Product Reviews : Travel - Short Haul : Villa Pollox, Lefkas, Greece

I love this place. It's one of two stand alone villas with pools that also have access to the Mousses complex on Lefkas. (Essentially, they are set in private grounds, just seconds away.) We've visited twice now, and had fabulous holidays each time. Anyhow, here's an abridged version of a review I wrote a while back about the place.

The first thing that hits you about Villa Pollox (and its sister property, Villa Castor) is how much bigger (and better) they are than Simply Travel’s brochure photography would suggest. There’s more space here than there is in our own home… and it’s better equipped.

Identical in layout and almost in décor, Villas Pollox and Castor both offer fab’ family accommodation. The spacious, bright and airy open-plan living room is stylishly and amply furnished. At one end is the seating area with two comfy sofas, a decent CD stereo system and satellite TV that, as luck would have it, picks up various English language kid’s shows – so it’s the perfect lure for when it’s 40 degrees in the shade, you know the kids have had too much sun… but they don’t agree with you. At the other end there’s a good-sized kitchen area - complete with full sized oven, fridge-freezer, coffee machine, microwave, ample work surfaces etc. In between the two areas is a massive dining table that would comfortably seat eight.

Three bedrooms sleep up to six people – the master has a double bed and large en suite bathroom and there’s an equally large twin. A separate shower room with loo is also home to a washing machine . (There’s nothing worse than spending half your holiday hand washing small children’s smalls.) However, the second twin with en suite shower room can only be accessed via a separate entrance to the side of the villa. Whilst perfect for large family groups travelling with, say, either teenagers or grandparents who will prefer the extra privacy that it affords, this annex room is – in my eyes – unsuitable for younger kids. You won’t hear them if they wake up in the night – and they won’t be able to get to you without having to go outside. My only other criticism is that, if like me, you are a soft Southerner used to sleeping on an even softer mattress, you might find the beds rather unforgiving, possibly brutally so. That said, the really rather decent local wine seems to aid sleep.

Lefkas in high summer can be absolutely baking – during our stay it regularly hit 40 degrees in the shade. Fortunately Pollox is fully air-conditioned throughout, with separate units for each room. Plus there are decent fly screens on all windows and doors.

But enough of the villa’s interior – you don’t come to Lefkas to hang around indoors. (And if you do, you shouldn’t.) Large french doors open out from the living room directly on to the terrace, garden and pool – which is only yards away. Having a fish for a son, this proved ideal for us, although parents of non-swimmers and young kids will need to keep a careful eye out at all times, particularly as the shallow end isn’t particularly shallow. At 11m by 6m, the pool’s a decent size and just right for lilo wars and dingy invasions.

Outside there’s yet another full sized dining table and numerous sun loungers and seats. The roof overhangs the length of the house, providing copious shade, so whether you want to cool off with a good book or sizzle by the poolside, the choice is yours. Oh, and there’s a good sized brick barbecue – so it’s worth taking advantage of the good fishmongers and butchers, just five minutes drive away in picturesque Lefkas town.

It’s this “best of both worlds” set up that make the villas such great family properties. Situated just behind the main pool and bar area at Mousses, they’re moments away from all the fun and action – which you’re perfectly entitled to partake in if you so wish. Yet, set in their own gardens, they offer a real sense of seclusion and privacy – particularly Pollox which is the further away of the two. Shielded from neighbouring Villa Castor by judicious planting of fir trees, and looking out over olive groves, the peace and calm of Pollox is palpable… particularly during the kids’ club opening hours. But it’s still nice to know that an ice-cold beer and a Greek salad are just seconds away – and can be delivered to the villa if you’re feeling anti-social!

That we did feel like socialising so much of the time was largely testament to “Mousses’ magic”. This place definitely brings out the best in both adults and kids; for within days of arriving, most families seemed to be on first name terms and many a late afternoon around the pool merged into a relaxed evening around the bar. There’s something immensely joyous about watching kids just being kids – space and safety are such an issue back home. To be able to do so, armed with an aperitif, is, in my mind, the definition of bliss. As our collective offspring ran wild through the grounds, enjoying their apparent independence but never really out of sight of a watchful pair of eyes, all seemed exceedingly well in the world.

See, told you I liked it here.