GUESTBOOK

We encourage you to read some of the glowing comments we have received from our valued clients:

Villa 233
"We stayed at one of your new villas, 233 or Quinta de Agriboa, this summer. It is a beautiful house in a magnificent setting, surrounded by the wonderful Minho countryside. It is amazing to think that people have lived in the house for more than 200 years. The owners have done a great job of preserving the old house while making sure the interior is modern, comfortable and equipped to the highest standards. It is a great base for discovering the magic of the Minho with its wonderful food, wine and people. We will be recommending the area and Quinta de Agriboa to all our friends." Brian Wilson (Scotland) - October 2009

Villa 214
"For quite some time I have wanted to write to you to thank you for the wonderful house. We had a lovely time there, and the cleaning maintenance people were REALLY terrific. it’s the first time we have felt we didn’t need to do any cleaning ourselves, and that it was gladly and wonderfully prepared for us. The pool was excellent, view also. We really enjoyed the last meal you booked for us also, top food and lovely local atmosphere. MANY thanks for all your help, and we’ll certainly keep you in mind for future holidays. All best" David SELIG (France) - July 2009

Villa 233
"This villa is stylish, comfortable and well equipped. It is ideal for chilling beside the pool or for exploring the wonderful surrounding countryside and the many interesting small towns and villages both inland and around the coast. This is unspoilt Northern Portugal at its best and Quinta De Agriboa fits in perfectly with its surroundings while accommodating all the needs of the discerning holidaymaker. It is also an ideal base for outdoor activities such as walking, cycling and kayaking. Sergio's excellent instructions ensures a stress free car journey from Oporto airport, which is less than an hour away." Johnda, Maggie and Sandra Byrne (Scotland) - September 2009

Villa 215
"Just wanted to let you know that we had a really great holiday last week. The villa was excellent - especially the pool and outdoor space. We would certainly recommend the area and your company to others. Many thanks" Jan Emms (Salisbury Wilts, UK) - August 2009

Villa 305
"We were very impressed with our entire experience with you: the booking, directions, user-friendly website, help on arrival and during our stay, all were excellent. We would be sure to recommend you to others, and if we return to north Portugal we would look at your website again. Many thanks," Imogen and Henry Catchpole (Suffolk, UK) - July 2009

Villa 211
"We were delighted with the villa we rented last summer. Also, the website, the booking procedure, the information we received beforehand and the welcome by the owners when we arrived were perfect! We usually don't go twice to the same place but I will certainly pass on your details in case I hear someone wants to go to Portugal. We are currently looking for a rental in the neighbourhood of Barcelone. If you happen to have some colleagues over there which you can recommend, that would be great. Kind regards," Anne Fontaine (Brussels) - July 2009

Villa 228
"Hi Sergio, Just wanted to e mail you our grateful thanks for a lovely visit to Portugal. We had a fantastic holiday and couldn't have asked for more from our villa. It was beautifully decorated and in a fabulous location. It would have been good if the pool had been heated, especially at the beginning of our stay, but we soon got used to it. We bought some more glasses to replace the couple we broke and also purchased a corkscrew which we left as the villa didn't seem to have one. We would love to come and stay again so I will be in touch when we are next taking a holiday. Thank you again for all your helpful advice, next time we will arrange for the cook to come earlier in our visit! Many thanks again," Vicky Frost (Essex, UK) - May 2009

Villa 229
"I just wanted to write to thank you for your contribution to our wonderful holiday in Portugal. We loved the location in Northern Portugal and the villa itself was wonderful and extremely comfortable. We were particularly grateful to you for allowing us to drop our bags off early and for your friendly helpful advice on arrival. Thanks again Kind regards" Stuart Durrant (Kent, UK) - August 2009

Villa 201
"From start to finish I have found Villas & Cottages excellent to deal with. The website is clear and accurate all my emails and calls have been answered quickly and you have accommodated the requests I have made of you. As for the villa – that is easy – it was absolutely superb! Thank you for a great holiday."
Asher Rickayzen (England) - May 2005

 "We really enjoyed our visit to your wonderful country. Shame Portugal did not win it! I said I would write about the villa and we truly enjoyed it. The villa was luxurious, in a stunning setting and was excellently equipped. The spacious interiors felt cool and comfortable, and everything worked perfectly - the showers, fridge, taps, locks, automatic gates. We felt truly relaxed and even entertained my brother and his family by the pool one evening, which was superb. We would recommend this villa to families and adults. Superb. Take care."
John Crawley (England) - June 2004

Villa 507
Dear Sergio, We had a wonderful holiday - I have already recommended your site to friends thinking of holidays in Portugal. Everything was perfect - the accommodation was of a high standard, the directions were very precise and accurate, the booking was easy and the web site was easily accesible and clear. The information about the area was also good. My only suggestion would be to have more leaflets in the accommodation with details of nearby activities for children. I've always been very fond of Portugal but the area that we went to was the most picturesque part of Portugal in my opinion. I would not hesitate to book with your company again and as I've already said, I have already recommended you to friends. I'm happy for my comments to be used in any publicity you would like to use it in. Kind regards.
Faith Ryan (Birmingham, England) August 2008

Villa 218
Now we are back in Sweden after a great stay in Portugal and the villa. Great place. The day before we left we went for an excursion and arrived a bit later than expected (late in the evening). We had a few busy hours cleaning up and packing. We found out later that we forgot to pick-up the spoons the kids threw in the pool (apparently, they used them to dive for). Sorry for that. Thanks and best regards. Urban Fagerholm & co (Huddinge, Sweden) July 2008

Hello Sergio, Yes, we had an excellent stay in the villa, thank you. The web site is fine in our opinion, with good information and it’s straightforward to use and understand. We found the booking procedure to work fine both times (this is the second time we’ve booked a holiday with you). We would certainly recommend Villas and Cottages (and have!) for anyone wanting to holiday in Portugal, and have found your service to be excellent in all areas. There is a good chance that we will be booking with you again in the future. Many thanks once again, Phil & Jo. (Shropshire, England) August 2008

Villa 225
Just a quick note to say a big thank you to you and Adolfo for our lovely break in Semelhe last week. The house was brilliant and the children had a lovely time! If you could pass on our thanks to the owner I would be very grateful. All the best Graham Wilson and Family... (Greasby Wirral, UK) - October 2008

Villa 215
Hello, We enjoyed the villa very much, I think that the only thing it needs is maybe internet access, this would maybe attract younger groups, but it isn’t essential, the villa is very pleasant, well equipped and kept up to a high standard. I will see if I have some nice pictures for you, we took a lot, maybe some will be good for your website. I will have a look and get back to you as soon as possible. Best regards, Lizzy Martin (La Napoule, France) August 2008

Villa 222
" I’m writing to let you know how much we enjoyed our first visit to Portugal. Villa 222 exceeded all our expectations and we had a wonderful time there. We all enjoyed the pool and the lovely gardens - picking fresh lemons and passion fruit was a new experience for all of us. Vilar do Mouros was an ideal location, rural but not isolated, and close to Caminha and the coast. We were very glad of your clear directions as we would never have found the villa otherwise. We were surprised that so few British people have discovered this area. It’s a great holiday destination and the Portuguese have been successfully keeping it to themselves! The beaches, mountains and rivers are amazing with so much to explore. One of the highlights was Viana do Castelo. We were fortunate to see the Festa de Nossa Senhora da Agonia there which was truly spectacular, culminating in one of the best fireworks displays we have ever seen. I would definitely recommend the villa and its locality to others. We will return one day!
Anne Newberry (England) - August 2008

Villa 601
"We had a fantastic time, the villa was excellent. We met the owners on arrival and everything was perfect from there. The whole process was very efficient from start to finish. The booking, paying for the villa, directions and facilities. I would definately recommend Villas & cottages and that property to any future clients. Kind regards"
Karen Cotton (Cheshire, England) - September 2004

"We had a lovely time at the windmill. The sense of isolation and quietness justified the driving involved in going to the nearby beaches or out for dinner in the many restaurants of VN Milfontes, Zambujeira, Azenhas do mar, etc. Both the tower of the mill and the adjacent cottage were in impeccable condition and so was the outside area. The pool was suitably sized and although I prefer the sea, I swam in it every day. When at home we always had meals outside and made good use of the available barbeque." Pedro Mesquita (London, England) - July 2004

Villa 202
"We had a great time at Casa Moinho and would thoroughly recommend the villa (and Villas and Cottages) to our friends."

