Casas da Villa - Oliveira e Videira

We had a really enjoyable seven-night stay, starting Saturday 13/9/25. Carina arranged to meet us for the key handover before we arrived. She doesn’t speak English and we don’t speak Portuguese, but we managed with gestures and Google Translate. She was very kind and helpful whenever we dealt with her. The property sits up a narrow country lane with a slightly bumpy drive. It should be fine for most cars, but ours was sporty and low, so we had to take care going in and out and grounded it a couple of times. The plot is reasonably large, with a pool that’s fine for dipping in but not swimming laps. There are currently two one-bedroom houses to rent, and they’re expanding; I believe there will eventually be five. Some of the drive area is unfinished, but the pool area and courtyard in front of the two available houses are done. There’s a BBQ and shared seating area with outdoor lights. The laundry room is there too, which Carina uses most days. She wasn’t intrusive, and it was nice to have her nearby if we needed to ask something. The owners are also available by phone. The house was lovely and immaculately clean, with an old-world feel. Both the bedroom and living area have air conditioning. The small kitchen has a fridge, two-ring induction hob, microwave, Nespresso machine, and a kettle for British people 😊. There were enough pots and pans to cook for ourselves, though it wasn’t as equipped as home. The bedroom is small, but its large built-in wardrobe had room for our things on one side and suitcases on the other, so it worked fine for a week. There were tea bags, coffee capsules, milk, washing-up liquid, tea towels, and breakfast items: cold meats, cheese, juice, butter, jam, and bread delivered early each morning. A couple of bars and restaurants are within a 10-minute walk, but for more choice you need to hike or drive into Monsanto. Mini markets and supermarkets also require a drive. My only small gripe was the antique-effect mirror and poor bathroom lighting, which made shaving tricky, although the dimness did make me look better in the mirror. I’d highly recommend these properties. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.