James Villa Holidays - www.jamesvillas.co.uk

We use them every year for Mallorca, Portugal or Italy and all the villas are superb. Very high standards in great locations but not with a hefty price tag.

James Villas are always very helpful, nothing is ever too much trouble.

We booked a villa in Lanzarotte in June for my family - total 6 adults and a child.

Just 2 weeks before we were due to go they said the owner had cancelled all bookings which panicked us. They offered an alternative which was 10 miles away from our original resort. We checked ourselves and found a similar to the original but in the resort we wanted - surprised they didn’t offer this but they agreed to change.it wasn’t cheap at over £4200 without flights so expected a good villa. It stated through James Villas it had 5 days maid cleaning out of 7 which was a real plus. When we arrived there were a few issues so I contacted their rep who said they would get the owner to sort out - he did some things but there was a notice that due to Covid there would be no cleaning other than before we arrived. That was disappointing, then there was a note saying the pool would be cleaned 3 times a week - it wasn’t they came once on the 2nd day and with the weather debris got into the pool we cleaned it ourselves. When we returned I wrote to James and I said we should get a partial refund for having to keep the villa and pool clean which was part of their contract which they did not uphold. They said we should have contacted the owner but that isn’t our responsibility. The owner left the notice they would not clean so why should we question that.

James Villa then said the owner would have been happy to supply the cleaning if we asked but how were we to know that.

They hide behind the owner but my contract was with Janes Villa and the y should not put the onus of failing to meet their contract on the customer

Watch you don’t get tricked as this is typical of a company who say they care but don’t!

Inadequate,uncomfortable and broken loungers. Parasols poorly fitted and flying in wind gusts. V little sun protection.

Would not recommend.

Where do I start. We moved into Dolce Vita Villa, Son Bou, Menorca.

Monday 26th, unpacked and within 30 minutes, 2 strangers enter without notice. They told us to leave as the balcony is collapsing. The maintenance man said this been this way for some time, the agent said it’s only just happened. Bear in mind we have just unpacked all of our belongings. We were then downgraded and separated into 2 villas. Bear in mind this villa was £550 a night, James Villas is giving us a £40 a night, Travel Lodge service. We were told we can move back into the villa Friday morning following a phone call on Thursday afternoon. Well it’s Friday now, all packed up ready to move. 50 minutes before moving back over, taxis arranged, airport transport rearranged. We receive a call to say we can not move back. This is twice they have left it till last minute, messed us around and no apologies, the agent finds it funny, laughing. we had to constantly chase James Villas for updates throughout the week, promised calls back, yet nothing. Mangers would not deal with it and palmed it off to the lower ranking members. Compensation or not, this has ruined our entire holiday. We had adults and children, we can not split them apart like they made us do. I WOULD AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

Terrible experience, due to disgusting putrid smell of something decomposing in one of the bedrooms downstairs we couldn’t use one bedroom for the whole stay. Villa Salar is not as described, satellite tv is a joke, there’s no English channels apart from the news channels, only German channels. There’s no privacy as people walking on the street see you into the pool area and the entire back of the villa. There’s drilling noise every morning and evening from building works across the street. There’s loud neighbours, parties and dogs barking all night. The bathroom downstairs is so small the toilet is almost attached to the shower door, you have to come out of the shower squeezing sideways or literally fall on the toilet seat; there’s no towel rail as this is weirdly located outside the bathroom in the corridor, the bidet was removed but they didn’t bother tiling, leaving unsightly patches. A socket in the kitchen is hanging off the wall. The instructions about the villa were wrong, as James Villas had not updated them since 2021, so we couldn’t set the alarm system as it had been changed but James Villas didn’t know, same for the location of the fuse box the instructions for satellite tv and other items. We had to tell James Villas all these things to update their documents for clients. Also no instructions about rubbish bins, we had to ask the neighbours. The table tennis bats and balls were broken and flat, unusable. We had to clean cobwebs in the ceiling, the sheets had rust stains. There’s camera like devices in the bedroom and living room, not sure if this is for the security alarm but it makes you feel uncomfortable like someone is watching you. We had to waste 4 days of one week holiday waiting for local maintenance, which ruined our plans as no communication from James Villas to tell us when someone would attend. They came out mid week to do an ozone treatment in the bedroom with the horrible putrid smell but this was not sufficient as the mattresses still had that smell after the disinfection, and the room had a toxic chlorine like smell it was not possible to use it. One of us was forced to do steep stairs up and down to sleep upstairs, which was painful with arthritis and other health issues. We had paid for the whole villa and wanted to be able to use the bedrooms downstairs but couldn’t due to the awful smell. It’s been disturbing, as the rotten smell was seeping through the corridor the whole time. Maintenance and James Villas both promised to send out a technician for the satellite tv as they saw there are no usable English channels, but no one came. We asked for a refund for breach of contract, breach of duty of care, breach of consumer law as the villa is not as described online, but James Villas refuse responsibility, as they say they are only a broker, so we have to take action in court. Horrible experience overall.

