General Info | Regional Info | Services

The following information is intended to assist you and help you enjoy your stay  - it is not intended to put you off, just to provide a good, honest guide to the Portuguese 'way of life'.

As with all aspects of living, sometimes things can go wrong. Our website presents the details of quality villas and apartments in Portugal . We ask all owners for the assurance and undertaking that they will do their best to minimise problems and maximise your enjoyment. We want you to have a good time and the notes that follow are for your information and guidance.

Ambience
Portugal has a wonderful relaxed and usually tranquil ambience. As with many countries, building work is sporadic and can start at any time. Even villas in developments that are well established can sometimes be affected if a neighbour suddenly decides to renovate, improve, extend or drill a borehole. Likewise local councils may start road works with little or no notice, even in mid summer. If we are made aware of any such disturbance that is likely to affect your enjoyment, we will contact you as soon as we are aware of it and may be able to suggest a suitable alternative. You may then either choose to change villas (if the new villa is more expensive, you will still have to pay the additional cost, if it is cheaper then we will refund the difference). If building work starts during your holiday this may prove impossible especially in peak season.

Insects and Wildlife
As with all hot countries, insects can be a problem. Use plug-in mosquito repellents in bedrooms and a lotion to protect your skin when eating out. Uncovered food will attract ants and flies so store all food in the fridge or in an airtight container. Ant powders will solve the problem if it occurs. Likewise accessible food is a great temptation for mice or other rodents so please be careful with food storage. There are more poisonous snakes in the UK than in Portugal and the small lizards (Geckos and Skinks) often seen on the outside walls of your villa are completely harmless

Cats and Dogs
Stray cats and dogs are sometimes a problem in certain areas. If they visit or beg for food, however sweet they look, please do not feed them. They may not actually be strays - just opportunists looking for an extra meal! The next clients may not be as tolerant. Many Portuguese families keep dogs, which live outdoors and may sometimes be heard barking during the night

Deposits
Most of our properties are carefully furnished and cherished homes. We normally take a security deposit that ranges from £200 - £500. This deposit is payable with your balance and refunded after your return from holiday – direct to your credit card account

Security - Cash and Valuables
Please be at least as security conscious whilst on holiday as you would be at home and if possible a little more so. Do not bring valuable items with you let alone leave them on view in cars and always be sure to secure the villas doors, shutters and windows when going out, or if you are by the pool. Lock cameras in the boot of the car and never leave cash in the house. Portuguese banks provide an excellent network of 24hr cash machines linked to your existing bankcard. There is no need to have large cash sum with you at any time. We recommend you do not take items of great or sentimental value on holiday with you.

Water & Drains
With little or no rain during the summer months, shortages can occur which may result in a low water pressure or supplies being cut off for short periods. Please understand that locals are suffering in the same way. Please be as economical with water as you can. The mains water is safe to drink, but may taste different and we therefore recommend you stick to bottled water for drinking and washing salads etc. Many rural homes have a water tank and supply the house from this at certain times of the year. Unless you are certain that a tap is connected directly to the water main it is better not to drink from it. Portuguese plumbing is not as efficient as elsewhere in Europe and cannot cope with the disposal of nappies or with volumes of toilet paper. Please try to use the bidet where possible. If a blockage occurs, it could mean an expensive ‘water jetting' project or that the floor of the property needs to be dug up which will undoubtedly cause disturbance to your holiday. Electricity cuts, especially during or after storms, are not uncommon.

Swimming and Pool Heating
No swimming pool is safe for unsupervised children and many villas have bedrooms with direct access to the pool. The pool can be over 2m deep and many are without a very shallow end. After a hot journey to your villa, the first thing you will want to do is take a cooling dip in the pool You should first check the warning and depth marking signs provided, cautiously get a feeling for the deep and shallow ends and refrain from diving into the pool at any time

Please ensure you use a ‘waterproof' sun block or lotion which does not have an ‘oil base'. If you use the oily version of these products it will quickly form a greasy film on the top of the pool and both look and feel unpleasant as well as being hard to remove for the pool cleaning company and horrible for the next guests

If pool heating is installed, and is required to be turned on, please arrange this well before hand. If should be noted that pools can take up to a week to heat up. Pools, which cannot be heated, will feel cooler in early and late season. Pool heating takes a lot of electricity and owners generally make an extra charge for this.

Central Heating, Gas and Wood
Central heating, wood burners, gas heaters and multi function air conditioning may be installed. Depending on the time of year of your visit you should establish with the owner who pays for what. In most cases for example in high summer, the extra electricity required for air conditioning is not included in the brochure price and must be paid for separately whist gas for cooking is normally included in the rental price.

