Frequently Asked Questions

The villa sleeps 20 as standard: ten twin en-suite bedrooms, each with two single beds. Beyond 20 we can add up to 10 single hotel beds (€150 each per stay) and up to 6 Z beds (€75 each per stay, best suited to children), in whatever mix suits your group, up to the villa's maximum of 30 guests in total. Extra beds can go in any of the bedrooms, including the top floor (the modern metal-frame beds are easily moved). Larger adult groups pay an increased breakage deposit (see below). The whole villa is always exclusively yours; we never let it by the room.

Ten twin bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. Every bedroom is en-suite.

No. All ten bedrooms are twins, with two single beds in each. The beds can be pushed together to make a double, but the mattresses remain singles. This matters to couples-heavy groups, so we're always upfront about it. Floor plans are at villaluxluz.com/floor-plans.

Approximately 700 m² of living space set across three floors.

Four twin en-suite bedrooms are on the ground floor, each with direct access to the sun terrace and pool (one has its own en-suite annexe). Two twin en-suites are on the middle floor, opening onto a large terrace with sea views. Four more are on the top floor, two with large private balconies and sea views. Floor plans are at villaluxluz.com/floor-plans.

Yes. There is a sea view from the middle-floor terrace, and two of the top-floor bedroom balconies have fantastic sea views.

Yes, in every bedroom. There are also two large units in the lounge and one in the dining room. All the units double as heaters, so the villa is comfortable for November to March stays too.

Yes. Unlimited high-speed Wi-Fi is included, fast and stable throughout the villa and gardens.

Yes. We hold up to 10 single hotel beds (€150 each per stay) and up to 6 Z beds (€75 each per stay, best suited to children), in any mix up to 30 guests in total, plus travel cots at €30 each per stay with cot linen included. Request them when you book, or later through your guest portal, so they are confirmed on your booking summary.

Yes. Bed linen is included, with beds made up on arrival, plus one bath towel and one hand towel per guest and kitchen linen. Beach and pool towels can be hired at €5 each per week, or bring your own.

Yes. The villa has a fully furnished kitchen with dishwasher, plus a utility room with washing machine. There are three fridges in total: one in the main kitchen and two in the BBQ outdoor kitchen. There is also a coffee maker, TV, hairdryers and an iron.

Yes. The villa has streaming TV with access to all channels, including Sky Sports.

No landline. We recommend bringing your mobile; there is Wi-Fi throughout the villa and garden.

We'd rather be honest than optimistic: the villa is not suitable for wheelchair users. It spans three floors with steps throughout, the top floor is reached by stairs only, and there is no pool hoist. There is level access through the back door into the laundry room, and most ground-floor bedrooms are directly accessible from there, but there are two steps from there up to the main living level. For less mobile guests who can manage a few steps, do talk to us about your group's specific needs before booking.

Completely. Only you and your party have use of the pool during your stay, and there is a small children's pool at the end of the main pool.

The main pool is 12.5 metres long by 6 metres wide, sloping from 1 metre deep at the shallow end to 1.7 metres in the middle and 2.2 metres at the deep end, so confident swimmers get a proper deep end while the shallow end suits a gentler dip. The children's paddling pool at the end of the main pool is 3 metres by 6 metres. As at any private villa, children must be supervised at all times around the water.

Yes, pool heating is an optional extra at €800 per week, available all year round; we recommend it between October and May. The guide temperature is 26 to 28°C, though it is weather dependent, and the pool takes about three days to come up to temperature, so book it in good time and we'll switch it on before you arrive. Request it when booking, or later through your guest portal, so it is confirmed in advance.

Yes, set beneath a pergola on the terrace, seating up to six. Use of the jacuzzi is an optional extra at €250 per week.

Yes, in an annexe beside the BBQ area. The gym is a small indoor space of around 25 m² with a few free weights, a bike and a bench. Sauna and gym together are €450 per week, or the gym alone is €50 per week.

A large private pool with children's section, sun terrace with plentiful sun beds, jacuzzi under a pergola, badminton and volleyball court, pétanque court, table tennis, private gardens with fruit trees and a grassy area, and a large BBQ area with outside bar.

Yes. The BBQ area has a fully furnished outdoor kitchen (two fridges, dishwasher, all crockery, cutlery and utensils) and the seating beside it comfortably takes more than 20 people.

Charcoal. Please bring your own charcoal, as fuel isn't provided.

Yes, substantial private parking at the front of the villa, behind electrically controlled gates.

