Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Heather from Tyrone N. Ireland 04/04/2008 "Just returned from a great week in Duquesa. Thank you so much for the use of your lovely apartment, and the view was so much better than the web page. We loved having breakfast on the balcony in the morning and watching the world go by, before setting off for a walk to the beach. The apartment was very clean when we arrived, and we really appreciated all the extra little touches which contributed to our holiday. It was also much bigger than we had expected, and our daughter loved having her own bathroom and loads of space. We didn't hire a car but had arranged a transfer from the airport, but everything we needed was on hand and well within walking distance. We explored some of the other resorts, but definitely prefered Duquesa, which was smaller and less commercialized, and we loved coming back in the evening to our grandstand seats on the balcony! We also enjoyed a coffee or beer in the late afternoon in one of the numerous bars or cafes lining the port, and it was a great way to catch the last of the sun's rays. For the sun starved the weather was great, blue sky every day, and we felt relaxed and reenergized. We would definitely go back! Regards, Heather " Owner reply: Hi Heather, Thank you for your kind review, Duquesa is a special place to us,as for the balcony that the first place we head for on arriving nothing beats opening the patio door and looking at the marina all your stresses's just fades away, I hope to see you back in the very near future. Pat Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Judith from Matlock Derbys 02/02/2008 "Hi Pat, We had a fabulous time in Spain & really didnt want to come home. The weather was wonderful, 22degrees last Friday & we came home to torrential rain. Once again thanks for the use of the apartment & hopefully have a glass of vini blanco with you one of these days. regards Judith Mason " Owner reply: This is Judith's second stay with us, she arrived 8th Jan, they are lucky enough to be buying an apt near us so they rent our apt when they come over for inspection, only trouble is I will be losing a guest but hopefully be gaining a friend.I will look forward to meeting you Judith and to that glass of wine. Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Nigel from Birmingham 25/01/2008 "Comments about our week in Duquesa 29/12/07-05/01/2008. We had a lovely week the weather was so kind bar one day. The Apartment was spacious and comfortable and it felt really homely. The views from the balcony were more stunning than you had described. We all agreed that sitting on the balcony and just people watching was becoming far to addictive. We played some golf while we were there and I would certainly recommend the Don Julia only minutes from the marina. It is a new course with a lot of building going on but well worth a visit. We also visited a number of bars and restaurants in the marina. Probably the best bar was Bar Duqesa only 2 minutes from the the Apt. We visited far too many restaurants and spent far too much money but every place we ate was really good value for money. The places we visited were: The Mexican Grill, Macues, Browns( this is where we celebrated the New Year EXCELLENT) the Chinese restaurants were good but we left the best to last if you walk to the main car parks and walk under the dual carriageway you will pass a garden centre on your left, turn right and walk up the hill when you get to the "T" junction take the left road and walk up the hill for approx. 150-200 meters and you will come to a square where there is some shops and a bar and in the left hand corner there is a restaurant called The Bistro Red please visit you will not be disappointed. Kind Regards Nigel, Alison and Katherine Smallwood Derek Emett. " Owner reply: Nigel and his family stayed over the New Year week infact they arrived there on the day of departure of the Americans that left us that LOVELY (not) review below. Thank you for your kind comments Nigel, Duquesa Bar is also my favourite, we havent tried the Bistro Red so will look forward to going there next time were over. Know what you mean by "becoming far to addictive" in 4yrs we never get tired of looking at the view, YES! ok I will admit being nosey people watching LOL!!. Rating: ( 1 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Kristine from Orlando 01/01/2008 "We planned to stay at this property over Christmas. Unfortunately we arrived during a very heavy rain storm and unusually cold weather. The property was very cold and damp. Although there were three electric heaters in the apartment we could only run two as the old electric wiring could not handle the third. We had to turn off one of the heaters to use the hairdryer. The location was very good and on a sunny day I'm sure that the basic beach furniture would have been adequate. The TV did not work The apartment is old and in need of renovation and" Owner reply: It didn't matter what we did to try and help it wouldn't have made any difference as the decor & furnishing wasn't up to THEIR standards, I knew in Oct that we were going to get problems as this was one of his MANY email's to me, when I reminded him of 10 Euros charge for the meet and greet. "In America, this is called "nickel & diming" and it's something car rental companies and hotels have developed into a fine art. Friends of mine in Orlando were recently charged $10 / room / day "resort charge" which included "use of the swimming pool". This charge has