CLASSIC MORROCAN FEEL VACATION- GREAT LOCATION!

Guest: MORGAN (CALIFORNIA)
Date of Stay: 05/26/11 Review Submitted: 06/01/11

OMG ...THE PICTURES DIDN'T LIE! OUR GROUP OF GIRLS STAYED AT VILLA VALENTINO FOR A GIRLS WEEK OF PLEASURE, SUN AND FUN. WE WALKED DOWN TO THE SHOPS, SWAM, WALKED TO THE PARK NEARBY AND THE BAY A BLOCK AWAY. WE EVEN TOOK TENNIS LESSONS AT THE CLUB DOWN THE STREET. WE WERE CLOSE TO THE RENTAL BOAT LOCATION AND GAVE THAT A TRY TOO! WE JAMMED AS MUCH INTO OUR WEEK AS WE COULD AND THE LOCATION WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING. THE VILLA WAS OUTRAGEAOUS AND WAS LIKE TAKING A WALK BACK IN HISTORY. THE POOL,SPA AND POOL HOUSE WAS MAGNIFICINT! THE HOUSEKEEPING AND MANAGEMENT HELPED US WITH WHATEVER WE NEEDED. WE WILL BE BACK TO THIS ONE FOR SURE!!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

A piece of heaven in Coconut Grove!

Guest: sr (Charlottesville,Virginia)
Date of Stay: 05/18/11 Review Submitted: 05/29/11

My family and extended family numbering 14 in total just spent our most unbelievable vacation down in Coconut Grove in Miami. The Moorish Villa was more than the pictures showed! We felt like we were in a European estate yet biking distance to all the shops and the Village of Coconut Grove which is quaint and charming if you haven't gone there yet. The pool and spa was heavenly and the patio/pool home made our BBQs comfortable with the outdoor summer kitchen and surround sound. The managemnet was excellent and accomodated us due to a delay in our flight. The house was well stocked with essentials and very clean. The grounds were beautiful and full of flowers,mangos,and even a family of wild peacocks srutting through the back yard! I highly suggest this property. We will definately make this our yearly family gathering. Thank you to the management and staff at Villa Valentino!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Amazing Atmosphere & Relaxing Grounds

Guest: SR (New York)
Date of Stay: 04/05/11 Review Submitted: 05/27/11

This is the second time that my family and I have stayed at Villa Valentino. We had a wonderful time we found the place to be charming and elegant with the old world charm that only an old property can bring. We stayed for about two weeks and enjoyed the grounds and pool very much. While we were there we had a family get together which lasted all day and into the night. I must say that Joan was very helpful and cooperative with this function. I would highly recommend this Villa for any occasion. The place is very comfortable, clean & accommodating. The pool was heated and was well designed for kids and parties. If you truly want an unforgettable experience I would recommend Villa Valentino to be the place to stay.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers.

Like Being in Hollywood!

Guest: LJ (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Date of Stay: 03/18/11 Review Submitted: 04/01/11

We were a group of Australians visiting Miami for the first time and had a ball. This property not only met our expectations - it exceeded them in every way. This Villa is for the traveller seeking a unique experience - the house oozes charm and we truly felt we had found our way to a piece of Hollywood. There's great attention been paid to ensuring guests enjoy every comfort - and the stunning outdoor area made entertaining a breeze. We had the time of our lives. Thank you to the Manager who was most helpful and looked after us like royalty. Coming Back? You bet. The location, the ambience, and the fact that Valentino has walked the hallways made this an unforgettable experience for us.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, tourists without a car.

Villa Valentino

Guest: Nik (Toronto, Canada)
Date of Stay: 03/09/11 Review Submitted: 03/18/11

My family visited here for a week in March 2011 and wanted to share our experience for the benefit of other renters and the property owner. Notwithstanding prior arrangements with the agent (corroborated by emails) to meet at the house between 4 and 4:30 pm, no one was at the house when we arrived at 4:20 pm. After calling the agent’s cell phone, Joan advised that she was awaiting a phone call as check in time was 2:00 pm. She was across town so sent her sister. Her sister, Jeanne, arrived at around 5:30 and opened the house but was running late for a tennis match so did not have time to show the house. After getting into the house we found the bathrooms to be dirty, toilets were not clean, the house was dusty and the "white" shag carpet in the living room was black. In our opinion, this rug and all the rugs in the house should be thrown out. We found an underwear under one of the beds on the main floor (which does not have any mirrors or usable closet), an empty soda can in the linen closet and tower room and empty bottle under another bed on the 2nd floor. The toilets still had dried urine on them from previous renters. One day there was a major rain storm and the rain poured into the kitchen from one of the pot lights. My brother-in-law had to go out in the heavy and clean leaves from the drains to prevent a flood in the house. After communicating this to agent, we were told that her sister had cleaned the drains the day before - please forgive our skepticism as we cannot believe this based on the uncleanly condition of the rest of the house. I also advised to get the electrical checked around the pot light and was told not to worry because it will dry up. We had no phone service until our 4th day and had to request a kettle, a wine opener, an iron and board, which were all provided by the agent over 2-3 days but we were told this was not part of her "job description" and were not included in the items available. For the rental amount being charged plus a cleaning fee, this is definitely not acceptable. We felt the photos of the house on VRBO were deceiving as the cleanliness and brightness of the rooms are misleading. A good clean and polish of the floors would go a long way in making this house more comfortable and habitable as it as it does have old world charm and is a great location. Needless to say, after spending so much money and based on the website and pictures, our family was disappointed with the state of the house.

