Accommodation Review
Overview:
Villacana is an idyllic development that has been designed in the style of a typical Andalusian “white town” or pueblo blanco. With its narrow flower adorned passageways and direct access to the beach it is one of the most sought after locations on the Costa del Sol.
Villacana Villa
Location:
The Villa is located in Cancelada approximately a 50 minute drive from Malaga airport and within 25 minutes of the coastal resorts of Estepona, Puerto Banús and Marbella. The houses are set in a pedestrianised environment with manicured lawns, flower beds and mature shrubs and trees and accessed along attractive pathways adorned with flowers.
Arrival and check in:
We took a flight from Bournemouth airport arriving into Malaga at 2.00 p.m. Although a large, busy airport, passing through immigration was reasonably quick and on arrival into the baggage hall our luggage was just coming into view on the carousel. We’d arranged car hire through Auto Europe who offer competitive rates from most European cities and airports and found a good deal through them in Malaga with Budget. The car rental desks were clearly signposted and with three clerks on duty we were attended to quickly and soon loading up our luggage and on our way.
The drive to the villa was quite straightforward, mostly along the A7 motorway and as we’d been provided with clear instructions from the owners we found the Villacana development easily. The site has secure parking for residents and their guests which is accessed through an automatic barrier. Although individual properties do not have their own designated spaces we never found it difficult to find a parking space close to the villa. We then just had a short walk to locate the property we were staying in along a couple of delightful narrow passageways. A few days before setting off we’d received an email containing a code to access the property which worked first time with the key box containing a set of keys and a fob for accessing the gate through to the coastal path.
The accommodation:
The townhouse styled villa was absolutely beautiful and exactly as described. The ground floor comprises a large open plan living area with a marble tiled floor, an L shaped sofa, coffee table, and a fireplace with attractive alcove shelving. The large wall mounted television was Netflix and Prime enabled although as the weather was so beautiful during our stay we spent all our time outdoors so only used the television as a radio.
The fully equipped kitchen contained a large fridge/freezer, oven with hob, air fryer, toaster, kettle, cafetiere, dishwasher and washing machine. If needed, a tumbler dryer is located in a utility cupboard to one side of the front door. There was a plentiful supply of good quality plates, dishes, wine glasses, pots and pans just as you would find at home. Dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, tea towels, kitchen roll and aluminium foil were all supplied meaning that we only needed to go shopping for our own food supplies. A large breakfast bar with four high seats divides the kitchen and living areas but as we were blessed with good weather we ate out in the secluded courtyard all the time.
A marble staircase leads upstairs to the two bedrooms. The spacious master suite has a Juliette balcony overlooking the courtyard, a super king size bed dressed in high quality bedlinen and two large wardrobes with an ample supply of coat hangers to accommodate all my summer dresses. The dressing table could also be utilised as a desk for anyone wishing to work away from home. The en-suite bathroom is gorgeous too with its newly installed contemporary fittings and power shower.
The second bedroom contains twin beds, both of a good size, a wardrobe, chest of drawers and a Juliette balcony overlooking one of the peaceful pedestrianised lanes. The house bathroom has also been newly installed in the same style as the en-suite and contains a bath with shower over and twin wash basins. Both bathrooms have Juliette balconies with dark wood louvred doors and are equipped with a good supply of towels, waffle dressing gowns, slippers, a hairdryer and complimentary toiletries.
Outdoors:
The living area opens out onto a delightful courtyard, traditionally styled with Andalusian floor and wall tiles. It’s totally secluded with its white washed walls and is equipped with a large table surrounded by two comfortable benches that have padded cushions with a large parasol overhead.
There are also two reclining chairs, a coffee table and not one but two barbecues, one of a traditional built in wood fired design and the other a stainless steel gas model. Along one wall is a lockable wooden gate out into the lane, an outside shower, blossoming bougainvillea growing on the walls and best of all a mature lemon tree in one corner, perfect for our afternoon gin and tonics. Wi-Fi was easy to connect to and worked well both indoors and out on the terrace.
Facilities:
The complex is privately owned mostly with families spending a couple of weeks at a time in their villas. I doubt it ever feels crowded and with four sparkling pools to sit around and take a dip, its blissful. The utility cupboard contains a pair of sun loungers that can be taken down to the beach or used beside one of the pools.
The largest pool overlooks the beach and is surrounded by two on-site restaurants. In high season there’s a lifeguard on duty as this is the most family oriented pool. Although attractive, we preferred to use one of the smaller pools, two of them being less than a minutes stroll from the villa.
There’s an on-site convenience store ‘Lisa’s shop’ offering fresh bread, newspapers, various foodstuffs and beach gear and is very useful if you find you have run out of something. The nearest supermarkets are a five minute drive or a 20 minute walk away, one is the Spanish chain Mercadona and the other a newly opened Lidl. This branch of Lidl has an excellent in-store bakery so we called in daily for fresh bread, croissants and anything else we needed. With four restaurants on site and beach bars close by, we enjoyed a mixture of sampling the local tapas bars and barbecuing meat and fish out in the courtyard ourselves.