the same feel to it - a charge I have to pay which wasn't mentioned when I made my reservation. I just hope this will be the last of these nuisance charges," not the first of many" This extra is stipulated on the first page of my advert under extras. The weather was much more than heavy it was Torrential rain and very high winds(the worst they have seen in years) it was so bad 8 cars were found in the sea on Xmas eve, there were bad landslides and the streets were flooded so bad you couldn't walk let a alone drive, this was the reason for no TV as the whole port was off, it might have been cold on there arrival the heaters take around 15min to warm properly but it certainly would not be damp, they also had elderly family of 85yrs old staying, they were all from Orlando and I'm sure they would have felt the cold weather much worse than us, as for basic furniture 53 family's have found them to be in clean and good order with no problems, yes it is a 25yr old apt as most front line marina apt are, we don't claim that its 5* as I said to them if it was 5* it would have cost treble what they paid, but it is clean, comfortable and homely and a very fair price for a family of 6, they saw the pictures on our advert and could see the furnishing quite clearly, What can I say this review has upset me as I try very hard to make sure that everyone has a good holiday, I did feel very sorry for them due to the weather but I wont let them knock our apartment, yes electrics can be a bit funny in Spain as most people know but there problems would have been the same wherever they stayed on the port due to the severe weather, its a shame that they didn't mention the good things like getting there shopping in, placed a Xmas tree and left them a nice bottle of red wine as a small Xmas gesture. Oh! Well cant win them all Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Emmalene from Suffolk 22/09/2007 "Hi Pat, We had a great week, weather could have been better but we still enjoyed ourselves!! And the apartment was great. The apartment was very comfortable and bigger than needed!!, We would definitely come back. I would recommend you, Duqesa was nice. We spend the whole week there and didn't get bored. However, if we stayed longer we might have liked to venture further, so some information in the apartment about surrounding areas might be nice (I may have missed them if there already are some??) Overall, we had a very enjoyable time, so thanks very much for all your help. Kind regards, Emmalene " Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Sharon from Hitchin 11/09/2007 "Hi Patricia I would just like to say thank you for letting us rent your apartment we found it very spacious and the view was lovely overlooking the marina, it is a great spot to sit and people watch. Duquesa itself was lovely and great to have a choice of two beaches one either side of the marina, we also enjoyed walking along the promenade towards Sabinalla’s to go to the supermarket as we found the one in Duquesa very expensive and not much choice. We feel it is in a lovely location/position and would happily recommend it to friends. Kind regards Sharon & Family " Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: William from Cardiff 06/08/2007 "My apologies Pat for being so long in getting back to you with our comments/review, The apartment was a nice surprise, sometimes on adverts the pictures can be a bit misleading, happy to say yours are spot on, in fact the true view was much better, truly spectacular, to find such a spacious place with that view for £595 for 6 persons in high season was a bargain. Also thank you for all your help, sorry to say you wont see us in 08 as we have a wedding to pay for, so roll on 2009 we'll be back for sure. " Owner reply: William and his family stayed with us begining of July, Thank you for your kind comments we try very hard to please. Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Andy from Tipton 06/08/2007 "Hi Pat, we had a great time thanks. We had no problem following your directions (even in the dark!), Followed the A7 all the way, good work! The apt was spotless when we arrived, just took me a while to figure out which key fitted where! We were all really impressed with the size of the place and the location was great! we will definitely recommend to family and friends! Duquesa is lovely, but where do all the people go in the daytime? The beaches were quite empty (not complaining!) but the bars and resturants were packed at night. " Owner reply: Andy and family was with us end of July, Glad you found your way without any problem, The Beach, thats another reason why we love the place even in high season theres room to lounge and the bar serve's fantastic food. Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Joanne from Lancashire 17/06/2007 "Hi Patricia, We arrived home late last night from a wonderful break and a great surprise for my Dad. Your appartment was spot on, the location couldn't of been more perfect, you won't believe it but my parent's apartment looks directly across from your two side bedroom windows,that was the funniest thing. When we arrived my sister karen opened her window and my Dad was sat on his balcony reading,she was that shocked she nearly fell out! Thank you once again for everything,you never know may possibly be in touch soon to organise another family get together. Love from Joanne. xxx " Owner reply: I wish I could have seen your sister's face, Im sure the situation was so funny, Im glad you all had a fantastic birthday surprise for your dad, hopefully we can meet him and your mum one day. Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Sean from Devon 15/06/2007 "Thank you so much for all your help, you are a credit to all owners, the apt is amazing WOW! what a view, being reading all your other reviews and you deserve only the best you go the whole mile were helpfulness is concerned nothing is to much trouble. Wish I could remember the names of some of the restaurants on the marina theres such a lot of choice, and might I add all were fab, and as others have mentioned no need for a car in the evening. Many many thanks and hope to book again with you next year. The Ford family" Owner reply: Your comments are so kind, we do try very hard to make everyones holiday as stress free as possible, I hope you will stay with us again. Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Tom from Surrey 23/05/2007 "Hi Pat, Just wanted to say THANK YOU we have been going away for years and dealt with many owners, your so helpful nothing was to much trouble, and to text us half way through our holiday to ask were we OK was very thoughtful, you seem to care very much which we appreciated.The apartment well what can I say we made a bee line to the balcony and thought we'd died and gone to haven (ha ha) the view was fantastic, its such a spacious apt and everything was clean, every day we went out and about but couldn't wait to get back to that balcony, your very lucky to own such a place. Many thanks Tom,Mary,Gary & Jan" Owner reply: Oh! your welcome, glad you had a good time, and your 100% right the view is fab Rating: ( 3.5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Lorraine from Puerto Del La Duquesa 17/04/2007 "The propery was very clean with everything you could need plus it was spacious. The view was fantastic and the ideal location. The owners are extremely friendly and helpful." Owner reply: Thank you,Marie is the best cleaner on the Costa Del Sol Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Victoria from St Helens 05/03/2007 "Yes we enjoyed our stay! It was a family reunion with our children, and we enjoyed it a lot! The view on the little harbour is great! The weather was not so great when we arrived, very humid, a little cold and windy, but later on we had very nice weather! The apt was big enough for us. We cooked, and tried some of the restaurants around. People were friendly We had nice walks, visits of little towns etc etc... it was a pleasant time! We wish you very happy New Year to you! Rpd " Owner reply: And a Happy New Year to you too Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Peter from Potters Bar 12/12/2006 "Thank you we had a very good time. The weather was pretty kind although you needed to be in the sun. The directions from the airport were very good. The apt was clean. The apt was plenty big enough for our needs. We would consider staying again. We would recommend it to friends - We really enjoyed Duquesa. Feel free to use our comments. All in all we enjoyed our stay. Diana and Peter " Rating: ( 4.5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Alice from Dumbarton, Scotland 04/12/2006 "This property is in a beautiful setting overlooking the Marina.It is very spacious,clean and comfortable. It has a large balcony overlooking the Marina and gets the sun for a good part of the day. The apartment is very well stocked with kitchen equipment should you wish to cook and eat in. There is enough eating places and pubs in the vicinity to please most people indeed one is spoiled for choice. There are two promenades one on each side of the Marina where you can walk into Spanish towns. Everyone we met was very helpful as was the owner of the apartment . This is a lovely area and is very central to get around the coast with or without a car. It is also an excellent apartment for anyone who is frail or wheelchair bound as the apartment has a lift and you could easily spend your day sitting on the balcony.The proms are also very flat for walking.A very good choice." Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Jacqueline from Kent 14/11/2006 "Hi Pat Just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed our recent stay at your appartment. You have a fab appartment, the decor and furnishings are great, it was very clean on our arrival and the balcony is just fantastic. It was wonderful to sit outside drinking early morning coffee and in the evening enjoy a few glasses of wine whilst taking in the view. Watching the sunrise over Duquesa was breathtaking. I was very impressed with the way all the arrangements were handled - your helpfulness in arranging highchair and cot hire on our behalf was much appreciated. I am so pleased that we found your website and would happily recommend your appartment to others. Many thanks, Jackie. " Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Brian from Co. Cork 12/10/2006 "Hi Pat, We found the directions very good, but perhaps mentioning turning right at the exit marked Duquesa, just after the Lidl store, would have made it perfect for us. Other than that it was spot on. The apt was spotless when we arrived. We found the apt quite spacious and very much adeqaute for our needs, the website didnt really do it justice. There was plenty room for the six of us. We would stay again and would heartily recommend it to anyone, especially family & friends. I dont think you could have supplied anything else, but perhaps one of the Sky viewing cards being offered locally for €60 would have been great as we werent prepared to risk our own card being lost while abroad. Duquesa was a lovely holiday destination, with the most to offer of any other place we saw nearby. The view from the apt was spectacular at night, Sitting on the balcony at night sipping a glass of wine and watching the activities below was entertainment in itself. We did find.There was plenty of choice of restaurants and we could have eaten out in a different restaurant every night for a month without visiting the same one twice. We hired a car for the duration of our stay but we found that we didnt need or use it. We would recommend the boat trip on the catamaran from the port, with a good crew including a fellow Corkman that made us feel special and was worth every cent. Thank you for all your help, Kindest Regards, Brian, Anita & family." Owner reply: Thank you for your kind review, we hve bought 2 sky cards in the past, unfortunately they went walk about!, the catamaran is brilliant we been twice on the BBQ trip, Well worth the money. Rating: ( 4/5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Tim from Puerta Del La Duquesa 04/10/2006 "The property at La Duquesa exceeded our expectations, made all the better by the lovely end of September weather. We were a group of three golfers (loosely speaking) and found the location ideal for accessing the many courses in the area. The apartment was spot-on - great for people watching and ideally situated near to the shops and restaurants of the port. In summary, a great apartment ideal for our requirements and I would not hesitate in recommending it and the villarenters system to any prospective tenants. I'll be hopefully going back as soon as possible with family and friends. Thanks!" Owner reply: Thank you Tim, As were are not golfer's, I value your review conserning the Golf courses. Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: David from Middlesex 27/09/2006 "Hi Patricia, Well we're back safe and sound after a lovely break in your apartment. It's in a great location and we hope to re-visit sometime in the future. We came back fully relaxed. Will keep the details for future reference – maybe a winter break and certainly will recommend it to friends etc. Kind regards. David & Carole x " Owner reply: Look forward to seeing you in the future, Thanks Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Colin from Mansfield 18/08/2006 "Hi Patricia, Arrived back ok just a short delay considering the present climate, the keys will be posted straight away to the address supplied. Answers to your questions: 1.Directions were fine led us staight to the appartment. 2.The appartment was clean for us arriving. 3.There was plenty of room for us all and every thing we needed. 4.We may consider staying again at a different time of year, 5.If we know any body going to the area we would recommend. Duquesa was very nice and a good link to roaming inland and gibralter. " Owner reply: Thank you Rating: ( 3 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Andy from Birmingham 03/08/2006 "The property was very nice - just as described and good value, with a great view across the marina. The scores reflect that. However, for us Duquesa itself was disappointing - little Britain abroad. There are some nice local restaurants in adjacent villages, but if you are looking for local flavour Duquesa is probably not for you. Lots of expat bars, karioke, Indian & Chinese restaurants and Irish bars - if that's your holiday pint of guiness then this could be right for you - visually stunning, nice beach, lovely apartment and lots of likeminded people." Owner reply: Now this is a surprise Andy stayed at our apt Oct 30th to 5th Nov 05 Thank you for your kind comments regarding our apartment ,I'm sorry to hear that you thought of Duquesa as Little Britain, however I must disagree with some of your comments regarding Duquesa as little Britain.The marina has a multi national facility's with regards to restaurants and entertainment. I can only assume that you visited a small number of restaurants and bars which you have mentioned which paints an unfair view of this beautiful marina and a well established multi national holiday resort. As an owner I can confirm that I know of only 2 karioke bars and 2 Irish bars, others have live music e.g. La Dolcia has a local Spanish group on Sat night, Duquesa Bar has Jass on Tue, Duquesa lounge has live groups on Sat other bars have no music. Regarding Restaurants, there is also Italian,Mexican,Tapas,Japanese, English, few 5 star cuisine and 2 beach bars who supply Spanish food, I feel Duquesa caters for ALL. If anyone want's a proper Spanish village then unfortunately you wont find much on the coast you would need to go further inland. Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: N/A from N/A 26/07/2006 "Thanks for a lovely holiday. It was a lovely surprise to see there were 2 bathrooms and a dishwasher waiting for us at this extremely comfortable home from home apartment. We enjoyed it all - the view from the balcony, the spacious cool rooms, satellite TV and the Billy Conolly DVD! The location was superb. The people were friendly, the shops and all the nice restaurants were convenient and very affordable for a family of 5. The beaches were both good - the one on the left was really good for snorkelling and the one on the right had excellent waves for body surfing - the kids were besides themselves. Neil and I were suprised how empty the beach was compared with other places we have been to. The drive from Malaga was easy with excellent instructions, thank