Frequently Asked Questions 

Avoid “All” electric vehicles, they are not suitable for longer distances and charging points are scarce. Hybrids are better but very expensive to rent. Here is a comparison taken from Travelsupermarket.com. Compact car, unlimited mileage, free cancellation, Lisbon airport terminal, 1 week in July 2024. Petrol/diesel car €228, Electric €345, Hybrid €424. It is because of the high cost of Electric and Hybrid vehicles, the cost of insuring them and scarcity of charging points that many rental companies are not replacing them in their fleets. After considering this we have decided not to install a charging point at the villa.

Do you provide a welcome pack?

Not anymore. We started out providing a typical welcome pack, bread, butter, milk, tea. coffee, ham, cheese, salt, pepper, juice etc.. Our clients are from different continents, nationalities and cultures and expected items that they were used to, not what we provided. Couple this with Covid recommendations, lactose free, gluten free, peanut free, Vegan, Halal, Kosher and who drinks regular tea anyway, more than half the pack was wasted!  Food intolerances have increased dramatically over the last few years so there are also health and liability issues to consider. It was suggested that we provide complimentary wine, guess what, no waste any more and every one is happy!

On that point, we do encourage our guests to place in a basket for the next guests non perishable items rather than throw them out when they leave.

What is the best travel insurance for unvaccinated travellers?

If you are an unvaccinated traveller, it is important to have travel insurance that covers COVID-19 related issues. According to Forbes Advisor, the best COVID-19 travel insurance plans typically have generous benefits of at least $100,000 in medical expense coverage and $500,000 in medical evacuation coverage 1. Here are some of the best travel insurance plans for COVID-19 coverage. Take advantage of the  "Cancel for any reason" Benefit

For UK travellers, you can consider cancellation cover offered by MoneySuperMarket. Their policies offer cancellation cover ranging from £750 to £12,000 1

Do you allow pets?

Unfortunately we don't accept furry friends, we try to keep the villa as allergy free as possible.

Which are the closest airports?

Lisbon is the most convenient, is about 1 hour drive. Porto is 2 hours, Faro 3.5 hours. All are easy drives mostly on motorways and parts on dual carriageways. When booking flights check all destinations to give you the best prices and most convenient times. 

Rental cars are available at all airports and can be driven between Portugal and Spain without need of special permits. There are no border crossings.

I have seen your rental property advertised on many different websites should I book direct or through them?

It is entirely up to you. We advertise with several major players and have many links on smaller sites to get the best exposure possible. Some of the more well known are, TripAdvisor, One Off Places, OwnersDirect, HomeAway, VRBO, HolidayLettings, ClickStay. These companies have very stringent regulations and checks in place to ensure integrity, standards, licensing and compliance with health and safety. Being registered with them also confirms legitimacy and thus compliments guest confidence. They do charge commission so obviously booking direct with us will give you the best rates by far. Either way you will receive the same 5 star service and attention to detail from us at all times.

Is the area and property safe for children?

Venda Nova is still the “old” Portugal where neighbours look out for each other. In the cities like Lisbon and Porto with the hustle and bustle of tourism there can be petty crime just like any other busy tourist location. Not so here and we hope that it stays this way. The house is on a very quiet road with very little passing traffic. The property is completely walled with locking gates so they can be closed if you have toddlers, there is a swimming pool so please supervise all children at all times.

Is the pool shared?

No nothing is shared. With this holiday rental everything is exclusively yours, the pool is also solar heated.

Can we use our mobile phones, tablets and laptops?

Yes the Silver Coast and the village of Venda Nova has mobile phone coverage and the villa has Fibre Optic so free internet WiFi,  you can surf, email, Skype, video stream as much as you like.

How accessible is the villa for older folks?

The property is level from the covered car parking area. We also have a bedroom and bathroom on the ground floor so at least we can accommodate two less mobile people and the rest of the villa pool and outside dining is all on this level, the other two bedrooms are on the upper floor,  the stairs have handrails on both sides.  

Do you meet fire regulations?

Yes we do. Our villa is licensed and inspected by local authorities, all rental properties in Portugal have to comply with all Health and Safety regulations including but not limited to regulation fire extinguishers, signs, fire blanket, smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms.

Can we drink the water?

Absolutely. The water is mains water, it is very slightly chlorinated, you can drink from any tap.

Is there a tourist information office?

Yes in the centre of Sao Martinho do Porto at the Ascensor do Outeiro. Here you can find out all of the things to see and do and importantly about where and when the local events, fairs and music festivals are.