The drive from Faro airport takes no time at all- and within 25 minutes, I was excitedly opening the door on a beautiful place that felt like home instantly.
The villa is nothing short of a sublime treat. A great deal of care and attention has gone in to renovating and designing it- that much is clear in everything from the carefully chosen furniture to the beautiful bathrooms. It somehow sits comfortably between simplicity and decadence, remaining functional without feeling overstated.
The kitchen has everything you could want or need to make it a happy home for the time there. In so many villas I have visited, making a nice meal can be challenging, so this for me makes a big difference.
The first thing you notice when you finally stop throwing your bags around and being noisily excited by the place is the stillness of the setting. Coming from a busy city, that’s extremely welcome.
I was lucky enough to enjoy the garden, which I believe has just been renovated. It is a simple stone flooring which works beautifully with the house, with a high boundary which makes it feel very secluded, and rather zen. There are also lovely balconies on both bedrooms, front and back of the villa.
Another important thing for me is comfort, and this villa has that spot on. I woke up each morning feeling refreshed (if on one occasion a little hung-over).
It’s worth renting a car if you’re there for a little while, but if it’s only a short trip, then most of what you need is only a short walk away. The walk to the beach takes around 10 minutes and there is a route through beautiful, unspoiled pine woodland.
The beach has 3 or 4 great restaurants which I tried, and I would happily give a positive review to any one of them. So you’re not short for choice for good meals within walking distance.
It’s worth a trip in a cab if you don’t have a car on the first day to the local supermarket, where you can get a surprising range of fresh food. That gives the freedom to stay in and just relax if that is what you chose to do.
There is a rather nice and very quiet pool in the hotel complex only a moment from the villa, which means you don’t mind not having a pool of your own.
So… the villa is a very special place, whether it’s for a family who want somewhere safe for young children, a first holiday for a romantic couple, or a slightly older clientele. The broad range includes me, in search of a blissful few days not thinking about a busy job.