Dr Karen Ross (Coventry, England) - August 2004

Villa 207
"Can you pass on our sincere thanks to the owner as it really was a great place to stay. Once again many thanks to your company and the owners for making everything run so smoothly especially the directions which were exact as we had no problem finding it even though we thought we might.
The only disappointment was England being knocked out by Portugal but obviously you couldnt do much about that!!  Best wishes and thanks once again."

Dave Hendy (England) - June 2004

Villas 203 & 207
"Dear Mr Monteiro, I would like to thank you for your high quality service during the booking step and your visit in the second villa of our vacations. My feedback is that we spend a very good time in the both villas ( #203 and #207) but that my choice would be the first one for next vacations in Portugal, due to the incredible charm of the place and the very pleasant accomodation of the owners.
Thank you."

Guillaume MERLEN (France) - July 2004

Villa 203
"I can only say that we have been extremely happy for our vacation and travel to Portugal. Our booking process went smoothly and if we had any question we got a quick reply from you on email, which worked perfectly for us. Our welcome at the villa also went fine even though we arrived late at night and there were arranged food and drinks for us which were very convenient.

The villa was fully satisfied, very charming and our children were also very happy especially for the swimming pool. We enjoyed staying there and went on different tours to Braga,  Barcelos on the day where there was a big market, Porto and Viana do Castelo. We can only recommend our stay and travel form to family and friends. Thank you very much.

Best regards" Lene Marie Andersen (Denmark) - July 2004

 

"Thank you for your excellent instructions.  We found the villa easily. 

The swimming pool was a big hit with the children, as were the chickens! Thanks.

Regards" Perry Leo (Bristol, England) - August 2004

Villa 305
"We spent a marvelous two weeks touring the country and enjoying the spectacles of EURO 2004 and the SAO JOAO. Wheter on the bright terraces of the Douro Valley or the mazy alleys of Porto, our group found good nature, eager assistance, and shared joy. And your home provided a welcome retreat for neary travelers ready for sun and swimming. Felicidades + Obrigado."

Michael Malafronte (New York) - June 2004

"We have seen many beautiful places and the view of the Douro Valley from this home is one of the most spectacular. It is "new" every morning. The pool has been wonderful as the weather has been as warm as your welcome. We have been privilaged to share this home for a week and we shall always remember our time here." 

The Sarrington family (England) - July 2004

Villa 314
"Just a quick note to thank you and the owners of the villa for our lovely holiday.  We had a wonderful time and have come home quite rested and tanned.  Please pass on our sincere thanks to the owners and their family. Kind regards"

The Burnham & Pestell families (England) - May 2005

"We had a most enjoyable two weeks at villa #314. It was very well furnished, decorated and had extensive grounds. I don't think that there is much that could be improved on with the villa and indeed the booking process was very pofessionally conducted by yourselves.

Thanks again" Andrew Nicholls (England) - August 2004

"We had a great holiday in Portugal and were delighted with our choice of villa (#314). The villa had everything we needed and more (with the exception of the bread knife which had a loose handle!). The owners and their family were extremely pleasant and anxious to make sure we had what we needed. We were also delighted to meet you and impressed by such a personal interest in your clients' satisfaction. 

This holiday was our first in Portugal for eleven and a half years and reminded us how much we like the country. We certainly hope to return and when we do your website will be our first point of call. Although we don't often repeat a holiday we would certainly consider renting villa #314 again, possibly with a larger party. Thank you for all your help and continued interest. With best wishes"

Glenda, David, Pippa and Andrew Shawley (England) - September 2004

Villa 312
"I think that the service has been great. I thought that it was very considerate of Sergio to pick us up from the airport and drive us back to the villa and to the shops. The villa is a wonderful place to stay and very well-equipped and nicely furnished."

