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Review submitted by Simeon from Saltash (Submitted: 27 Aug 2011)
Very comfortable well kept property with lots of amenities within. The property is in a slightly less picturesque area but is enclosed and private so secluding you from the neighbours if you wish and access to lovelly beaches is very easy.
Very helpful owner and locals to sort out any issues.
Review submitted by Martin from Hitchin, Herts (Submitted: 13 Sep 2010)
We had a fantastically relaxing two weeks here. We started our holiday with plans for days out and sightseeing, but ended up doing very little - no one really wanted to go out when we could stay at the house all day. The kids loved the pool and the trampoline and the adults were happy that, with the enclosed terrace, we didnt need to keep a constant eye on them. The locals were very friendly and welcoming, and Serafin was great and very helpful, keeping us supplied with fresh vegetables from his garden. Try the local wine from the bodega in the village (also available from the local supermarket), for a couple of euros a bottle you cant go wrong. We had a few days at the beach - Calafel is pretty good and has plenty of touristy shops and restaurants, but we preferred Torredembarra which had a huge empty beach and was much less commercial, but still with enough good restaurants for a long leisurely lunch.
I would reccomend this house to anyone wanting to see the beautiful countryside of rural Spain, while still being near enough for days at the beach but far enough away to avoid the tourists.
Review submitted by Val & Nick from norwich (Submitted: 12 Sep 2010)
Had a fabulous time at the villa, thought location was excellent, very private once in the courtyard. Villa well maintained, very clean, facilities excellent, especially in the kitchen, rooms spacious, huge dining table indoors, which we used when we had a thunderstorm. This also caused a short powercut, but plenty of candles were available in villa which made sure this was not a problem at all and only added to the atmosphere. Large table ouside made eating al fresco a pleasure in the private courtyard, whilst overlooking the pool. Pool well maintained, a perfect size for our party which included 2 young children who loved the freedom of being able to jump in and out whenever they wanted as adults were close enough whether playing table football, relaxing on the sun loungers or sat at the outside dining area. Kids enjoyed trampoline in the rear garden, but as grassed area was very dry and arid they were not able to make full use of the football goal posts (not that this caused a problem as there was plenty to keep them entertained. Car essential, lots to see and do within the area, for both families and couples. Would definitely recommend this villa and intend to return again in the future.
Review submitted by Pekka from Turku, Finland (Submitted: 22 Jul 2010)
This villa - or should I say this farm house - "Masia Alzineta" is really fascinating and typical old Spanish farm house with modern conveniences. It has thick walls which means that inside there isn´t hot at all (in the old days they knew how to build a house).
"...set within vineyards only 20 minutes from beautiful beaches." Well, when making reservation, I misunderstood this. I imagined that the house is surrounded just by vineyards and that the nearest neighbor would be about hundred meters away... Anyway, the truth was even better: the house is in the middle of very little Spanish village, but because it has quite large property, you live in "your own castle of peace" in the middle of local life (and THE VILLAGE IS surrounded by vineyards)! OK, there is one a bit crazy rooster in the farm house quite far away and some dogs barking in the neighborhood - but it´s local life and just what we looked for! If you prefer discos or crowds of plastered tourists this place is not the right one for you.
Three of the bedrooms are very spacious, the fourth is quite tight, but suitable for kids. In the house there are lot of stairs which may disturb some. The kitchen is very well equipped, best of all the houses we´ve rented so far: there are plates, glasses, cups, kettles, forks, knives, spoons etc. enough for more than 15 people. The living room was full of cheering in the evenings, because we boys cheered for Spain in the football world cup 2010 - and Spain won all games.
The patio is wonderful, secluded by centuries´ old walls. There you can take sun baths and swim in the pool or play table football in your total privacy. The barbeque is very good, we used it several times.
However, my favorite place was "the white backyard patio". There you can have your morning tea and see the village wake up or in the afternoon just sit and sweat and have a pint of cold local beer and see/listen swifts screaming or in the evening have a glass of local red wine and see the sun go down... (In the evening, if you are lucky enough, you can see some goats going home (?) along the village road just ten meters from you!) I will remember those moments next winter when it´s snowing and the temperature is 20 degrees below zero... Just lovely place!
Serafin, the caretaker of the house, was very helpful and for example headed us to find very good supermarket in Valls some 20 km from the house.
