Beware of Bogus Villas

Posted on July 11, 2009 by Veragooner

Very disturbing to read reports of people losing their holidays through booking Villas that don’t exist.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article6682770.ece

When you book a holiday It’s difficult to know if a villa is genuine but I would trust one that shows an availability calendar with bookings, the bogus one’s book the same week time and time again.
A guest book that is hosted by an external site that can’t be modified by the owner, ours has 61 entries from Feb 2006.
An owner that will accept credit cards, we accept paypal but 95% of visitors use bank transfer.
We live on site and have a local phone number.
We have changed a lot of our adverts with listing sites because of market swings but we have been with Spain Holiday since Jan 2008 as it says on our ad there.
I could go on but i guess you have to feel comfortable with the people you are booking with. We are always happy to call enquirers who have any questions.

Lets hope that the rental listing sites weed out the crooks, they take enough of our money and they need to offer guarantees and be more stingent with their checks or people will stop booking what is normally a great holiday experience.
Off for a swim to cool down!
Mick

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This Spring

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Veragooner

What have we been up to? I’m not sure really, we seem to have been busy, how do people find time to go out to work?
We finally finished the road where it passes the pool to drive down to the stables.

Railway sleepers

Railway sleepers

We built a small wall with old railway sleepers and it looks good.
We have tried to improve the internet in the stables and first signs are good, we installed a 20db parabolic antenna. We need feedback from guests to see how it works.

Internet Antenna

Internet Antenna

After quite a wet winter we have had loads of Plums and Apricots and Pirkko has been busy making Jam that we intend to let you, the guests, try, it has been pretty popular already with some people buying extra to take home. We now have fresh Figs and Mulberries. We used to sell excess fruit to the local co-operative but the prices have dropped every year while they rise in the Supermarkets. This year our friend Pauline has been taking them to Albox car boot and they have sold well.

The Olives are coming on nicely and I’m sure it will be our biggest harvest, late November if you fancy helping to pick, not compulsory but it’s normally a fun day or 3 with a good lunch thrown in.

Spotify anyone?

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Internet

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Veragooner

We have had loads of internet problems this year which has resulted in us changing provider, which took a month. We now seem to be 99% stable.
Ten years ago we hadn’t heard of the internet now it is impossible to live without it, music, football, news and running Finca Arboleda all in our little office.

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Viva Barca

Posted on May 28, 2009 by Veragooner

Sorry Andrew but the best team, by a mile, won.

We had friends arriving to stay so by the time we had eaten we were watching the match delayed by nearly an hour. As the 2nd half started for us it finished in real time and we were in no doubt of the outcome as Vera erupted in a spontaneous firework attack.

We arrived back from walking Stig this morning to be greeted by Asprodalba blasting out, you guessed it, BARCELONA! by Freddie and Montserrat Caballe. It’s gone quiet now.

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Finca Arboleda goes global

Posted on April 4, 2009 by Veragooner

We have a lot of guests coming from outside of the UK this year, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, France and we are being blogged around the world…. well in Holland and Japan anyway.

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Symbaloo

Posted on March 28, 2009 by Veragooner

Do you use Symbaloo ? a fun way to present your bookmarks, useful if you use more than one PC and cooler than delicious. You can even get a custom made Finca Arboleda link. If you use firefox there is a plug in available to let you add bookmarks with a click.

It also has a built in currency exchange tool, calculator, translator and loads more.

I love it, can you tell!

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Fruit

Posted on March 24, 2009 by Veragooner

It’s going to be a great year, the Fig trees are already loaded with small fruits.

Orange, Apricot and Plum blossom have been spectacular and the Olives are also looking promising. We’re still eating Mandarins and Oranges from the trees.

Plum blossom

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Don’t forget the Carrots

Posted on March 24, 2009 by Veragooner

We have a new neighbour, Ursula, a retired working Donkey. She’s a real cutie and gives us a greeting when we open the gates in the morning. Just loves her Carrots!

Ursula

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Andrew’s last night

Posted on March 10, 2009 by Veragooner

Andrew and Mick

I struggled into a shirt not seen since Arsenal last won a trophy, for a picture with my mate Andrew.

He had been here for the last 16 nights with his parents, his 2nd and their 3rd visit. We watched the Carling cup final together where we were both pleased to see Spurs lose.  It will be quiet now without Andrew popping up to feed the Hens and enquiring if the DVD library is open.

Andrew enjoyed his stay which was warm and dry except for one day, Pirkko’s birthday, and certainly warmer than it will be when he gets back to Shropshire.

I’d better not tell him that his hero, Cristiano Ronaldo, might be coming to stay this summer…. (it’s a joke Andrew!)

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Cheap flights still available

Posted on February 23, 2009 by Veragooner

Loads of cheap flights are still available between now and May and we also have dates available then, well we would, otherwise I wouldn’t mention it!

Have you tried the skyscanner tool yet? You can search for all flights from all airports a whole month at a time, give it a go!

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