The P&P Villa Blog

Avoid the Olympics

adminpp — Thu, 03 May 2012 10:21:42 +0000

Get away from the crowds and the frenzy. If you missed out on tickets or if sport is not your thing then the moment when everybody arrives in the perfect time to get away. Here is a selection of fine villas in Europe with TVs (so that you can catch up if you must) which are available between 27 July and 12 August, the dates of the London Olympics. This is just a small selection: there are many more, just ask us.

Floresta, Pinheiros Altos, near Quinta do Lago, Algarve: Very comfortable and attractive villa for 6 people. Excellent standard of construction and furnishing, extremely nice pool, barbecue and views of the golf course.

Do Galo, Penina Golf, near Alvor, Western Algarve: Superb standard of villa with very large completely enclosed garden and fenced pool; safe for small children. Decor and furnishings better than found in rental houses for many miles.

Bessurane: Le Bar-sur-Loup, South of France: in a perfect location within walking distance of restaurants and bakeries and yet with good garden and privacy. Modern interiors and excellent pool area that will appeal to those who like a good barbecue: summer kitchen with fridges and gas grill.

More pictures of Villa Eulalia

adminpp — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:06:12 +0000

More pictures of Villa Eulalia , 3 minutes from the Dos Bicos beach

Picture of the week

adminpp — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 15:54:12 +0000

Villa Lima, Quinta do Lago

Villa Lima, Quinta do Lago: a very lovely villa available for holiday rentals just yards from the tennis centre in Quinta do Lago, Algarve, Portugal

Why is electricity sometimes extra?

adminpp — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:03:47 +0000

Admittedly Palmer & Parker villas are not cheap (but they are good value for money). Given that, it may seem unreasonable or even petty that certain things are extra: for example pool heating or air conditioning. Why don’t we just include them in the weekly rent?

The answer is individual owners who have different approaches. The amount of electricity that can be used by a villa with air conditioning and pool heating on is prodigious and the carbon footprint therefore alarming, so some owners ask us to charge electricity or just air conditioning as an extra usually just at cost. It isn’t a cost-saving effort by the owner but rather an attempt to reduce the carbon footprint of each holiday.

Villas near the beach

adminpp — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:45:50 +0000

A shortlist of 10 villas that are within easy walking (driving if it’s too hot!) distance from the beach, in no particular order.

Villa Ocean, Dunas Duradas

Villa Ocean, Dunas Duradas, Algarve: this is a superb large modern house on high ground just about 500m from the beach. Being on high ground gives you a better view of the sea: the jacuzzi, tennis court and large pool might be the reason you stay at the villa instead of going to the beach. But the beach at Dunas Duradas is particularly good. More details of this villa are here.

Canta das Vagas, next to Praia da Luz

Canto das Vagas, Praia da Luz. The names means ‘song of the waves’. Being able to see the sea is one thing, but being able to hear it is quite another. This villa is simply furnished but enjoys a fabulous location, literally just across the road from the beach at Praia da Luz which is a very attractive sandy beach and excellent for children. There is a pool at the house, restaurants and shops are an easy walk. Details are here.

Linucia, next to Praia da Gale

Linucia, just next to Praia da Gale: the garden leads directly onto the beach, but being above the beach assures privacy. A quite unique villa built around the pool with a lovely sun terrace, tennis court and boules. More details are here

Villa La Tosca, near Bordeaux

La Tosca, close to Bordeaux with a lovely garden that leads straight out onto the beach, on the spectacular Atlantic coast in the enchanting Bassin d’Arcachon. It sleeps up to 16 and was recently completely renovated and refurbished to the very highest standard. More details are here.

La Pereza, near Marbella Club Hotel

Close to the Marbella Club and Puente Romano Hotel, in a beautiful garden, the whole property is elegantly furnished. The garden is a few feet above the beach which ensures privacy. More details are here

Timosa, Vale do Lobo

Timosa: in a superb location in Vale do Lobo, with the beach literally adjacent and the famous Praca nearby with restaurants, bars and clubs, a very comfortable family home with good pool and lovely views. More details here

1064, by the sea in Vale do Lobo

Also right by the sea (about 50 metres across grass to the beach) is this superb house, one of the best in Vale do Lobo, with stunning interiors and superb equipment throughout. More details here

Cortijo Blanco, Puerto Banus, Spain

Truly exceptional, brand new villa with 6 bedrooms all with en suite bathroom. The beach is a two minute walk and the very popular port of Puerto Banus is a longer walk or a very short drive. Villa Cortijo Blanco has excellent equipment (as in tvs, stereos, wireless etc) and air conditioning throughout, jacuzzi in the garden and big covered dining terrace. More details are here

Portugal A22 motorway tolls announced

adminpp — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:14:29 +0000

Details of how tolls will be charged on the A22 Motorway that connects the Algarve now announced.

From the 8th December, tolls will be charged on the A22 Motorway that connects Lagos with the Spanish border. There is still uncertainty at the time of writing, but an indication of charges is that the whole length (Spain to Lagos) will be €11.60, Faro to Lagos €6.10 and Faro to Loule €0.50. If you are staying in a villa in Quinta do Lago then you do not usually use the motorway, but further along the Algarve you need to be prepared.

The charges will be paid electronically: if you have been to France then you will have seen that some booths are manned but this will not be the case in Portugal. For Portuguese cars the system will be a Via Verde box, obtained from post offices and topped up by home banking. If you don’t have one of these then it will be possible to pay up to 2 days in arrears, but this will be more expensive.

Car hire companies have not yet announced how they will deal with this but this will be updated when we know.

Support Help for Heroes this Christmas

adminpp — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:24:18 +0000

Villa Mondego, Quinta do Lago

adminpp — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:12:04 +0000

Here are more pictures of Mondego in Quinta do Lago, a superior villa with unique and spectacular views.

Villa Enola – more pictures

adminpp — Mon, 09 May 2011 11:58:39 +0000

More pictures of Villa Enola, a superb new house in the exclusive Sierra Blanca area of Marbella

A villa for 16 right on the beach

adminpp — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:29:22 +0000

Seeing the sea is one thing, but hearing it is quite another. Villa La Tosca is an absolutely unique property: built in 1903, it has turn-0f-the-century charm and a suggestion of real history, but recently completely made over. Tall windows let the light pour in, and from most of the house, the sea views are amazing. The beach is at the end of the garden, literally (and when the tide comes in, the sea is just feet away). On site services include a full-time concierge service to organise day trips in this fantastic part of France: or you might choose to just stay by the pool which is fed from a natural spring. Particularly suitable for wine fanatics: Bordeaux vineyards are just 30 minutes drive.