you, and Gibraltar was really interesting (we did the taxi tour - worth every Gibraltar Pound). " Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Adrian from Madrid 05/07/2006 "Directions to the apartment were not so easy to follow by car for the last hundred yards, but were otherwise fine. The apartment was clean on our arrival and suited all our needs. Nothing could have been done to make our stay any better and we will definitely be recommending the apartment to family and friends. Overall, everything was very good. Thank You" Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Alan from Telford 18/06/2006 "Hi Pat Had a good holiday, weather could have been better but that did not spoil the fantastic veiw from the apt. Direction were spot on, apt. was clean and tidy and yes we would use the apt. again. Left some beers in the fridge for the next renters. Once again thanks for the very professional service and hope to speak to you in the near future Regards, Alan & Jan " Owner reply: Thank you Alan & Jan, the beers will come in very handy as Its me going over for a few days. Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Geoff from Sheffield 08/06/2006 "We have just spent 22nd May to 5th June in Pats great apartment. It is lovely. Pat is without a doubt the best and most helpful owner I have ever dealt with. We go away three or four times a year to Spain and used to own a house in Brittany so we know there can be pitfalls. Pat has refined being hospitable to an art. We were very comfortable thoughout our visit. The view from the balcony is better than anyone could believe. The day before we left Pat sent a complete programme for a week long festival based in the nearby castle and on the Saturday and Sunday in the harbour. This was in the first week of our holiday and it was fantastic. Twelve countries represented in the region took part each with a large marque specially erected at the harbour. Masses of free food particular to the country was given away together with free drinks. The Scots and English gave away free whiskey all afternoon. During the evening entertainment took place on a large stage just to the left of the veranda. It was very professional and we had a grandstand view. Try to see it next year its marvellous. Thanks Pat , the holiday was great thanks to you.(and the weather) Geoff Garratt " Owner reply: Geoff, thank you for your kind words is very much appreciated,I do try very hard to make sure that everyone is happy. I hope you and your family especially your lovely granddaughter will come again. P.S thank you for sending the pictures it was nice to put a face to the voice and the festival looked fantastic, I might have to book it myself for next year. Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Wynne/Catrin from Caernarfon 23/05/2006 "Hello Pat & Wyn We arrived early Wednesday morning and found the apartment easily, and we were very pleased with the layout, location and it was very tidy and clean. Whilst on hols we visited:- Gibraltar - good day out, the kids were a bit scared of the monkeys, but enjoyed it very much. Tivoli World, Benalmadina - fantastic, good day out and good value. You paid £6 euro entry fee and £10 euro for the all day ticket which allows you to go on most of the rides, and as it was quiet when we were there we went on the rides more than once. Cable Cars - Benalmadina - After Tivoli world we went on the Cable cars to the top of the mountain, where the birds of prey were and we sat looking at the display with the fantastic views!! Selwo Safari - again this was a fantastic day out, although the commentary was in Spanish we still had a laugh! Plenty to do and see and allow yourself a whole day at Selwo, fantastic. As we had two young children they would be tired sometimes after the day outs, but as we sat on the balcony with our wine from the supermarket (as it was much cheaper than the shop downstairs)we still felt a part of what was going on downstairs in the street. Fantastic weather, apartment and holiday and would definetly go again. See you soon!! (Catrin is the daughter of a good friend of ours Im glad they had a good time) " Owner reply: Catrin is the daughter of a close friend,I'm always a bit nervous of friends going there, incase they don't like it (there's no reason for this, It just me being over worried) I'm glad to say they felt like everyone else, they loved it. Diolch yn fawr Wynne,Catrin,Alaw a Guto Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Tania from London 17/05/2006 "I'm sorry I've been so long getting back with my review, its been hectic since we came home,I could do with going back, we still talk about the balcony with its amazing view,usually we stay in an enclosed complex so when the kids go to bed it can be a bit too quiet and sometimes boring,at your apt it was different, even with the children in bed you still felt part of the port siting on the balcony sipping wine and taking in the brilliant atmosphere. As for the apt its so large it was nice to have so much space, my compliments to whoever clean's for you as it was spotless. We also felt Central to all destinations i can recommend Selwol safari around 15min away its for all ages and fantastic fun, there were so many things to see we really need more than a week. Overall Pat 10/10" Owner reply: Thank you very much Tania, we hope to see you again Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Carl from Burbage 24/03/2006 "Hello Pat. Thank you so much for a wonderful holiday,the apt is fantastic and you were right