The base of your holidaymaking activities should be as comfortable and luxurious as possible, making it a home away from home. Basic accommodation can be an apartment in a block of flats. More luxurious bases may be detached villas with impressive views, perhaps over a golf course nearby.
Making Choices about Holiday Accommodation
The number of bedrooms you require will often dictate the kind of accommodation you need. There may be studio apartments or bedrooms of six or more. Some facilities are really quite necessary, like decent air conditioning. Satellite TV is useful if you do not speak the native language and want access to international programs. Laundry facilities should be good enough for you to comfortably wash your clothes if needed and a tumble dryer and washing machine are really helpful. It is important to note that most villas are non-smoking.
Different Types of Holiday Villas
There are many stunning holiday villas to choose from. These tend to have many bedrooms and sleep up to eight people. These are often built in a large plot and are situated in picturesque landscaped gardens. There may be a private pool, heated or not heated. Other extras that you may not have thought of include a barbecue, flat screen TV, washing machine, patio dining facilities and a CD player. Most villas should have bedrooms with en-suites. A Jacuzzi is another luxury.
Adequate patio dining facilities if you are thinking of dining outside are very important. You will need an adequate number of chairs. A covered area with fans is hygienic. A built in gas barbecue is often of a better standard than a free-standing barbecue. A shaded seating area is good for staying out of the sun and if you have children you will need a gate to stop them from running into the pool. A large garden with a large grassed area is great for kids to run in and have fun. A balcony is useful if you want to sit outside or have a great view from the bedroom.
The kitchen should be fully-fitted and luxury extras include an ice-maker and a breakfast bar. Around the pool there could be a poolside shower and steps down into the pool.
The Location Surrounding the Holiday Villas
The location surrounding the villas should have suitable facilities and amenities to keep you entertained and stimulated. For example, there should be suitable dining facilities like restaurants and bars for plentiful dining opportunities. Activity facilities should be available nearby, like access to tennis courts, golf courses, gyms and Health Centres. Other useful amenities nearby include beaches, water-sports centres and lawn bowls.
There are certain locations where holiday villas are plentiful, like in the Algarve in Portugal or in the south of France. This is because the weather is good there and there is plenty to see and do. Due to the amount of holiday accommodation there the area is often full of holiday makers who have bought properties there or retired there. Others buy properties there as an investment.
Think about the nature of the local people and how well they speak English if that is your only language. Some cultures are more cosmopolitan than others and locals may be friendlier to tourists if this is the case.
Choosing a Great Holiday Destination
Choose from sleepy villages to up and coming towns. If you love seafood try a fishing village where seafood is readily available and top quality. If you are interested in new developments like new resorts then try staying at locations where modern resorts have just been built. If you like a beach nearby choose a town with a beach or a resort with a local beach. Of course, town facilities that will always be useful include shops, a post office and a bank.
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Vale do Lobo is a Portuguese resort in an area blessed by beautiful, sandy beaches with good recreational and sports facilities nearby, with accommodation to suit all budgets.