And the local restaurant in Rodonya "Braseria Rodonyá" is just great! Although they couldn´t speak a word of English (neither Finnish...) they had no problem to present the menu of the day: the master showed us the menu by bringing the menu in our table: beef or rabbit or fish or... We loved this "Tourist menu"! And the food - well, it was just delicious! :)
Hmm...do I have to mention something "not so great", too? The problem is that I don´t remember anything... Well, the water was off one day and a half (concerned all houses in the village), but things like that just happen and it wasn´t "house´s fault". (There were some problems in "the pump house" on the hill.)
Thank You! We had really good time in Masia Alzineta and will definitely recommend it for everyone! :)
PS. Don´t forget that Santa Claus lives in Korvatunturi (in Lapland) here in Finland. Of course he does, we´ve seen him several times! But has anybody seen him somewhere in the North Pole??? No. )
Review submitted by Helen from Pembrokeshire (Submitted: 6 Nov 2009)
Great house, fantastic garden for children to run and play. The swimming pool was a great bonus for the children. Would like to thank Joe for her excellant directions and help on where to go. Will definitely book again. Thankyou Joe love from us all.
Review submitted by Sandy from Indian Queens,Cornwall (Submitted: 4 Sep 2009)
Just returned from a great week staying at Masia Alzineta. The house was full of rustic charm and it housed 8 of us very comfortably. There were two families of four in our party and it easily catered for every need. The children loved the swimming pool & Trampoline and it was very private and enclosed so we could keep an eye on them.
The Masia is located just outside village of Rodonya, a car is a definite must with shops,coast etc being 20 mins away, but we loved driving through the countryside seeing the tractors loaded with grapes from the vineyards, as opposed to tourist areas...Salou etc..and it was a fantastic base to come back to after a day out.
Thank you Jo for all your helpful advice and information, we all loved staying at your house and we hope to return one day.
Review submitted by Julie from Dronfield (Submitted: 29 Aug 2009)
The villa and gardens were absolutely beautiful and equipped with everything you could ever dream of for a family holiday.
The children could choose between the trampoline, table football, football on the back garden with the goal posts, climbing the trees or playing on the tree swings but actually they hardly ever came out of the pool.
The villa is set in beautiful countryside and is full of rustic charm which the adults apprieciated. All of us would have been quite content not to leave the villa for the whole 2 weeks!
Review submitted by Jo from Kent (Submitted: 24 Aug 2009)
We returned to the house having stayed here in august 2007.
The house is just as lovely as before, the garden has been opened up so there is plenty of space to play football, basketball etc. There is also a choice of seating area aorund the garden which is lovely.
We all made good use of the pool.
The house is a good base for days to Portaventura, Monserrat and various water parks.
Jo is very helpful, translating local signage for us, providing information, (we needed to use the local Drs sugery which is also excellent) and generally being a wonderful host.
All the best for the future, Jo
Jo, Dave, Ashlin, Arran,Cameron and Keir
Review submitted by Henry from Waterford Ireland (Submitted: 21 Jul 2009)
We had a great two weeks here.
the house is fantastic the beaches are great.
Joanna was very helpful. The countryside and views
were a joy to see.
We hope to go back next year.
Review submitted by Jon from Amsterdam (Submitted: 21 Apr 2009)
A late review as we visited Maisia Alzineta in July 2008. We were extremely lucky to find a few days available at short notice. It was perfect and Jo made us feel immediately at home. We quickly wished that we had more time and we certainly would like to return again. Tarragona is also a gem of a city and well worth exploring.
Review submitted by Em and Rich from Somerset (Submitted: 25 Sep 2008)
Thank you for a fabulous holiday, the villa was better than expected, well equipped with plenty to keep children amused as well as the pool which we all enjoyed.
Review submitted by Janet from Truro (Submitted: 7 Aug 2008)
We had a fantastic time at this villa. It was absolutely beautiful - rustic and very solid with thick walls. It was very spacious. The kitchen was very well equipped. It was very hot whilst we were there and we made use of the swimming pool every day. Jo kept it extremely well maintained. Although we did venture to Porta Ventura and the beach, our happiest times were relaxing in the grounds of the villa. We very much felt like we were in our own little piece of heaven. We would thoroughly recommend it for anyone, except maybe for those with toddlers due to the pool having no shallow end.
Our grateful thanks to Jo, who was very friendly and helpful.