we loved siting on the balcony,as I said we've been to Duquesa before we absolutely love the port, I'm so pleased that we found your apt, its large,spotlessly clean also your attention to detail its all a credit to you. I also liked the way you dealt with us, the helpful email's and the welcome home one a nice personal touch. . Our Best Regards a very HAPPY Robinson Family" Owner reply: Thank you Carl thats very kind of you,I hope we will see you and your family again soon. Diolch yn fawr Pat Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Wendy from Oxfordshire 07/02/2006 "Pat, Sorry for not getting back in touch I am at present catching up with e-mails. We loved the apartment. Can't really fault it. Wonderful location, we had a wonderful time. All was self explanitory in the apartment, The showers were wonderful and powerful. As an idea why not have a leaver arch file on the table with tips and dos and don'ts like you get in hotels. We would defo use your apartment again and if you want any recommendations then ask people to contact me. Hope to speak to you soon. regards, Wendy xxx " Owner reply: THANK YOU WENDY FOR YOUR KIND REVIEW, I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. DIOLCH PAT Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Davine from Builth Wells 05/01/2006 "Hi Pat, I have forwarded the keys on so they should be their in time, thank you for a really lovely New year in your lovely apartment, and I look forward to going again soon, give my regards to Wynne, I wish I was still their, and thanks about the keys Kind Regards Davine " Owner reply: THANK YOU DAVINE, A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU TOO,I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU SOON, YOU WILL BE MOST WELCOME TO COME BACK. DIOLCH YN FAWR PAT Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Keith from Wiltshire 04/01/2006 "Hi Pat We arrived back safely but have been up North for New Year, hence the delay in replying. All was fine with the villa apart from the weather but no one can help that, All in all we found the apartment very clean and spacious, the area was good unlike the weather. I am sure it is fantastic in the sunshine, we will have to sample it.The weather would not put us off and I would certainly go again Well Pat thanks for all your help, drop me an e-mail if you have any questions Regards Keith " Owner reply: YOU WERE MY FIRST GUEST OVER XMAS IM GLAD YOU HAD A GOOD TIME ,THEY TELL ME YOU WERE UNLUCKY WITH THE WEATHER AS XMAS IS USUALLY VERY GOOD Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Jacquie from Heywood 29/11/2005 "YEP!! definitely worth going back - the apartment was spotless - the weather was a bit cool especially at night so we did have to use the heaters and they were OK. We had a good time. Hope to be booking again soon for another week" Owner reply: IM GLAD IT WAS WORTH A SECOND VISIT THANK YOU BOTH,AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT YEAR. PAT Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Colin from North East Lincolnshire 22/11/2005 "Hello Pat, This is my third and final review as last night I completed my review pressed save draft & the inevitable happened the computor logged out and lost everything again. So this time you will recieve one,way or another,Iam firstly writting this one out by hand so I have a copy to fall back on. . (1) Yes the extra directions you gave me over the phone was a lot of extra help. We paid at 3 toll booths I think the amounts were 3.30,2.40,1.70 euros. A7/E17 toll road to Algeciras turn off for Estepona then head for Manilva/Duquesa. (2) The apartment was absolutely spot on clean. (3) It was also found to be bright & airy, good size bedrooms, comfortable beds, lovely large living area. And we (sorry I mean Sue & Linda) used all the appliances in the kitchen including the washer & dishwasher. You could say we loved our appartment as our own, good taste in decor throughout. (4) Yes. Have the keys tagged so we know which key fits each lock as we spent quite a few moments sober/tipsy trying to find the right key. Suggestion for the future maybe a 2nd set of keys for a refundable deposit to be collected from RUDY GARCIA'S ESTATE AGENCY and returned to her before leaving and not placed in the safe with other set security reasons. (5) Yes most definately. (Do you do a discount for a 2nd week booked)... (6) Yes we loved Duquesa the Marina,Bars,Resturants & of course the people our new friends. We only used 2 Bars(The Water Front for karioke & Cheers for polite conversation).. (7) Yes we would stay at our appartment again & maybe again and we will be recommending it to all the family ,relatives & friends.. (8) FOR ALL CONCERNED there are at least 2 swimming pools in the area. But sorry we did'nt try them out as we only heard about them just before we returned home. The 1st one is a big white building the other side of the main E17 carriageway at Duquesa. The 2nd is on leaving Duquesa heading for Estepona I think it's 1st/2nd roundabout LOOK for EXIT that say's CAMPING & head for campsite, Apparently all the local English residents go there during the Winter months as the pool is heated, the changing rooms & showers are warm & clean. I think i was told there was a small charge for use. (9) SIGHTSEEING we went out 1 day to see the animals at SELWO was a good day out the admission charge has increased to 20 euros for adult. Was very surprised to find a lot of things to do at this time of year. Another day we went to GIBROLTA looking at the shops, duty free's