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…

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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…

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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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