Breakages
We accept that accidents do happen, and if you break something, please either replace it or report it to the house manager who will endeavour to replace it for you. All breakages should be paid for before the end of your holiday. If you have taken out insurance, you may be covered for accidental damage or breakages whilst on holiday but keep all receipts as they will be required for any claims made on your return

Food and Shopping
To save you the chore of shopping immediately on arrival, we will provide an initial starter pack to get your holiday off to a good start. This will be sufficient for a light snack on arrival and breakfast the following morning and will include bread, rolls, butter, milk, tea, coffee, sugar, eggs, water, ham, soft drinks, fruit and salad (items may vary subject to availability). Please note that an initial supply only of toilet paper, bin bags, washing up liquid and an insect spray will also be provided. We also have a more comprehensive 'fridge filler' service available - order from our list and you will find it neatly stacked for your arrival. If you are arriving late we can even arrange a simple snack, a sandwich or a salad.

Equipment
All accommodation is equipped with a fridge or fridge/freezer, cooker, kettle, iron and ironing board and sufficient utensils, cutlery and crockery appropriate to the maximum occupancy of the property. Most will also have a washing machine, dishwasher, and a microwave oven. Where villas have tennis courts or other sports facilities, please bring your own bats, racquets and balls. The towels provided are strictly for use in the villa bathrooms only. Towels for use by the pool or on the beach are not provided so please bring your own. It can be difficult to hire Golf equipment so again bring your own.

Television
TVs, VCRs, CDs, where they are installed, are noted in each individual villa description. Please bring your own DVD's, CDs and Tapes as there are not generally provided. Please note that satellite and or cable television where advertised does NOT normally include access to the premium channels (e.g. Sky which includes movies, sport and entertainment). Eurosport and News are usually available but we cannot guarantee any specific channels. Check exactly which channels are available with the property owner if you think you may have trouble managing without East Enders. Local video shops have a good selection of current films on Video or DVD available for rental – normally the English version

Telephone and Computer Connections
Telephones are not installed as a matter of course in all villas, and where they are, if they are not metered, may be for incoming calls only. If the telephone is fitted with a meter please ensure you settle the bill before you depart. If you would like to have use of a local mobile telephone during your holiday, this can be arranged in the arrivals hall at Faro or Lisbon airport. If you check you have roaming services before you leave the UK Your usual phone should function well in Portugal and there is good coverage in almost all areas. You may also purchase a Portuguese pay as you go ‘sim card' if you phone is not blocked and limited to a single service provider. There are representative shops for all the phone operators in most shopping areas who will assist you.

In some locations an ADSL broadband connection is available for visitors use and you are able to plug in a suitably equipped laptop if you bring the required cable. Please check both availability and compatibility with the villa owner if you are bringing your laptop specially.

Bedroom Layout
Each villa featured in the brochure is individually owned, and furnished to the owner's personal taste. Where the description indicates that a bedroom is a double, it could mean that there are two single beds or two mattresses on a double base made up as a double bed. Cloakrooms consist of a WC and hand basin. Bathrooms have a bath, and shower rooms have a walk in shower. All distances and dimensions quoted are approximate and intended as a guide only.

Cots
These are provided in each location only by prior arrangement and not as a matter of course they should be ordered well in advance. The cots will either be foldable travel types or standard wooden frames, but not necessarily to British safety standards. Cot linen is not supplied and should be brought with you.

Maid Service
The frequency of the maid service is stated in each property description. The maid's duties include general cleaning (but not washing up or personal laundry), sweeping the floors and cleaning the bathrooms. They will also change the bed linen once per week and the towels twice per week. Please note that maids do not work on Sundays or public holidays and if maid service is twice per week, the first clean will be on the day of arrival and you will only see her once more during that week. Pools need maintaining in order for them to remain in sparkling condition, and the gardens need regular work. They will, however, be as unobtrusive as possible. Please do not interfere with the irrigation system or allow children to incorporate it within their games! It is there to provide a useful function.

Household Rubbish
There are no garbage collection services that visit the property and maids do not dispose of household rubbish. Instead it should be bagged up daily and taken to one of the many local public bins marked ‘Lixo' at the roadside. Bottle banks are clearly marked and re cycling is appreciated.

Cleaning and Handover
We will endeavour to have the house fully cleaned and ready for your arrival by 14.00 on the day of your arrival and would ask you to vacate by 10.00 on the day of departure. It would be much appreciated if you would strictly adhere to these rules, as cleaning the whole house thoroughly and to your satisfaction is a lot of work for the maid. If, when you arrive, work is still continuing, please allow the maid to finish. If you arrive on an early flight, it is sometimes possible for you to leave your luggage at the villa from 12 noon onwards and use the pool and terrace.

Driving
How to drive (and how not to drive) in Portugal could fill a book. Portugal has one of the highest accident rates in Europe and it's not hard to see why. The techniques of road craft, anticipation and ‘ manoeuvre pre planning' are unknown or given scant regard, whilst tailgating, overtaking without fear of mortality and a reckless inability to consider anyone except themselves are practiced skills. The average Portuguese driver has no interest in consequences and little or no spatial awareness. Visitors should therefore drive ‘defensively' and expect the unexpected, in fact if you always expect the impossible and leave space and time for it to happen then you will have no trouble. Don't cross a solid white line in the centre of the road, keep to the speed limits, don't use a mobile phone and last but not least don't drink and drive – all will result in an on the spot fine