and went on a sightseeing tour in a taxi up the rock's narrow roads to the caverns, see the relatives the apes, then round the other side to see the siege tunnels, the tour lasted about 1-1/2 hours and cost 25 euros each which we thought was value for money. Another day we was told to go on the train to RONDA from SAN ROQUE but the train timetable was to early or to late so we decided to go by car it was a loverly drive into the mountains and the town is loverly and quaint, there is a bullring and a viaduct, and the carpark we found was underground under the main square. Anyway I think that now concludes my review, we all enjoyed our holiday and thanking you Pat & Wynne for letting us use your appartment. Kind Regards, COLIN,SUE,TONY,DAVE&LINDA " Owner reply: WOW, NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL A REVIEW,THANK YOU COLIN FOR GOING TO ALL THAT TROUBLE ITS VERY MUCH APPRICIATED, WE AIM TO PLEASE. Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Nigel from Gloucester 03/11/2005 "An excellent property with what must be the best view in Duquesa. The villa has been a great base to explore the area and Duquesa itself. The property was very clean, everything worked and the decor is well mantained. In sort excellent " Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Tony from Takeley Herts 23/10/2005 "DEAR PAT HAD A GREAT TIME FOUND YOUR APARTMENT SPOT ON ,CLEAN ,VERY EASY TO FIND, VERY GOOD SIZE FOR OUR PARTY OF 6 GOLFERS,AND SITUATED ,PERFECT FOR GOLF NEAREST GOLF JUST ACCROSS THE ROAD A ,GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL, THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND WE SHALL DEFFINATLY USE YOUR APARTMENT AGAIN AND SHALL TELL OTHERS MANY THANKS AGAIIN TONY P.S. SOME GREAT RESTAURANTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ON YOUR DOOR-STEP. " Rating: ( 4.5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Melanie from London 07/10/2005 "We have just returned home from the lovely Spanish abode of the `Welsh Angel`. Noticed a few additions to the apt. which just added to it`s charm. Very welcoming and comfortable and spotlessly clean. We had an anniversary meal in Il Capitano Ristorante which was excellent and also put on a few pounds at the Spanish run chirinquito on the local beach. Duqeusa is a lovely place to either sit and watch the world go by or eat great food and drink good wine till you are fit to burst. We love it. Thanks Pat!" Owner reply: ROB AND MELANIE,THIS IS WAS YOUR SECOND VISIT THIS YEAR IM SO GLAD YOU THOUGHT OUR APARTMENT WOULD BE A SPECIAL PLACE TO CELEBRATE YOUR ANNIVERSARY. DIOLCH YN FAWR (thank you so much) PAT Rating: ( N/A of 5 ) - Submitted by: Jan from UK 28/09/2005 "Hello again Pat - the apartment and the location of the apartment is wonderful. The apartment is truly lovely Pat. Did you choose the furniture and fittings etc., Where did you find the lovely quilts for the beds. Shirley wondered where you found the curtains. You appear to have a very good eye for overall effect and it is super. Very very nice and pretty and comfortable. So many many thanks Pat for allowing us to stay there. Getting up in the morning and taking my lemon tea on the balcony was sheer delight and we had our drinks there in the evening before going out for meals. Mostly with Rebecca and my so beautiful granddaughters. I hope you will meet them - they are sheer delight (no kidding). Bye for now Pat and again my thanks and would like to meet up with you some day. Do you spend much time in Spain or do you mostly live in Wales. Best wishes Jan" Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Glen from Sowood, Halifax, UK 21/09/2005 "Hi Pat, We've just got back, and had a great time. To answer your questions in order, 1. The directions were fine. 2. The apartment was clean and tidy. 3. There was loads of room for the five of us. 4. We were very comfortable. The suite and rocking chair, plus balcony seats were excellent. we slept well enough apart from two mornings when a yapping dog was allowed to bark for over an hour by its thoughtful owner. Duquesa is a great resort for older couples and families, and we liked the location immensely. You certainly got the best view when you bought your apartment. Three of us sang, in the Waterfront, Ryders and Rorys. (access to other areas not easy without a car). The younger son would have liked an internet cafe. The Business Centre was expensive. I think that you covered nearly everything to make us comfortable, and your apartment couldn't have been better equipped. We would certainly go again. We would also recommend it to others. We had a good holiday at excellent value and the views are fantastic !! Thanks, Glenn." Rating: ( 4.5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Anais from France 09/09/2005 "hi Patricia, sorry if i did not reply but as you can imagine the return to reality has been hard. We had nice time in your flat. here are our comments and answers to your questions: 1)WAS THE APT CLEAN ON YOUR ARRIVAL . It was clean 2)WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE APT e.g. SIZE,DECOR, ECT . The apartment is really nice and you made a great effort in decorating it. There is enough space for 6 persons in the flat 3)THE LOCATION, VIEW The view is nice and relaxing. The walking distance to the beach is really a good point. 4)LOCATION FOR TRAVELING TO OTHER TOWNS . very good access to all touristic places. BEACH WAS CLEAN . Nice beach compared to the one that can be found closer to Marbella. 