No, there is no pool fence, though one can be arranged for your stay through our concierge service, Mark the Concierge (marktheconcierge.com), with the price on request. As at any private villa, children must be supervised at all times around the pool.

Yes. A children's inflatable paddling pool can be set up on the pool terrace at €50 per stay, including delivery, setup, filling and removal. Available on request and subject to availability.

Live availability and online booking are at villaluxluz.com/availability, or contact us at booking@villaluxluz.com or +44 7983 626636 (phone and WhatsApp). We reply personally, usually within 24 hours, with confirmation and a payment link.

Prices are per week for up to 20 guests and vary by season: from around €3,500 per week in winter, through €5,000 to €7,000 in the shoulder months, up to €14,000 in peak August. The full rates grid is at villaluxluz.com/rates. Optional extras such as pool heating, sauna and gym, and the jacuzzi are charged separately, and every booking carries a refundable breakage deposit. Rates for the following year tend to rise at the end of each summer, so booking early locks in the price we quote. Keep an eye on our website for last-minute offers on unsold weeks.

Included: exclusive use of the whole villa, both pools (unheated), bed linen with beds made up on arrival, one bath towel and one hand towel per guest, kitchen linen, air conditioning and heating throughout, unlimited high-speed Wi-Fi, streaming TV, table tennis, badminton and pétanque, gated private parking, and the end-of-stay clean. Optional extras (per week unless stated): pool heating €800; sauna and gym €450; gym only €50; jacuzzi €250; beach and pool towels €5 each; single hotel beds €150 each; Z beds €75 each; travel cots €30 each per stay; kids' inflatable paddling pool €50 per stay; luggage storage €100 per use. A couple of high chairs are provided free.

A deposit of 40% of the total secures your booking. The balance, together with the refundable breakage deposit, is due 12 weeks before your arrival date, or in full at the time of booking if you book within 12 weeks of travel.

By secure online card payment or bank transfer. We invoice in euros, and GBP transfers are accepted at the live xe.com rate. Card payments are processed by our sister company Cosmic Villas Ltd, so don't be alarmed if that name appears on your statement.

We can offer a courtesy hold of 24 hours. Your dates stay on the open calendar until a deposit is paid, and if another group asks for them in the meantime we will contact you straight away and give you first refusal before releasing the dates.

Yes. A refundable €1,000 breakage deposit is paid with your balance on every booking; for younger groups it is doubled to €2,000. Assuming no significant damage, it is returned in full after the Manager's check-out report, usually credited within 3 to 5 days (we allow up to four weeks to cover payment-system delays), and the vast majority come back untouched. If damage ever exceeded the deposit, the extra would be payable as set out in the T&Cs.

Yes, travel insurance is required for all bookings and it is your responsibility to arrange it.

Your contract is with Glenville Property Limited. The full booking terms and conditions are at villaluxluz.com/terms.

Yes. The lead booker (Principal Traveller) e-signs the renters terms and conditions and uploads a photo of their passport or ID in our secure guest portal before travelling; this is obligatory for the group to enter the villa. Portugal also requires the traveller details of everyone staying. It all takes a few minutes in the portal, and if you ever need your portal link again you can request one at guestportal.villaluxluz.com/portal/access.

We will do our utmost to accommodate changes. Requests must be in writing from the Principal Traveller. An administration charge applies per change, and changes within 10 weeks of arrival (other than a name change) are treated as a cancellation under the T&Cs. If you need to move your dates, we re-advertise the week, and if it re-books we can transfer your deposit to the new dates.

In plain terms: if you cancel, any money you have already paid is lost. Cancellations must be in writing and take effect on the date we receive them; more than 84 days before arrival that means your deposit, and within 84 days it means everything paid. If your reason for cancelling is covered by your travel insurance you may be able to reclaim these charges. And we will always try to soften the blow: we re-advertise cancelled weeks, and if we manage to re-book the dates we can refund the deposit or transfer it to new dates. Full details are in clauses 7 and 8 of the T&Cs at villaluxluz.com/terms.

Yes. Returning guests who book direct with us receive 5% off the base weekly rate, applied when the booking is made by the same lead booker as the original stay. Extras are charged as normal, and we'll confirm the discount when we quote. Popular school-holiday weeks book a year or more ahead, so returning guests are wise to move early.

Viewings are possible only by prior arrangement, on a changeover Saturday between 11 am and 3 pm, and at our discretion (typically for special events, or if you're already in the area). We never show the villa while guests are in residence. In practice, recent photos and floor plans answer most questions more easily, and we're always happy to send both.

