After a lot of deliberation we chose this property for our first trip to the area, and we were delighted with our choice. The house is large, even larger than it appears in the photos, beautifully appointed and has a wonderful pool. As we were visiting in October we paid for pool heating, which took the pool to a very comfortable temperature, around 29/30°c, perfect for messing about on those lazy days in the sunshine. There were plenty of pool towels too. We made less use of the bbq than we expected, mainly because we ate out, but it was used a couple of times and was fine. Perhaps a bug zapper would be helpful for outdoor eating though.
The kitchen is very well equipped, with 2 fridge freezers and 2 dishwashers being a real bonus. Pretty much everything you need is here, both in the kitchen and elsewhere in the house. The only thing we could have done with but couldnât find was a beach umbrella for our days on the beach - there are a number of large parasols around the pool but not a small one for the beach.
The layout of the house works well, with two bedrooms upstairs and two down. The area felt very safe for small children and the property is well fenced, with electric gates. The local supermarkets are only minutes away by car and are decent for all needs.
We werenât able to go to Wildfire to eat, as it was closed (whether due to the season or to Covid weâre not sure), but we did eat at the Wine Bistro on Vila Sol and it was very good. We ate at the Vilamoura Marina, but it felt a little too âBritishâ for us. We preferred Juliaâs Restaurant, one of a few restaurants at Praia do Garrao, which we unfortunately discovered too late on in our week. We had a lovely lunch there, overlooking the beach, ideal if you want to while away a few hours while your children play on the beach next to you. And an amazing sunset over the sea.
Finally, thank you to Craig and Kate for your help throughout the process. Itâs so nice to have such responsive and friendly hosts and really makes a difference to the whole experience.