Owner response:Our standard check in time is 2:00 pm. We made previous arrangements via e-mail that the arrival time would be approximately 4:00- 4:30 since her flight landed at 2:30pm. I am glad to accomodate guests when they have a late check-in but ask, as I did in our e-mails, that she call me on my cell phone, with notice for me to arrive at the property and meet her. This was not done. Upon arrival and when our staff hand over the keys we provide a guided tour of the property. When our staff arrived she declined the guided tour and responded that she can figure it out her self. We post all information required by the guest in the kitchen this includes all pass codes and information on time and such. During their stay, there was a very bad storm that knocked down two trees which caused a leak in the roof. Once we were notified and the storm was over we sent our electrician over as soon as he was available. Villa Valentino has been operating for two years and we have never had a complaint; only compliments. We have looked at the validity of her complaint and have taken the necessary steps to rectify what we are able to. I would have liked the opportunity to rectify any problems while they were enjoying their stay at Villa Valentino.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers.

Fantastic Property Would Highly recomend It

Guest: Jonesbrothers (Colorado)
Date of Stay: 01/01/11 Review Submitted: 03/07/11

My family and I just stayed at Villa Valentino for the second time. It is a wonderful property we had a family reunion and the place accommodated us very comfortably. We found the place to be very private. We rented the Main Villa and that even though there were other villas on the property it was still very private for us. I would highly recommend this property to any large group.

Owner response:Thank you for your repeat business! We look forward to your future visits!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, girls getaway, sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with teenagers.

Villa Valentino

Guest: SLM (Dallas)
Date of Stay: 02/18/11 Review Submitted: 02/21/11

I just stayed at Villa Valentino this past weekend. The photos are accurate and the house and property are lovely. However, we all felt completely deceived when we arrived to this "private" home to find that 2 other groups had been booked into units on the property. The pool was NOT private. We had to share the space with the other guests and there were only THREE lounge chairs for a house that can sleep 12-14. Completely inadaquete. In addition, there were very few electrical outlets near mirrors, which made it quite a challenge for 8 women to get dressed. The trip was great and am so glad I came, but I would not recommend this property.

Owner response:Villa Valentino is a beautiful Moorish Estate that has been lovingly,historically and professionally renovated. We have more then enough outlets in each room , bathroom as well as kitchen. We have never had this complaint before and have had several large parties of 12 plus. Our site map and reservations clearly state that we are a large main Villa with other smaller Villas available, and that these villas can be rented together or seperately. There are four lounge chairs and eight chairs for the pool area plus the shallow end of the pool is one large platform to lounge on. We have added another two lounge chairs as per the last guests comment. We try hard to provide the best enviroment for our clientel and to satisfy all our visitors.

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Guest: Campodonico Family (Fort Wayne, IN)
Date of Stay: 01/26/10 Review Submitted: 01/26/10

We had a group of nine for a family reunion/holiday vacation at the Villa. Honestly, we were extremely happy with the accomodations. It is an exquisite home, but also very comfortable. The home was very well equipped, beautifully furnished, and in a great location. This was our first visit to the Coconut Grove area in southern Miami, and it has so much to offer. Great parks, marina, restaurants, and so close to other Southern Florida attractions. But, you could really just stay home and have a great time, with your own pool and hot tub on site. We didn't bring our dog on this trip, but he would have loved this home. Great fenced outdoor space where everyone can hang out. We would like to return next year!

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Guest: Ian14 (sydney, Australia)
Date of Stay: 01/11/10 Review Submitted: 01/11/10

We loved the house. it was centrally located and just one block from the bay which provided a constant bay breeze. There were 12 people in our group and we constantly used the outdoor pool with the out door kitchen it was great for entertaining. I would highly recommend this house for any guest

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