VH CostaBlanca - VANILLA

Las vistas

Demasiado viento quita las ganas de piscina

Felt this villa deserved an honest review - just to give an overview of exactly what to expect. I always check reviews before booking, and often they don’t match up once you arrive, In this case, most of the reviews about this villa were very accurate. We’ve stayed in many villas in Calpe over the years, so we know the area quite well. The view is absolutely stunning and really what you’re paying for – waking up to it each morning is beautiful. The pool is lovely, well-maintained, and the seating area around it is perfect. The upstairs outdoor space next to the kitchen is also a great spot for evenings, eating/breakfast etc. Lots of plates, cutlery, coffee machine etc Beds were comfortable, lounge area and sofa were nice, and there’s a washing machine. The bathroom with the bath looked recently refurbished, although the toilet was broken when we arrived. To be fair, the villa company fixed it very quickly.

The villa needs a refresh, as many other reviews have said the exact same over the years. Sunbeds are worn, balcony chairs are rusty, needs weeding and the outdoor seating covers could do with a good wash. The biggest issue was the electrics – some sockets didn’t work and had blown, we used the outdoor fridge in the cupboard and got an a small electric shock from it. When I reported this, the villa company’s response advised there is a sign on it not to use any outdoor electrics (There wasn't) - Yet they are all LIVE and not cut off! A little dismissive, saying electrics are fine even though inside the Villa some of them don't work, suggesting I check each socket myself. This felt unsafe and should be taken more seriously. We just used the ones we knew worked and carried on with the holiday. Being high up means you need a car to get around – which we knew when booking, but worth noting for others. No pool towels provided. Only a bath towel and hand towel per person. To be fair, the description just said “towels,” but in our experience, every villa we’ve stayed in has included pool towels. We ended up buying our own beach towels and taking them home. The upstairs shower leaked badly, as the seal has gone, soaking the bathmats. I asked for extra bathmat towels to help with this, but was told it would cost €15 per person, or I could wash them myself – which I did daily. No basic supplies were provided, (not even a dish cloth, salt, pepper, or cleaning products). Perhaps this is policy and all removed. We left some items behind for the next guests. The company give you a booklet when collecting keys but no mentioned of Pool cleaning days, or even emergency contacts for the area.