Anthony Rechichi (Australia) - June 2004

Villa 209
"Just wanted to say what a wonderful time we had in Ponte de Lima and what a beautiful villa it is. The country is absolutely stunning and I have no doubt that we will be returning one day. Thank you for all you help and for all your hard work in finding the villa for us, we really appreciate it. We found Villas and Cottages very professional, responsive and extremely helpful, and that was a big part of the overall enjoyment of the holiday. We would definitely recommend you to others. Thanks again.  On behalf of the Mathias/Kennedy family"

Adrian C Mathias (Wales) - June 2004

Villa 226
"Wanted to use the oportunity to thank you for a great vacation. The villa was stunning in a great location and we had the times of our lives. We happily pass your name around, so if you get any more bookings from israel that are all with our recomendations. Thanks a lot. Hope to see you again somewhere in the future."

The Telem family (Israel) - August 2007

Villa 213
"Booking procedure was simple - and I knew I could always e-mail or call you for extra help and information You recommended an excellent car hire company - you chose the right villa for our trip - and excellent directions. - you were invaluable. The Villa was superb - Great space - very clean - all items we required were there. The Villa Owner was excellent and always helpful and very flexible - (we enjoyed checking out his Motorcycles.) I will recommend people to your business, and hope to use you again in the future. Kind Regards.

Puneet Dhall ( United Kingdom ) – May 2007

Villa 313
"I wanted to let you know that we had a really great time in Esposende, staying at the house on the golf course. I also wanted to thank you for organising tickets for the football match which the boys greatly enjoyed. And it was great to have the use of the DVD player - so thanks again. Kind regards.

Katrina Mortimer ( United Kingdom) - August 2007

Villa 502
"Returned today - many thanks for another excellent holiday in your lovely country.
The standards of your villas is superb and the level of service from you very good - I always recommend you to our friends. I think we were spoilt with the first one we hired from you! Rgds."

Rob Houghton (United Kingdom) - May 2006

Villa 215
"Just a quick note to check that you got the keys for the villa. We had a lovely week and definately hope to return next year. Thank you for your help organising it all. Many thanks again."

Sophie Knight (UK) - September 2007

"We had a very enjoyable and lazy two weeks at the villa. The villa was very well appointed and finished to a high standard as your website indicated. The pool was perfect for us being effectively constant depth. Neither of us are particularly confident swimmers so this did allow us to make full use of the pool. The maid service was very friendly and efficient and exactly at the right level for this type of accomodation.  The only problem we had with the pool pump being noisy due to the pool level falling was fixed very quickly and effectively. This type of customer service is commendable. We appreciated the personal touch of being met at Porto airport and being greeted by yourself and the owner at the villa. We've rented many villas in several countries and we've never received that level of personal attention before. Your website is one of the best I've seen. It's very clear and easy to use and the booking process seemed pretty straightforward and not too formal.  I would have no hesitation in recommending your organisation to friends and colleagues. Best Regards"

Martin Chesters (England) - July 2005

Villa 732
"We have now returned back home and I wanted to leave you a message to let you know that we really appreciated the villa. It was a great place to be and we had a great time! Thanks!"

Marie-Claire (Canada) - June 2006

Villa 214
"Thank you for all your help and advice in arranging our holiday to Portugal. We were
delighted with the villa, it was beautiful and perfect for our family. The pool was amazing and local area is lovely. Please could you pass on our thanks to the owner. With best wishes."

Denise Brooks (England) - August 2007

"We were very happy with all of the arrangements for our holiday. The villa was superb and perhaps you would pass our compliments to Senor Fernandes. Everything that we needed was there and most of the items were brand new. We were particularly impressed by the attention to detail in every room and we felt very welcome. We would have no hesitation in booking this villa again. Regards,"

Dr. Mike Hosking (England) - June 2005

Villa 505 & villa 307
"You will perhaps recall that during our stay in Portugal we rented two properties namely villas #505 and #307. Starting with the first, the instructions to get there were excellent - we got there without any trouble at all. The Villa is true to its advert on the site. Most facilities were all in good working order and the place was found very clean. On reporting found damage (eg broken shutter) the owner sent a handyman the following day to fix it when we were out. We found that very efficient. The variety of TV channels available could perhaps be improved. Overall, very satisfied.

With respect to Villa 307, the instructions to get there weren't as good as the other. Admittedly, the localtion was a bit out of the way and since almost every road is cobble-stoned, it was quite a treasure-hunt:) And literally, the villa is really a treasure of a property. It has such character and evidently done up with great attention to detail by its owner. It's a place were one would want to go again. We enjoyed our stay there immensely and will remember it with nostalgia.