Owner reply:
Thank you for such a delightful review Janet. It was a pleasure meeting you all and Im so happy that you enjoyed the house as you did. With regard to the pool, Im a little confused. THE POOL has a standard 90cm shallow end. The jacuzzi steps are an added, more shallow area, which many families with toddlers have made good use of.
Review submitted by Barbara from Dublin, Ireland. (Submitted: 5 Aug 2008)
The property was wonderful and very seluded. The pool was smaller than we expected but very safe and clean and an excellent temperature for the children to stay in for hours. The house was amazing so big, cool and really well equiped. Lovely coming home with suitcase full of clean clothes. We ended up eating in (patio) as it was just so relaxed and comfortable. The only drawback was the fact it was situated in a housing estate with no local shop so a daily trip out in the car to obtain bread was necessary. The beach was 1/2 hr away. A car is a must. Joanna was very friendly and helpful and left us to our devices. A very peaceful holiday with no bright lights, bars or drunken holidaymakes to be seen. Set in the hearth of the Catalunya.
Review submitted by Colin from Huntingdon (Submitted: 28 Jul 2008)
This is a superb holiday home and worth every penny.
Owner reply:
It was lovely to meet you all and I'm so glad you had such a good time.
Review submitted by Julie from Leeds (Submitted: 12 Jun 2008)
A lovely old house, full of character, and very sensitively modernised. Very well equipped, (including a great welcome pack) with lots to do both inside and out, and plenty of space for eight of us. Even on rainy days (yes, we had some) it never felt crowded, and the thickness of the walls meant sound didn't carry, so a good degree of privacy and independence possible. Jo was very helpful and friendly, and getting to know her added to the holiday. An interesting area to explore, but places can be difficult to discover so ask Jo!!
Only downside - the 4th bedroom with the bunks is a bit small.
Owner reply:
I was so pleased that you were able to make such good use of 'George'!! Thank you for 'your hospitality'. Best wishes, Jo
Review submitted by Andrew from Cork (Submitted: 9 Nov 2007)
Comfortable and well-equipped. Well-placed for many different holiday activities. Highly recommended.
Review submitted by jo from kent (Submitted: 25 Sep 2007)
We had a wonderful stay here. We found the property easily following jo's directions.
The house is lovely, everything we needed was available. The boys loved the pool, which is private and enjoyed the trampoline.
Jo is friendly and very helpful.
We thought the house was in a good location for days out, Port Aventura, Barcelona Aqualeon.
Although there are neighbours the house and garden feel wonderfully private.
We would certainly go back again!
Review submitted by Helen from Skipton (Submitted: 11 Sep 2007)
The property was all we wanted and much more. It was full of character being 500 years old but with enough mod cons to make it a comfortable stay. My 19 month old especially enjoyed all the different levels and nooks and crannies!
Advice I would give is if you're arriving late afternoon/evening or on a Sunday make sure you have some provisions as there are no shops on your doorstep and open hours are restricted on Sundays. Also mind your heads on some of the ceilings!!!
Overall the place was full of charm, the owner was lovely and very helpful, the house, outside area and pool were very clean and well equipped. I would go again and would recommend to anyone who wants to stay in the real Spain, away from tourists and bars etc. Fab!
Review submitted by Heather from Huddersfield (Submitted: 7 Aug 2007)
There were 5 in our party and we all had a fantastic time in this spacious property.
This renovated 15th century farmhouse is full of character. The kitchen is superbly equipped with anything you could possibly want. The stereo system is top quality with plenty of cd's to choose from - it was great being able to plug the IPods directly into the system. There is a choice of books and videos. Bedrooms very spacious and comfortable, they would benefit from fans in them all for those very hot nights. If you are a light sleeper you may need to take some ear plugs with you as the local dogs have a tendency to howl together as a pack 1/2/3 times a night! The bathrooms/showers were excellent with plenty of hot water whenever needed. Towels were better than those we had on the cruise we were on before arriving here! The property is enclosed by a high wall so the grounds are very secluded. The sun loungers were well used as was the pool, table football and barbecue (gas). Jo the owner was great with lots of info on where to go, what to do and where to eat. We found the farmhouse easily from the instructions, but with regards to sightseeing the roads are not easily marked. We had sat nav with us which was a huge help - not sure we could have found where we wanted to go with just a map.
