10 Elf Beach House

We arrived to a spotless room with a huge bathroom, and the view was amazing. The rooms are large, too. Mariette was very friendly and happily accommodated our request to arrive before check-in. Such lovely service at a beautiful guesthouse. I’d definitely recommend it.

The welcome and service were so warm and genuinely helpful, beyond what I expected. We had a huge shared living and dining area downstairs, with high ceilings and big windows. Our spacious room had a fantastic sea view through large windows, and the other rooms have views from windows or private balconies. The facilities were great. I can’t fault this villa.

We left early and found somewhere else to stay. For the price, we felt completely ripped off. It felt like visiting a grandmother’s home, not the self-catering accommodation advertised online. The main problem was the caretaker, who lives in the house and seemed to be in the shared kitchen and lounge watching TV all the time. We felt watched, couldn’t use the pool, balcony, dining room or lounge freely, and weren’t allowed to eat in our room. There was a dishwasher, but we were told to wash dishes by hand. We couldn’t use the downstairs TV or lounge while she was there. We had arranged to barbecue on our adjoining balcony, but were told on arrival that we couldn’t. She had no beach or pool towels for us, so we had to drive into town and buy our own. We also couldn’t park in the double garage, since her car was in it, and had to leave ours outside. Wi-Fi was advertised in all areas, but there was no internet in the rooms, so we spent a lot on data to stay connected. There was no TV or fridge in our room either. Breakfast was mostly canned food, so I’d avoid it. The bed was very uncomfortable, the bedding wasn’t warm enough, and the bedroom walls were water damaged and peeling. The house itself is beautiful and well located, about a five-minute walk from the beach. Glentana is a lovely, sleepy little town, and the beach was clean and safe. We saw dolphins and whales in the bay during our stay. My fiancé and I had come for my birthday, and it was a real disappointment. We’d hoped for a romantic meal or a relaxing barbecue together, but that didn’t happen.

The room was spotless, spacious and had an amazing view. We got a very friendly welcome from the manager, who even booked a restaurant for us. It’s been a really enjoyable stay so far, and we’re about to have breakfast. We’ll definitely come back.