Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Anyone up for a 'find me the perfect villa' challenge??

36 replies

petitdonkey · 20/08/2013 21:18

Looking for a villa for next year but there is SO much online, it's sending me doolally. Thought I'd try mumsnet instead to see if anyone can recommend somewhere.

So, we are looking for:

  • Beach holiday in Europe- early August for sunshine.
  • villa with a pool that will sleep 9 (5 bedrooms) - two families
  • preferably with a housekeeper who possibly would prepare breakfast.
  • walking distance to the beach and (crucially) a selection of restaurants/ beach bars.
  • ideally £4000 per week total. (Could push up to 5)

I think that's a healthy budget but all of the villas I fall in love with are around 8-10k per week which is just too much. We are looking for a 'luxury' type place. We went to the Caribbean earlier this year and the villa was perfect but flights were extortionate and really drove up the cost of the holiday, we also only had one restaurant/ bar nearby so spent money on cabs. (Really don't want fancy restaurants, just chilled places we can go with the five children aged 5-10)

Anyone? I'm hoping just one person will think 'I know exactly the place'!!

OP posts:
Sidge · 20/08/2013 21:47

Is that 4-5 grand for the villa for a week and all flights as well?

You'd be lucky to get a villa and flights for 9 people in August for £4k!

LadyMilfordHaven · 20/08/2013 21:49

i have sent you a dm

MooseBeTimeForSpring · 20/08/2013 21:55

There are some gorgeous places on Luxury Retreats. Not sure about the budget or housekeeper though.

Original poster
petitdonkey · 20/08/2013 21:56

Not to include flights so 8-10k for two weeks just for the villa. Am I in lala land?

OP posts:
Sidge · 20/08/2013 22:03

I don't think so then - I found this!!

Dates might not fit but gives you some ideas

LadyMilfordHaven · 20/08/2013 22:03

the place i sent you is WAY under that and much better pool than most villas - HERUGE

Ponders · 20/08/2013 22:07

\link{http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/spain/S16312.htm?src=LS#rates\this is just over £5K} (without breakfast though)

great location - prob have to drive to town but Marbella is actually very nice Smile

Ponders · 20/08/2013 22:08

(it says 5 mins to Marbella but I think that's by car as it says 2-min stroll to beach)

Original poster
petitdonkey · 20/08/2013 22:13

Just for perspective, this is where we stayed at Easter which was £6000 for the week- maybe we got lucky? The flights were 5k for my family of five which obviously drove up the price and we could only go for one week but I guess I thought we could get somewhere similar, but maybe not so big (it included a day out on a boat, housekeeper, beauty treatments...) and in Europe....

ladymilford - love the place you sent but we would really like to be in a villa for the nine of us- last time we had so much fun and a real benefit was the children playing together in the morning before we even got out of bed. Will look at other links now. Thank you all

OP posts:
Original poster
petitdonkey · 20/08/2013 22:19

ponders that is exactly the type of place I mean! I really should have mentioned however that Marbella and that whole coastline is a no-no. Sorry, not drip feeding or being difficult but DH spent four years working there and will not go back!!! Dies show me that I'm not being totally delusional on price though!!

Forget breakfast!! We can rustle up some toast.

sidge - cant get the link to work, can get to the site so if you give me a villa name I can look it up.

Seriously though, when did family holidays start costing 10k???

OP posts:
Ponders · 20/08/2013 22:19

\link{http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p1041873#summary\£3.6K} - it says 750m/10 mins to beach but looks further on map. 'plenty of bars and restaurants in the area.' Housekeeping available.

ticks your boxes I think? & looks v v v nice Smile

Ponders · 20/08/2013 22:20

ohhhh, what a shame

ok

(last one was Mijas but still that coast)

Ponders · 20/08/2013 22:26

\link{http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p402234#rates\St Tropez - ?5K} - sea views, but way up from beach.

very pretty though!

Ponders · 20/08/2013 22:26

5K euros, sorry, MN doesn't do the symbol Grin

Ponders · 20/08/2013 22:32

ooooh, \link{http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p1020259a#summary\this one looks good}

SW France, on the Atlantic, beach 450m, restos 300m, tennis & golf, 4650 euros pw (plus linen/cleaning)

still no brekkie though Grin

Original poster
petitdonkey · 20/08/2013 22:34

ponders- please don't send yourself mad looking like I have!!! St tropez property looks lovely but our one downside to our Grenada holiday was not being able to just walk out in the evening to a selection of restaurants.

I am realising that my budget is too low maybe for this dream property (and also that the price in Grenada was fantastic- all of the furniture was designer, beautiful pool, just perfect really) and I guess there aren't that many large properties near some life/ small towns.

I think I hoped some mumsnet ter would come along and say, ' this is our place, ten grand?? Yes please'!!! It still sounds like a lot of money to me for two weeks- when I think about how much we rent our London flat for... I do know its not the same thing but.... Forgive my waffling!!!

I know we could get a nice resort holiday for £7000 (I'm guessing flights will be about 2k) but that's not what we want.

Oh we'll, first world problems and all that Smile

OP posts:
Sidge · 20/08/2013 22:39

It was the Villa A2 Santo Tomas in Menorca.

But have a wander around that website, they have some gorgeous villas - I just linked to the first one I came to!

Ponders · 20/08/2013 22:40

oh I love looking, donkey, don't worry (DH & I currently stay regularly in a tiny basic townhouse in Orgiva in the Alpujarras, so looking at huge luxury places is a treat Smile)

Ponders · 20/08/2013 22:41

shame Marbella area is out of the question though because it is rammed with suitable properties & prices have plummeted...

Ponders · 20/08/2013 22:49

\link{http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p353921d#summary\Arcachon,} near Bordeaux

under 1km to bars & restos

4.5K euros pw

doesn't give a distance to beach but looks like c 500m as the crow flies (& is pretty flat there)

Original poster
petitdonkey · 20/08/2013 22:56

Interesting that you think of them as huge, luxury! I thought I was going mad and that my budget wasn't as healthy as I'd first thought!! I agree that Marbella has some perfect places, we used to stay at The Marbella Club which was perfect (they have villas within the hotel complex) but it doesn't have a happy association for DH now.

I'm off to bed now but will continue looking tomorrow. Did you see my Grenada link?? I just want that again but without the ten hour flight!

OP posts:
Ponders · 20/08/2013 23:00

huge & luxury compared with our max 2 rooms per floor, no garden & no parking!

I did see the link but didn't pore over it. will have another look Smile

Bonsoir · 20/08/2013 23:22

We stayed in a villa this summer that meets the spec in the OP on every detail... Except the price, which I shall not reveal on MN. If you want more info, PM me.

It was PERFECT, by the way.

Original poster
petitdonkey · 20/08/2013 23:34

magenta - your links are the nicest I've seen and I love Mallorca (met DH there!!!) it's still that 'short drive' that bugs me. We want to wander to a bar and wander home a bit tipsy- am I being far too picky??

Bonsoir- have sent you a pm. Please send it to me, I know I will weep.

OP posts: