careful here. There's no alarm and no police presence in the area.

The pool was a real highlight, and the living room is huge. It’s a quiet villa with everything you need, plus a supermarket 650 metres away and some very good beaches nearby. I recommend it!