5)WAS THERE ANY THING I COULD HAVE SUPPLYED TO MAKE YOUR STAY BETTER . Well, maybe put a TV plug to get the spanish chanels because if the SKY does not work you can not watch TV! The service for cleaning sheets is a luxury. 6)WOULD YOU COME AGAIN AND WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO FAMILY & FRIENDS. This is for sure a good adress to keep and recommend Thanks for everything and my pleasure, Anaïs" Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Fezila from Holland 25/08/2005 "Dear Patricia Pls find below my review. We arrived at duquesa very late in the evening and first had a little trouble with the key, but thanks to your support everything was fine in the end. When we arrived at the appartment we were absolutely thrilled by the rooms and all the facilities, the view was absolutely amazing, and we were very satisfied with everything, also with the help you gave us during our stay, the appartment was clean when we arrived so we could take a shower and go to sleep right away. there is so much one can do that two weeks is hardly enough, we went to the safaripark in estepona, and the dolphin-marin park in Benalmadena, also to the aquapark, cordoba, malaga, granada(alhambra) and gibraltar, its very easy to go to maroc/tanger via algeciras or tarifa we went via tarifa and it was a amazing experience, the weather was great, not to warm, and there was nothing we could complain about, we really enjoyed our stay, the location and the view. there is a dvd rental just across the appartments and there's is also Alfonso's which is more known you can use my review for your website, because it really is a great place and a beautiful appartment, and I will surely recommend it to family and friends please let us stay in contact. and I will surely visit spain again. Thanks again for everything Regards From all of us Fezila " Rating: ( N/A of 5 ) - Submitted by: David & Joannie from N/A 17/08/2005 "Pat Sorry for the delay in replying but we are in the process of finding a new house and work has been very hectic - the apartment was excellent - having been to Ducquesa the previous year we knew what to expect. Thank you for letting us use your place. David and Joannie " Rating: ( 4.5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: George from Scotland 09/08/2005 "HI Pat We had a very nice week and really enjoyed the resort. The apt was as you described and the location was certainly great, especially for people watching. It could get a little noisy later in the evenings, but you have to accept that if you want to be central. The sky issue wasnt really a problem as lets face it you dont go on holiday to watch the telly. You might want to think about leaving an information folder in the apt, with details of the market , directions etc especially for people who have hired a car, they could easily drive to the market themselves. Some details about Gibraltar would also be handy, especially reminding people to take their passports and English money (not scots money, they dont take that funnily enough) All inall a good experience which we would reccommend to others. Regards George Irving Rating: ( N/A of 5 ) - Submitted by: Steve & Helen from N/A 26/07/2005 "THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME IN DUQUESA,WE ARE VERY ENVIOUS OF THE OWNERS,THE POSITION WAS A1++, THIS APT IS LARGE AND VERY GOOD VALUE,THE DECOR IS MODERN AND CLEAN,WE ENJOYED THE BEACH, BARS & RESTAURANTS PLENTY ON OFFER FOR ALL AGES,AND MOST IMPORTANTLY NO NEED FOR A CAR IN THE EVENING,THE VIEW FROM THE BALCONY IS WONDERFULL AND AT NIGHT MOST RELAXING WHEN LIT UP,WE WILL DEFANATLY RECOMMEND TO FAMILY & FRIENDS,ITS ALSO A GOOD PLACE FOR A LONG WEEKEND ON OUR OWN, DONT HESITATE IN BOOKING THIS APARTMENT ITS AS ADVERTISED & WORTH IT. AS ARNI SAID "WE'LL BE BACK" STEVE & HELEN, TIM 16,MARTIN 18, GEMMA 21 & SUSANNA 21" Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Dee from South East England 17/07/2005 "Lovely apt in a great location. We were a party of 5 - me, my husband, our daughter and my parents - ranging from 5 to 79 years old. It was perfect for all our needs. We arrived late evening at the apt, but the owner (a very friendly Welsh lady) had arranged smooth handover of the keys. Apt is well equipped and nicely decorated. My husband enjoyed some golf at the excellent courses nearby (one had gym facilities which he also enjoyed). The beaches are within easy walking distance and are unspoiled with some very good beach bars for leisurely lunches. My elderly parents appreciated the fact that all facilities were available within a few minutes walk (bank, supermarket, bars, restaurants), which is also a plus for people with young children. We will definitely stay at this apt again!" Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Mrs Ceinwen from North Wales 28/06/2005 "What can I say,It has been a fantastic holiday one of the best 100%. The apt is much bigger than we thought, very clean and modern we needed for nothing,there are to many restaurant to mention and all have fab food,the view from the balcony is fantastic. Pat the owner is a real gem to deal with,most helpfull and honest. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH WE WILL BE BACK VERY SOON" Rating: ( 4.5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Rob from London 03/06/2005 "Lovely apt, well decorated with lots of space and fab views. Very comfortable with all mod cons!" Rating: ( 5 of 5 ) - Submitted by: Jacquie from England 16/05/2005 "Perfect location, plenty of space with good facilities. Beautiful veiw from the balcony"