Casa Das Vendas

The villa was huge, with loads of room, and looked nice. The garden was pleasant, with interesting fruit trees, and the location worked well for us because we were near our friends' houses and area, with bars, bakeries, cafes, and more nearby. The pool was a mess, with sand and dirt across the bottom and dead bugs and grass on top. The loungers and chairs were dirty and unusable. After we complained, someone came to clean it, but seemed to just stir everything up. The water was cloudy and still full of bugs and grass. We picked the bugs out ourselves, using a broken tool. The grass around the pool was sharp, with mostly dry dirt, and after a day without swimming, the dirt had settled again and the water level was much lower. There were ants everywhere around the pool, which is down the road from the villa. Inside, it smelled damp and moldy, and lots of towels and sheets weren't fresh. Some fresh ones were brought over. The plates and cutlery smelled the same and needed washing. There was no running water when we arrived, so the toilets wouldn't flush, but this was fixed that day after we complained. Another day there was no hot water. The place is extremely poorly maintained. It's ridiculous that anyone would think this is acceptable for holiday guests. I'd tell others to avoid this villa.

I agree with a lot of that comment. I've come to this house three times. The first time the pool stayed green for the whole visit, and I was given one night free. On the second visit, we arrived to the same thing. The third time was another offer: we paid for one night and used the other, but the house and pool had problems again. There was no electricity, so a lot of meat and fresh food went bad. The washing machines flooded the kitchen, and the pool was being treated with chlorine and filled while we were there. We were paying for a service we couldn't use properly. The woman apologized, but I don't think it's my job to spend my holiday sorting out problems at a house I'm paying for. On the last day, she gave us two extra hours to use the pool. I waited outside with my family while she worked on it so they could use it. Thanks for the experience and service. I learned a lot over those days!

The only thing worth keeping is the large outdoor area. The house itself is spacious but very badly looked after. The bedrooms smelled of mold, and the bathroom doors had no locks. There was no electricity when we arrived, so the meat and fresh food we'd brought had to be thrown away. The freezer didn't freeze anything at all, and a washing machine kept leaking until the kitchen flooded. The pool was green and less than half full. They only finished filling and cleaning it after we complained, so we could use it only on the last day. A terrible experience, and one I would NEVER repeat. I have nothing good to say about the rest.

The person in charge was wonderful and immediately helped when the fridge broke. The house, though, seemed abandoned, and the photos were misleading. The pool was filthy and nothing like the listing. I won't be back.