Dear Mary,

Thank you very much for taking the time to post a review with such great detail of the options for dining, sightseeing and getting around without a car. I think this is could be very helpful to other guests so, once again, many thanks for posting.
Thanks too for the kind words about the property. We enjoyed having you as guests and sincerely hope to welcome you back again on a future trip !

Thank you very much for taking the time to leave a review. We are delighted you enjoyed your stay and definitely agree that the views are great.
We are also pleased you enjoyed the pool. We had an extra 2 metres added when it was built as we also enjoy a pool with a bit more space.
We look forward to welcoming you back.

Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback. We take all feedback extremely seriously.

We would like to address the term 'eyesore' and why we think this is a rather unfair remark !

Almost all the properties are finished in the same way, pool with patio and the surrounds covered with the traditional Lanzarote picon which looks like black gravel. It is volcanic and is used all over the island as a cover for gardens (the island doesn’t have water or climate for grass). The neighbouring properties also all use picon.

Although not huge, the patio area has been this way since the property was built. Many, many guests have stayed over the years and found it perfectly adequate and, indeed, enjoyed the villa and pool very much.
It has never been the subject of negative comment until a reviews this summer. However, we understand why it is now being raised. The reason for this is that all the properties were finished as described above. Recently, the two neighbouring properties have expanded their original pool patios which does indeed add more space and visual appeal.

We have, in fact, visited the island to make arrangements to similarly extend the patio area around our pool which will improve the space and privacy.

This will be an attractive new feature but we would like to stress that even before this guests have been very satisfied with the patio space available. There is an additional, private sunbathing area on the lower terrace with both sun and shade.

With regard to the pool itself, ‘too deep’ is an interesting observation. All pools on this development were built to the same depth. We have had the pool made shallower at the entry end to provide an area for children and non-swimmers to enjoy. There are steps and a rail to ease entry and exit.

Other guests have praised the pool and, particularly, its size. We had it extended by 2 meters during construction (compared to the others on the development) to make it more useful for swimming and better able to be enjoyed by larger groups.

With regard to low water pressure, this was addressed during the stay. A new supply from the main has been installed and the problem rectified.

Unfortunately, in spite of the clear directions to the contrary, the awning was left extended. These are heavy, solid, professionally installed awnings which have been in place for years.

The damage was too severe to be temporarily repaired. Due to staff holidays, the installation company was unable to attend during the remainder of the your stay. It was, therefore, made safe and you were immediately provided with a sun umbrella. It should be noted that there is a second awning on the balcony so a shaded dining area was always available.

Re: the internet TV. On the TV instructions we make it clear that performance can be impacted if guests use wifi heavily while watching TV. To date this hasn’t been an issue for other guests. This system of television enables access to many channels that would otherwise not be available on the island

Regarding if the property requires “TLC and uplift”, we respectfully suggest this is not the case. We invest to ensure the property, fixtures and fittings are maintained to a high standard and have a continuous program of maintenance and improvement.

In closing, we should also clarify that the comment “fed up with complaints” by the property managers was directed at you. They regret that this was not their usual standard of customer care but they note that their reaction was a direct result of the attitude and manner in which they were addressed.

We were not there to understand why this poor communication occurred between both parties.
However, we have stressed the standards we expect from our property managers and it is always hoped that guests display similar respect for those that are helping them.

Thank you for providing feedback.

We note that you are not the guest that originally made the booking. However, since your experience falls short of what we aim to provide, and that which our many positive private and public comments suggest we achieve, we have responded fully to you directly.

For the benefit of potential guests, below we is a summary of our position regarding the comments:

1. The photographs are not deceptive. With low rainfall and lack of a natural water source, grass is very rare. Instead, gardens and open areas typically have a covering of lava ash called picon (the poster's 'black gravel'). Courtesy of Lanzarote's volcanic past is is in plentiful supply and widely used for gardens where it helps to trap moisture and protect plant roots. It can, indeed, stick to shoes and be walked into properties. Our property is not alone in this.

2. To clarify, there is screening between the pool and the road, provided by bushes at the end of the pool. We agree that some areas of the pool have less screening, however the ‘road’ referred to is a private drive limited to our villa and the few neighbouring properties. This is not a through road and only used for access. The closest it comes to the pool is the bottom of our drive, a decent distance away.

With regard to privacy in general, there are some comments that will help:

The majority of the pool itself is not over-looked. The small area that can be seen is visible only from a limited area on the balcony of the neighbouring property.

With regard to pool terracing, if more privacy is required, there is a lower terrace that is 100% private and enjoys both sun and shade.

We do have plans to extend the patio area directly around the pool which will provide additional space and screening from the driveway.

Very few rental properties provide complete privacy around the pool area, so if this is a requirement we would suggest checking with the owners in advance.

3. We are clear about the 4th bedroom in the property description. It is well screened and we have had no previous adverse comments regarding privacy or noise. We have sought clarification on comments from the guest

4. We do not charge a deposit against damage. We do, explicitly, collect a £20 fee, which we use towards replacing items like plates, glasses and the like that inevitably succumb to accidents over the course of a year.

Most owners simply include this in the rental. However, we were surprised at the number of guests over the years that worried if they broke a plate or glass and some even went to the effort of trying to replace them. We made this a visible part of the rental to try and reassure guests so they would not worry if this happens.

We regret the guest misunderstood this. We also regret that the guest did not contact us at all before posting as it could have been easily and quickly clarified.

We have offered to refund the £20. The terminology clearly stated fee and not deposit. We also felt that the nominal nature made it clear that it was not a deposit against damage. However, we have removed the fee from future bookings to avoid misunderstandings.

Many thanks for taking the time to post your review.

We appreciate the comments on the quick response and resolution by our property managers. They work only for us so we would expect them to be very responsive - however it is good to hear that this was, indeed, the case.

There are a number of alternatives for shopping and dining (and beaches) without having to walk as far as Playa Blanca so car hire is not essential. However, we do typically recommend it since Lanzarote has some great spots to explore and enjoy and, we think, adds to the holiday.

PS. the waterfront promenade to bars, restaurants (and on to Playa Blanca) is level and car free. Bike hire is very popular among our guests as a fun alternative to driving or walking ...