Just returned from

a week in this stunning Villa - would

highly recommend and would definitely return the pictures simply so not do it justice

We also booked car hire through James Villas which unfortunately was not available when we arrived to pick it up ! However James Villas customer service dealt with the problem professionally and promptly and restored our faith in the company and we will have no reservations in using them again for future villa holidays - Thank you Ruby

Absolutely disgusting!

We’ve booked a holiday almost 18months ago. We get an email from them 12days before departure saying, our cars are not available and our villa we booked also not available? There are 8 of us and been waiting for this all this time now it’s like we haven’t booked anything. Absolutely terrible attitude from staff. They just saying “sorry we haven’t got that holiday anymore”. How can they do this? How the hell are we suppose to find a villa in Florida and cars in 12days? No alternatives offered.

Avoid this lot at all costs !

Booked a villa in villaverde photos looked lovely all well maintained settee look so comfortable nice and clean but my god it was filthy I had photos of all the problems we had and sent them to them but the reply was standard more or less calling us liar's but photos tell the truth

Just had to cancel a holiday due to Covid restrictions and James villa refused to give any refund . I was told it was rough luck and I can only cancel more than 30 days beforehand . That’s the small print they don’t tell you about. When I explained that the country admission rules Changed And me and the family could not physically get into the country , their response was that was tough luck. When I explained they suggested they had already lost a lot of money due to Covid and could not accommodate a Refund. Jet 2 fully refunded flights and car hire . I will NEVER BOOK WITH THEM AGAIN. DISGUSTING BEHAVIOUR FOR A COMPANY I HAVE USED FOR YEARS !!!

DR Ishtiaq Rehman

This villa is located in a very quiet area about 20 minutes walk downhill to the main strip of bars and restaurants (beach). Taxi back was about 5 euro..this was needed in the heat of the day, it was a hard walk uphill! There is a supermarket, some places to eat within a 5-10 minute walk. The old town/marina is closest. We were two ladies on our own and not going to lie when it was dark it was real dark and anyone could walk on to the villa premises and round the back looking right in to the lounge area and you wouldn't know it! We had a couple of times where we felt a little insecure. The villa had an alarm for when you went out.

The villa itself was big. 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, air conditioning in bedrooms plus fans. Lots of wardrobe space, well equipped kitchen, outside utility area, basement playrooms and comfy lounge and dining room looking out to terrace/pool area. There are a couple of ‘tired’ areas in the villa, small things like the curtain poles painted and when you open them the paint falls off everywhere, bath needs resealing in places and the doors bang a bit in the wind…that doesn't help you frel secure either!.

The pool was small/ok size, deep end about 1.7m. You did have to clean it each day as bits from the trees blew in to it. There was outside shower for pool area. The whole pool area is tiled..:

it got real hot! Plenty of sunbeds - about 6 I think and a table and chairs on terrace and another table/chairs to the side with an outdoor bbq and sink area.

The location was the only downside for us but that said the villa was great and if you planned to spend a lot of time there for sure good value for money. Well worth using the link electric scooters…they are dotted about and once you register you can scan and pick one up around the villa…scooter down to the beach and park up and scooter back. I think it cost me about £4 for half hour and to be honest good fun and good way to get about those hills so I would def do it again.

If you book to go…enjoy!