In summary, fantastic property, great area of Spain and knowledgeable owner and we would not hesitate to go back. More fans would make sleeping more comfortable and earplugs would block out the sound of the dogs - nothing else you can do about this.
Review submitted by joanna from Musselburgh (Submitted: 31 Jul 2007)
We had a great 2 week holiday here in July 2007.
There were 8 of us in the party and we all thought the villa was fabulous. The villa has loads of country charm and Joanna has restored it beautifully. The bedrooms are spacious and really comfortable and the kitchen has to be best ever in rented accommodation! It is so well stocked you will find everything you could ever need - and more! As for the welcome pack - it was fab! The cold beers and wine were particularly appreciated!
The kids spent hours jumping in and out of the pool which was well maintained.
We found the villa in the dark easily following the instructions. They looked a bit compilcated but were spot on!
Joanna has provided loads of info on the local area and was on hand to offer advice on trains/ restaurants etc when needed. There was so much to see - we especially enjoyed our visit to Montserrat - it's stunning.
We really couldn't recommend this villa enough. Thanks for everything Joanna!
Review submitted by lynn from portsmouth (Submitted: 21 Jun 2007)
The farmhouse was charming and rustic and oozed character, Joanne the owner and her son were there to meet us and show us around. It was just as i had imagined ,but much bigger we have done hotels and ultra modern villas and wanted something that was more traditional ,we were not dissapointed. It was the icing on the cake [literally], when we walked in and found Jo had bought us a party box full of goodies because it was my birthday [a special one] .She had also remembered the names of everyone in our party of 3 adults and 4 children which again i thought was a lovely thing to do .All in all great holiday and it was nice to be able to leave the hectic coast behind and experince the real Spain. Once again Jo thank you for a lovely holiday.
Review submitted by Joanne from Yateley (Submitted: 7 Jun 2007)
Our family of 4, 2 adults, 2 children aged 15 and 12 stayed at the Masia Alineta, Montferri, Spain during the May Half Term Holiday 2007. The Villa is a 15th Century Farmhouse which has and is being renovated. As it is such an old property half the charm of the surrounds are that the floors are not even and you might bump your head on the odd beam and you might even see a mouse or 2 run across the lounge floor. The property is situated within a modern housing development and the roads around are still dirt tracks which is not a problem. However, the noise from various neighbours dogs which does go on through the night is a bit trying. The villa is very well equiped outside there is a huge trampoline with safety net, swimming pool and a table football game to keep everyone occupied and a gas bbq for outside dining. Inside the kitchen is equiped for all your needs including, dishwasher, cooker fridge and freezer. There were 2 lounges one with books and music centre and the other with a television showing a wide range of British TV channels and also DVD and video player. Also downstairs was a utility room with washing machine and dryer and a toilet and shower room. Upstairs were 4 bedrooms are bath and shower the beds were particularly comfortable.
Joanna is the owner of the villa she was a very friendly host who went out of her way to provide information about the various locations nearby and was there to meet us at the property when we arrived. The property was clean and tidy. The views from the rear of the property are spectacular and you can watch a lovely sunset if you sit on the bench at the back.
Owner reply:
Thank you Joanne, so glad you were all able to enjoy the house and surrounding area so much. I hope you'll choose to holiday with us again.
Review submitted by Jenny from Bristol (Submitted: 28 May 2007)
Jo, you have a gem of a farmhouse! Character in every room, restored with traditional charm and attention to detail, and with stunning views across the countryside from back bedroom windows.
Both kids and adults loved the warm pool (more in it than out of it I think!) and trampoline (Ryan especially enjoyed bouncing with 'lady'!). Little touches like extra pillows, fantastic strong water pressure in the showers, emormous bath sheets etc proved to be a difference from the many other villa holidays we have had!
The surrounding area begs to be explored and the more info the better! We particularly liked the bodega on the road into Vila-Rodonya.
We had a great holiday, and hope to be back again one day with other family members.
Review submitted by Heli from Turku, Finland (Submitted: 20 Oct 2006)
Wonderful private villa with plenty of room for kids to play. We loved the pool area!A bit remote location suited us perfectly; everything needed was available in fifteen minutes drive.