Out and About:
Coastal Path
A recently constructed coastal path runs from the villa complex, the gate to which is accessed by the key fob provided at check in. We followed the paths both ways, turning to the left there is a gorgeous beach bar just outside the gates and continuing, the path extends for approximately 20 minutes passing a few hotels and several other beach bars along the way. Taking a stroll in both directions is to be recommended with our favourite being heading west (leaving the gate and turning right).
This stretch continues much further although there are a few short sections where you need to walk along the beach. Along the route you will pass several resort hotels, luxury apartments, a champagne bar, some chiringuitos (beach bars) and restaurants. We enjoyed taking this pathway several times and were rewarded with beautiful sunsets on each occasion.
Estepona
Enjoy a walk in the Moorish style old town with its narrow alleyways and walls covered with blossoming bougainvillea. Later, take a stroll along the promenade and enjoy a bite to eat in one of the tapas bars overlooking the azure blue Mediterranean.
Marbella
Many visitors head straight for the beach but the old town is a hidden gem and really shouldn’t be missed. The old town is absolutely gorgeous and immaculately maintained. It’s a maze of tiny little alleyways adorned with flower pots and bougainvillea. Many of the buildings are of Moorish style centred around the Plaza de los Naranjos, a fifteenth century Castilian square. Between the old town and the beach lies Alameda Park. It’s only small but is beautiful with its marble pavements, elegant fountains and tiled benches tucked into shaded spots between the tropical foliage.
The beach extends in both directions from the old town and wasn’t too busy on the day we visited. Bars, restaurants and cafes overlook the sea and with their terraces spilling out onto the promenade are very tempting places to rest awhile with a coffee or beer watching the world go by. We thought that car parking might be problematic in Marbella but on our arrival in the town at around 11.00 a.m. on a weekday we managed to secure a space in an underground car park close to the sea without problem.
Gibraltar
The British overseas territory of Gibraltar is one of my favourite places, having spent several days there four years ago. Do remember to take your passport as you will be crossing the border out of Spain. I suggest leaving the car in the Marina car park at La Linea, a Spanish town five minutes walk from the Gibraltar border. Ideally, make an early start as the territory is filled with many historic sights, attractions and activities and although it’s not possible to see them all in one day, you can definitely cover quite a lot of ground.
Start with a walk through Ocean Village close to the border before continuing through Casemates Square and along Main Street for a morning cup of coffee. From there I suggest taking the cable car up to the top of the Rock as it’s a stunning 6 minute journey. The bottom cable car station is conveniently located near the southern end of Main Street close to the Botanical Gardens. Views are breathtaking and on reaching the top station you’ll probably be greeted with a troop of Barbary monkeys. Near the top station you can buy tickets to access the nature reserve and all its attractions including the spectacular St. Michael’s Cave, the largest chamber of which has been transformed into a concert hall. The cave feels like a magical experience with its glimmering red, white and grey stalactite columns, resembling a cathedral complete with pulpit, chancel and organ pipes.
Next, walk a little further to brave the Skywalk by following in the steps of Luke Skywalker by daring to step onto the glass viewing platform 340 metres above sea level from where you can enjoy spectacular views. Another thrill seeker’s experience can be found at the Windsor Suspension Bridge – a 71 metre long bridge suspended over a 50 metre deep gorge offering spectacular views over the city and Bay of Gibraltar.
Before heading back to the villa take advantage of tax free shopping along the vibrant Main Street which runs for almost 1 km through the heart of the town. Pick up some fresh produce and local delicacies in Gibraltar Market on the edge of Grand Casemates Square then pop into one of the many bars or restaurants for a relaxing meal.
Overall:
Spending a week in this villa felt like a little slice of heaven as it offers the best of all worlds with its beautiful accommodation comparable to a luxury hotel plus the added benefits of your own living space and delightful secluded courtyard. With several swimming pools, a convenience store, hairdresser and restaurants on site guests could happily spend most of their holiday relaxing there without needing to go very far. I would recommend hiring a car from the airport but if driving overseas isn’t for you don’t be put off visiting as you could pre-book a taxi from Malaga airport and then order a Bolt (Uber equivalent) to pick up your groceries and get around. There’s also a bus service into Estepona with a stop accessed via a pedestrian bridge over the highway. On return the nearest bus stop is located almost outside the property.
To summarise, the villa is sparkling clean and in an idyllic setting. The owners have everything organised and leave you with a contact WhatsApp number in case of any unforeseen issues. Everything was perfect during our stay and I’d have no hesitation to return again. If you consider the Costa del Sol to be somewhere that’s very touristy and lively, think again as it’s a world away from the likes of Torremolinos and Fuengirola as this part of the coast is refined and tranquil with some gorgeous beach bars in which to watch the sun set whilst enjoying a cocktail.
