Tag: Gandia Casa Rural

Happy & Successful House Hunters

In amongst all the doom and gloom concerning the economic situation and the housing and property market in particular in Spain, there are still instances of things turning out happily for all concerned. Back in the summer, we were pleased to have Carmel and her family stay with us whilst they were on a house-hunting expedition here. They had done plenty of research in their quest to find a bargain property on the Costa Blanca, and had narrowed their search to one property that they felt really met their requirements. It might seem strange to come half-way round the world (they spend most of their time in Malaysia) on a property hunt here in Spain and then only look at one house, but they felt that this was the one – and so it has proved to be! Not for them the standard type of “villa with a pool” that is so often the target of the foreign property purchaser in Spain – they were looking for something different. There are plenty of homes of the more conventional type on the market – and they have seen lots of them in Malaysia too, of course – but they already had…

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House-Hunters Spoilt for Choice!

The property market in Spain may have suffered a spectacular decline in the recent past, and it is true that this plays an enormous part in the present woes of the Spanish economy. However, a housing market which is suffering from an excess of supply over demand can only mean good news for any buyers who happen to come along. We were pleased to welcome a couple from Belgium recently who were on a serious house-hunting expedition, had done their homework thoroughly before leaving home and who arrived at our door with a full diary of appointments with local estate agents. They were looking for a property that would be large enough to accommodate their visiting children and grandchildren, which had a swimming pool and fairly large gardens (so that there was always something to do!), was within about half an hour from the beach, but yet would be easy to leave unoccupied for the times when they would be back in their own home in Belgium This was to be a property for holidays and winter time – some of their time would still be spent in Belgium, as this was not a full move, but rather an additional…

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Bed and Breakfast Holidays in Rural Spain

Last Wednesday we were pleased to welcome some unexpected guests – again from Canada – who were touring around Spain with a possible long-term view to settling here. They called on us to see if they could stay here as they wanted to stay in bed and breakfast accommodation as opposed to conventional hotels wherever possible. They had in mind also that the bed and breakfast industry might suit them if they were to settle here, and were eager to hear our experiences. Brian and Lonnie come from Alberta and were travelling around Spain in the opposite direction from our last Canadian guests – they had started in Seville and were ultimately destined for Barcelona – whereas Neil and Debra had started in Barcelona and were heading south and round to Portugal. Both couples wanted to stay away from big cities for most of their time in Spain, and therefore felt that bed and breakfast accommodation would suit them better, as well as allowing them to get a better feel for what everyday life is like for people living here already. Brian and Lonnie spent three nights with us and during the day would explore the area and seek out…

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Walking holidays in Valencia Province

We were pleased to welcome Neil and Debs to Villa Florencia at the end of last week, with the added dimension that they are from Canada, taking five weeks to tour through Spain and Portugal, and doing the whole thing by public transport – mainly bus. We collected them from Gandía bus station and brought them to our home, and the emphasis of their trip was to stay away from large cities and towns, and to spend time walking and hiking in the hills and mountains that this country has to offer away from the better known tourist destinations. Their aim was to stay in bed and breakfast accommodation along the way, planning their route a week or so in advance and staying at each place for three or four nights at a time, which would give them the opportunity to get a feel for each area and explore the natural environment. They are keen outdoor explorers and walkers in Canada, but were taking a six month sabbatical from work to enjoy life without pressure for a change and had decided to take advantage of some European late summer sunshine, as the weather in Canada is beginning to cool considerably…

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Casa Rural Family Holidays

Several weeks ago we received a booking from a Spanish family who wanted to come and stay with us for a week and self-cater for themselves on a “Casa Rural” basis – i.e. renting a bedroom in the main house, but making use of the kitchen facilities for their evening meals. This suited them very well, as there were two sons of nearly 5 and nearly 2 years old in the family, so they were able to prepare their meals at a time to suit them, and still have time to relax in the garden after Miquel and Guillem had gone to sleep.They had driven from their home near Barcelona, arrived in the early afternoon, and soon settled in to their room and organised themselves in the kitchen. They were not familiar with this part of the country, and – even though they were Spanish themselves – were unaware of what a great resort for families Gandía is. That first day they spent round the pool and in the garden, having had a long trip in the car with the two little ones, but the next day wanted to set out to explore everything that the area has to offer….

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Old Friends Return!

