Casas de Taipa

A lovely house.

We stayed for a week, with four of us in Casa Antiga, the older section of a beautifully renovated house split into two holiday homes. It's on a cul-de-sac. The place was nicely furnished and fully equipped, with two bedrooms, two separate bathrooms and toilets, a kitchen, and a roomy living area. Outside, there was plenty of seating and a plunge pool. You can see the neighbor's outdoor space, so privacy isn't complete, but the view across the valley to the sea in the distance is lovely. It's a peaceful valley, apart from a few barking dogs. We saw lots of birds, including lovebirds, a blue-winged magpie and a hoopoe. The Seven Hanging Valleys, a scenic cliffside trail with beautiful beaches, is only 5 km away. A car is definitely useful: several supermarkets are around a 10-minute drive away. Google Maps got us there easily, and there are signs in the village too. The house is a good fit for four, but sleeping comfort let it down. The pillows were thin and uncomfortable, and the upstairs bed had a very thin mattress directly on the floor. We bought an air mattress to make it more comfortable, and hope this gets sorted for future guests. Dogs are allowed, and although we didn't bring one, there was unfortunately a lot of dog hair. Cleaning could be better. The price-quality balance was good in autumn, and booking directly through the website went smoothly. We'd have given it five stars if not for the uncomfortable beds and dog hair; as it was, we gave it four.

We had the house on the left when looking in from the vehicle access gate. It was cozy and nice, and very quiet because it's away from everything, but you'll need a vehicle to get around. The house was well equipped, though there was no TV. The upstairs bed was very hard and uncomfortable. I'm not sure whether pets are allowed here, but I had a terrible allergy for a few days. Apart from that, everything was great.

The owner was warm and attentive, and the house is close to Carvoeiro and some lovely beaches. We had a great few days there. The place is simple but modern, comfortable, and beautifully decorated, with everything we needed, including a well-equipped kitchen and even oil and salt. Our dog had room to run around the terrace, which also has a small pool. We’d happily come back and recommend it.