Review submitted by ANDREW from NORTHALLERTON NORTH YORKSHIRE ENGLAND (Submitted: 7 Sep 2006)
The property was well furnished with everything you are likely to need and is, as described more like being in someones home rather than a rental property - there was even food and toiletries to get us started ! The property is not yet completely finished but this did not detract from our enjoyment - the unfinished areas are mostly out of sight and mainly cosmetic. When it is complete the place will be fabulous but the price will probably be a lot greater !
We arrived late at night and found the directions difficult to follow and got lost - a map is absolutely necessary ! Having said that Johanna turned out at 1am in the morning and guided us in and she was avilable for advice if we needed it - where to find trains etc !
A car is a must and be prepared for alot of driving if you want to spend all your time at the coast. The distances quoted to attractions, coast etc are probably a bit short unless you know the area very well and are used to driving in Spain - if you dont know the area it takes 45 minutes to an hour to find the sea front/portaventura. Only by the end of a week was i getting used to the area.
In conclusion excellent host, good value property and would return but be prepared for some driving.
Owner reply:
Glad you enjoyed the house. Sorry you got lost. The directions are clear and accurate but it's easy to get it wrong in foreign teritory, late at night in the dark. It would be useful to print off a map from the map link on my web page and I'll add that suggestion to my arrival instructions, thank you. The local beaches are only about 20 minutes drive and I provide each guest with a local and regional map to help them find the most direct and more scenic routes. Thank you for the feedback, we hope you return to stay again soon.
Review submitted by Gareth from Glasgow (Submitted: 17 Aug 2006)
I spent 2 weeks at the masia with my partner and 2 kids with a friend coming over to join us for the 2nd week during August.
This is an outstanding property that has been lovingly restored and maintained by it's owner. Joanna who owns the property has clearly went the extra mile to make this a unique holiday expereince. The masia is very spacious and has all the mod cons that one could need whilst away making it a very comfortable stay. Joanna was on hand for any questions we had regarding the surrounding area and popped by to maintain the pool and grounds.
The pool was great and the court yard area is very private for shutting out the world and relaxing by the pool and sunbathing. The grounds outwith the courtyard are extensive and secure that allowed the kids to go off exploring and have fun on the trampoline.
We used a sat nav system in our hire car to get around which proved invaluable and there is loads to do within easy driving distance. We went to water parks with the kids and there are loads of fun and interesting days out to enjoy such as go-karting, climbing, historical sites and many of the beautiful beaches along the coast to name but a few.
Words cannot do justice to the time we had at the masia and we would have absolutley no hesitation reccomending this property to others for a top class holiday! 10/10
We would like to wish Joanna all the best for the future and hopefully we will be back in 2007!
Owner reply:
Fantastic meeting all of you, wonderful to end up being a guest to my guests!! Love to see you here again next year.
Review submitted by zoe from kidderminster (Submitted: 25 Jul 2006)
this villa was or rather will be very amazing,there were a few minor flaws,however the owner was local and went out of her way to rectify them,my family had a fantastic week there.it is probably not somewhere for the party animal type as its rather out of the way,but if you like scenery and a true taste of spain then its ideal,as you have all mod cons but are still only a stones throw from 'the old charm'. i personally never go back to the same area twice,which is sad on this occasion as i would love to see how the villa develops over the forthcoming months,there is tremendous scope there.however,i shall keep an eye on it next year in the hope of getting a glimpse of the changes,and wish joanna every success.
Owner reply:
Hopefully the changes wont involve the major kind of work that's gone before but there's still cosmetic work to do and hopefully by next summer, a couple more bathrooms and solar heating for the pool to extend the season and for your swimming pleasure!
Review submitted by Jo & Joe from Brighton, UK (Submitted: 29 Jun 2006)
Many many thanks to Jo and Bruce for our stay in your beautiful house. We would thoroughly recommend it for a relaxing holiday in beautiful surroundings. The atmosphere of the house and grounds is so calming, with fantastic panoramic views, a wonderful pool, tranquility and quiet!
The house is beautifully restored and decorated. We especially enjoyed long evenings eating fantastic local food in front of the enormous fireplace. The bedrooms are comfortable and stylish, with a mix of modern comfort and traditional charm.
The location is great - a minutes walk and you're wandering through rolling hills, vineyards with views that go on forever.
We had an absolutely wonderful time and would most certainly visit again. Thanks!
Owner reply:
My son and I really enjoyed having you as B&B guests. Thank you for taking the time out to give us such a wonderful review on this site. Good luck with the wedding plans and we wish you every happiness in your life together.