Last weekend we were really pleased to welcome back some guests from last year – 2 groups of girls who enjoy coming to Gandía for its nightlife, but at the same time like to stay in a quiet rural location. Gandia Casa Rural offered them the ideal place to stay, where they could self-cater and have a short break but enjoy all the benefits the house has to offer at the same time.The first group of four friends come from Segovia, and have visited us twice in the past. The other two girls are from Castellón, and last year was their first visit to Gandia Casa Rural. Since they had not stayed with us at the same time as each other previously, the two groups soon got to know each other and became friends, and went out to Playa de Gandía together on the Saturday night. Before that, however, there was plenty of time for relaxing around the pool and making the most of the facilities of the casa rural. Friday was spent settling in and then going to the beach at Playa de Gandía, returning in the evening and then having a leisurely barbecue in the garden. They all…

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Self Catering Breaks in Spain

We received a phone call a week ago from a past guest who wanted to return to us again – always a request we are pleased to get! This lady and her husband live in Guadalajara near Madrid, and the last time they had come with another couple on a bed and breakfast basis. This time, however, she was interested in a villa rental holiday, and they wanted to bring a third couple with them as well. A villa rental sounded like a great idea for them, since it would give them the full flexibility that they were looking for, and they remembered that we have a self-catering apartment as an integrated part of the main house. This would be the ideal size for the six of them, and a more economical option compared to renting the main house, which can sleep a maximum of twelve people. Naturally, they would be able to make use of all the facilities of Villa Florencia that are available to all our guests, whether they are villa renters, B&B guests, or renting the self-catering apartment. They were only able to come for two nights, so the fact that we can rent out the apartment…

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The Italian Job, in Spain

Last Friday we were happy to welcome a group of Italian friends who had come to Gandía to celebrate a wedding. The bride (Carme) is a local girl who now lives in Italy, is marrying an Italian man, and who had returned to her hometown for the ceremony. This group of 16 friends were the guests of the groom, and Villa Florencia was the ideal base for them to stay together for a weekend that combined time spent at the ceremony and party, as well as a chance for a short self-catering break in the sun. Most of them arrived on the Friday in the late afternoon, although a few followed on in the early evening, having come in on later flights. They had decided that a villa rental would be the best option for them, and would give them a greater degree of flexibility and freedom, rather than staying in a hotel. They very quickly organised themselves with shopping trips for food and refreshments and settled in to an evening around the pool, before setting off to the bride’s family’s house for a pre-wedding party. Saturday was the actual day of the ceremony, but they only had to leave…

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The Canadians Come to Spain!

This week we were pleased to welcome some new guests who were visiting Valencia province from their home near Montreal in Canada. Marco and Claudia and their 12 year old son Michael arrived on Tuesday, and stayed with us for 3 nights, and they wanted to spend most of their time acquainting themselves with Valencia City. They did not want to stay in the city itself, however, but preferred to find accommodation in a rural setting which still gave them convenient access (preferably by public transport) to Valencia. It therefore seemed the perfect answer for them to stay with us, drive the short distance to the train station, and travel into the city with no parking or navigation worries. However, when they arrived on Tuesday in the late afternoon, they settled in to their rooms and soon made good use of the swimming pool, as they had had a long drive from Barcelona and wanted to relax in the beautiful sunshine for what was left of the day. They were having a touring holiday in Spain, but concentrating on the Costa Blanca, and also the Costa Brava further north, having originally picked up their rental car in the south of…

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Italians in Spain!

Back in April we received a booking from an Italian lady who wanted to make a reservationfor ten days for her extended family, to include her husband and herself, her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, her parents and four children. A group of ten people in total – the perfect number for a whole- house rent! After some correspondence, it was decided that they would rent the whole house on a self-catering basis and would provide their own breakfasts and cook whatever meals they wanted in the kitchen themselves. We were more than happy to oblige, and assured them that we would be on hand to give them any assistance and advice they might need, as well as suggestions for how they could spend their time in our part of the Costa Blanca. A self-catering holiday on the Costa Blanca for a family of ten might not be the easiest of vacations to organise, but they all arrived in two small people carriers on the appointed morning, having arrived at Valencia airport a couple of hours earlier. They wasted no time in settling in to their rooms, and then organised themselves on shopping expeditions to buy the necessary food and drinks for…

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The Story of the Heidelberg Student´s Kiss

The Story of the Heidelberg Student´s Kiss

Several months ago we received a booking for two nights from a German couple wishing to break their journey at Villa Florencia. It turned out that they were on an extended holiday in Spain of just over three weeks, and we were to be their first stop in Spain, on their way to the Costa del Sol. They had departed from near Heidelberg and embarked on a 17 hour drive, arriving in the early evening, and looking for a well earned rest!In recent times we have had several guests stay with us in similar circumstances, as it seems Villa Florencia is at a convenient stopping point along the way down to the south of Spain and the Costa del Sol. Travelling guests feel that once they reach a point slightly south of Valencia that they are then on their way to their destination, and can afford to have some time to relax and unwind after the stress of a long journey. Klaus and his girlfriend arrived in the early evening and spent the following two nights in our self-catering apartment, which suited them very well, as the first morning they were still catching up on some much needed sleep! In…

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