Our first impression from outside was good but when we went inside the foisty smell hits you. On further inspection the bathroom and kitchen were dirty.
We had to go straight out to the supermarket to get basics for cleaning, bleach, fairy, dishwasher tablets, cloths A scrubbing brushes . We have been renting villas in different parts of Europe for years and we have never had a place so devoid of essentials
We then set about cleaning the whole house including crockery/cutlery.
The electricity went off daily because we tried to use the cooker. The beds were not set up as agreed so we spent our first few hours get the house ready and that was after a day of travel.
The pool is very deep with no shallow end so not good for young children or short adults
The location is decent and the beaches/ restaurants in the area are very good.
We had a great week at Casa Francesca. It's a lovely house in a great location, plenty of room for a family of 5 including 3 teenagers. It's in a quiet residential area, the views from the house are lovely, the pool is perfect for cooling off and for the kids to muck around in . We could cook inside and out - the grill is for serious BBQers. It's great. The house has loads of living and sleeping space - really nice open plan living room, with modern furnishings, leading out to the balcony and its wonderful view. Boardgames, books, DVDs - and broadband (admittedly a mixed blessing!) are supplied. And of course, its in a beautiful area - just a short drive to Begur and plenty of local beaches. Loved it.
This was a welcome break at at Casa Francesca in the quiet month of September. The villa is in a great spot - very close to town and beaches are only minutes away by car. Weather was perfect in the mid to late 20s so we could relax by or in the infinity pool and expand our horizons.
We rented bicycles in Palafugell and explored the locale on two wheels. We also made us of the local tennis courts - at the bottom of the hill on the main road to Begur, cycling there and back on our bikes. Just turn up and start playing and eventually an old fella comes to collect a few euros.
Off season the beaches were less busy but the restaurants and shops are open and lively - and with the warm weather it was easy to chill for hours with occasional dips to cool down.
Evenings spent on the balcony eating and drinking while watching the sun go down were memorable. Simple pleasures.
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This is an idea villa for families. It's big enough for everyone to have their own space when you're relaxing there and the living area/ lounge is well appointed with enough toys, games and TV to keep the kids occupied. The pool is a delight. We enjoyed a really great holiday here and will treasure the memories for years to come. Wonderful. Begur itself is a very classy town with plenty of delightful places to eat and drink. Thoroughly recommend both the villa and the town.
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I was lucky enough to stay at Casa Francesca in September with my husband and son. The weather was fantastic which meant we enjoyed all the facilities and took full advantage of the pool and BBQ.
I can't recommend this villa enough. Begur is an idyllic medieval town and Casa Francesca is a short drive from the town centre in a lovely quiet, secluded location. There are other homes surrounding the villa but due to it's positioning it's really very private.
It's a traditional, rustic, homely villa with lots of space. The outdoor BBQ is fantastic, as is the pool and the large table on the balcony to enjoy dinner as you watch the sunset.
There's a great supermarket close-by with fantastic meat, fish and wine available so we often enjoyed lunch and dinner at the villa.
The beaches nearby are also really nice - especially Aiguablava beach which is a sandy cove.
As well as being nice and quiet, Casa Francesca is also dark (lots of shutters to keep the morning sunshine out) so we often slept in till 9 or 10am despite having a 3 year old with us! And there's plenty to keep all ages occupied - from table football to DVDs.
We'd go back in a heart beat - can't recommend highly enough!
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The first thing you'll notice when you arrive at Casa Francesca is the pool area and steps leading up to the outside balcony, and I'll bet you a very reasonably-priced rioja that your first words will be "Oh wow!".
Trust me you'll be spending a lot of time around the pool and on that balcony, mainly in the evenings enjoying a stunning sunset, joined by a lizard or two if you're lucky. It sets the tone for what's to come - a charming and welcoming house nestled into the hillside, with breath-taking views and a super relaxed feel inside.
The villa is very spacious, with plenty of room for an extended family and a choice of beds. We spent many a night with feet up on the sofas watching a DVD with a glass of local tipple, the kitchen is perfect for adventurous and experimental cooking (it turns out jamon croquetas are VERY hard to perfect), and the fridge freezer is big enough to hold a fortnight’s worth of food and drink. You'll instantly make it a home from home. Little things make such a difference when you're on holiday, and bonus stuff like Francesca's total blackout shutters and blasting water pressure in the showers are very welcome indeed.
Without doubt my new favourite-place-to-be-in-the-world is firmly stationed at the Man Size BBQ when the air is cooler, beer in hand and Iberian sausages sizzling away on the grill. It’s a serious and instant relaxant, and if you're anything like us you'll end up using the barbie as much as possible. Plus it saves on washing up!
What made the holiday special for us was the pool area, and it's where we spent 90% of our time. Totally private, with amazing views across the valley below, the pool space became our daily hangout and was so enticing that we often sacked-off whatever sightseeing we had planned that day and stayed put, eventually squabbling over who's turn it was to make the next gin and tonic. South-facing, you get the sun all day. It was also great for our little lad, who grew so adept at leaping into the water that the armbands came off after a couple of days. The pool itself is a good size - not too small that you're bumping into each other but not too big that you get lost. Shorties be warned that its very deep!
Begur is gorgeous - a pretty little town with plenty of cafes and boutique shops, with certainly enough to see and do to fritter away a lazy afternoon. As we were with a toddler we didn't spend an awful lot of time "relaxing" per se (more like chasing an excited little boy around the narrow streets, apologising to innocent bystanders who happened to be in his path), but if you are with young kids you'll be pleased to know there are a few parks and playgrounds scattered around where they can climb/slide/run til you're ready to move on. The biggest of these is on the outskirts of Begur as you enter from the southwest, with sloping landscaped gardens surrounding brand new outdoor climbing stuff and a football pitch. There's a skate park area for older kids, too. Our boy enjoyed spotting lizards, beetles and butterflies when he wasn't moving sand from one bucket into another.
Our favourite beach was Aiguablava – a lush sandy bay flanked by steep hills either side. Take a bucket & spade for the sprogs!
One last thing, we loved the local Jodofi supermarket just up the road. The meat counter is amazing (hence our penchant for barbecuing; charcoal is at the back by the deli counter, fyi) and there's everything you could want to make your trip a perfect stay.
Which it certainly was.
We loved Casa Francesca. The villa is spacious, comfortable and has everything you need for a day by the pool or an evening cooking with delicious local ingredients. The view from the terrace is gorgeous and the barbecue works a treat on the delicious local fish. The neighbour supermarket has a great range of ingredients (and wine) and there are plenty of markets in surrounding towns if you want more theatre to your shopping. Inside, there is a great little collection of books and DVDs for when it gets dark and the bedrooms are spacious and quiet. Our daughter loved the bunks.
You are a short drive from a great range of beaches (Aiguablava is our favourite), picturesque Begur, lots of lovely restaurants and a number of fantastic sites ancient and modern. We'll definitely go back.
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