With respect to booking, the service was excellent from beginning to end and for this we would like to thank you personally. We will definitely recommend Portugal as a holiday destination to our family and friends and Villas and Cottages for booking the accommodation. Thanks once again and best wishes."

Noel Mizzi (United Kingdom) - October 2006

Villa 505
"We are all still on a high from the fantastic holiday we all had in Portugal, especially due to the great villa 505!! We found that it was absolutely perfect for us,not too far from the beach or restaurant.It was brilliant. I have to say that it was much more than we expected and the brief summary of the villa on the website doesn't do it justice!The maid was lovely and although we didnt need it,a mid-week clean was offered which was great.The temperature of the water in the showers was a bit hard to get right quite alot of the time but we managed. I hope this helps a little-this is only my opinion as i havent yet asked the others but i'm sure there isn't much to add. We seriously had a fantastic time, it was a perfect holiday for me as ive had quite a rough year and i cannot thank you enough. I'm so sorry about the disturbances at the beginning!i kept them all in check after the complaints!! thanks again."

Meera Singh (United Kingdom) - September 2006

Villa 303

"Our holiday in Portugal with Villas and Cottages:

Directions from the Airport to the Windmill - first class

The Windmill's owners - exceptionally nice people

Windmill - something different, very nice, views great

Your visit to make sure everything was o.k. - a very nice touch

The towns, villages, scenery - great

Restaurants, food and service - fantastic

The most abiding memory of the holiday, though is of the portuguese people and the warm, friendly reception we received.

With luck and good health we will definitely be coming back.

Kind regards"

The Richardsons and Stapletons (Bedfordshire, England) - August 2004

Villa 304
"Hi, We all had a wonderful holiday thank you.  The villa was lovely and the owner was very kind and helpful.  The villa was very well equipped and prepared for us. We thought that the booking and payment process was very straightforward. The holiday ran very smoothly and  we loved the location. Thank you very much."

Christina Ely - August 2004

Villa 216
"Hi, Just a short note so say how much we enjoyed our stay. The new pool is fantastic and the surroundings are lovely. We thought you might like a picture with the pool in it."

Ian & Liz Lawrence (England) - May 2005

Villa 702

"On behalf of my friends and myself, may we say a big THANK YOU for such an enjoyable holiday in the villa booked with yourselves. The villa was absolutely beautiful, everything we thought it would be, and more! We all had a fabulous time and would highly recommend the villa to our family and friends. Once again, thank you."

Julie Hamer (England) - September 2005

"Just wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful week in Portugal. Thanks for all your help in getting our sunny vacation organized.  I would definitely recommend your company to anyone interested in renting a house in the Algarve.  Thanks once again! Enjoy the day!"

Martha Gregg (USA) - April 2005

Villa 501
"We enjoyed our stay at Bom Sucesso, especially the restaurant next to the beach.
Beautiful area -  Thanks for asking."

Ken Freer (New York) - May 2005

Villa 508
"Thank you, we had a wonderful holiday in Portugal. Villa 508 was lovely, very spacious, immaculately clean, tastefully decorated and provided every comfort we could possibly need. Our children thoroughly enjoyed the pool and were delighted with the table tennis table, videos, cd's that were available for them. The location of the Villa made it an ideal location for touring - Lisbon, Obidos, Fatima, Batalha etc. The area - Foz de Arehlo - was lovely. The people very friendly and sincere.The restaurants provided excellent service, with quality food and very resoanably priced. The beach was great, made all the nicer with the lovely weather we had. Villas & Cottages website was very easy to follow making the booking procedure hassle free providing all information that you would need as regards the villa and the area. Your own advice and help was very much appreciated. Thank you so much and hopefully we will return next year. Regards."

Margaret Irwin (Ireland) - July 2005

Villa 309
"Just a note to say what a lovely place Villa 309 is set in. The owners and staff are very helpful and friendly and the vineyard setting and views are superb. You really should include pictures of the Manor House on the estate, which is beautiful. The food in the restaurant on the farm is all home cooked, delicious, varied and very reasonably priced. Our first time in Portugal and we will definitely return - but I'll never get used to Portuguese driving! :-)  Many thanks,"

Ralph Calvert (England) - August 2005