We're glad to be found on the major platforms, and booking through them works perfectly well. Booking direct at villaluxluz.com simply gets you our best price, since platform prices include their own fees, plus the full service of our guest portal: your paperwork, extras, payments and arrival details all handled in one place, with a personal reply from us within 24 hours.

The villa is yours from 4 pm on arrival day until 10 am on departure day. Housekeeping may still be finishing until 4 pm on arrival day, and may arrive from 8 am on departure day; it takes a small army about six hours to turn the villa around, so we can rarely bend these times on changeover Saturdays. Check-in or check-out between 8 pm and 8 am carries a €50 out-of-hours management fee.

From April to October the villa is let strictly Saturday to Saturday, for 7 or 14 nights. Changeover day is Saturday, and we can't accept 3, 4, 9 or 10 night stays in season, however tempting the request. You're welcome to arrive later or leave earlier within your Saturday to Saturday week if that suits your plans, though any stay shorter than 7 nights still pays the full week price. From November to March we're much more flexible: a minimum of 3 nights, on any changeover day, with a minimum booking value of €2,000 whatever the length of the stay. The exception is Christmas and New Year, which are let on a minimum 7-night stay.

Early check-in and late check-out are unusual, but luggage storage is available at €100 per use at either end of your stay, whether you land early or have a late flight home. Early access is occasionally possible when the villa was empty the previous week; ask us.

Yes. Between November and March the villa can be booked for shorter stays with any-day arrivals, at our best rates of the year: a minimum of 3 nights with a minimum booking value of €2,000, except Christmas and New Year, which are let on a minimum 7-night stay. The Algarve stays mild through winter, it is prime golfing season, and the air conditioning units double as heaters, so the villa is comfortable throughout.

On the edge of Praia da Luz on the western Algarve, Portugal: a relaxed, family-friendly former fishing village near Lagos, with a Blue Flag sandy beach, a palm-lined promenade and a great choice of cafes, bars and restaurants. Lagos is about 8 minutes by car. The precise address and directions are provided once your booking is paid in full.

The beach is 15 to 20 minutes on foot, a little hilly on the way back. The village centre with its shops, bars and restaurants is a 10 to 15 minute walk, and the local supermarket about 10 minutes away. Groceries can also be ordered online for delivery to the villa from Baptista. Many groups manage happily without cars, as taxis and Ubers are plentiful and cheap.

Fly into Faro, not Lisbon. Faro is about 85 km away, approximately 1 hour by motorway; Lisbon is 300 km. We don't run transfers ourselves, but our concierge service, Mark the Concierge (marktheconcierge.com), can arrange airport transfers, minibuses for larger groups, and car hire, all quoted with no obligation.

Luz's beach, restaurants and shops are walkable from the villa, so you can happily spend the week without one, with taxis and Ubers filling the gaps. A car makes it easier to explore Lagos (about 8 minutes), Sagres, Silves and the wider Algarve. Car hire can be arranged via marktheconcierge.com.

Beaches, clifftop walks, boat trips and the sea caves at Ponta da Piedade in Lagos, horse riding 5 minutes away, Lagos Zoo, the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve race circuit, and day trips to Sagres, Portimao, Silves and Vilamoura. See villaluxluz.com/luz for our area guide.

Very. Five superb courses are within 20 minutes: Boavista (5 minutes), Espiche, Palmares, Santo Antonio and Penina. Between November and March we offer any-day changeovers and short stays for golf groups. See villaluxluz.com/golf.

Very, and multi-generational family groups are our single biggest guest type. There's a separate children's pool, free high chairs, travel cots at €30 per stay (cot linen included), Z beds ideal for younger children, a toddler paddling pool for hire, and gardens to play in. The village and beach are gently sloped and family-oriented. As with any private villa, the pool area requires supervision; children remain the responsibility of their parents or guardians throughout the stay, and we're happy to answer as many questions as you like about suitability.

Yes, we have a couple available free of charge, and we can possibly source more if needed for an extra charge; just ask.

We're afraid not. The villa is pet-free, with no exceptions. We're sorry to disappoint the dog owners among you, but a plain answer is the kindest one to give.

Not inside the villa; smoking is outside only. The villa has smoke detectors, and call-out charges apply if they're set off indoors.

The villa is reserved exclusively for the people named on the booking. Day visitors such as your own instructors or therapists are welcome, but no other persons may stay overnight without our written agreement (and payment where applicable).

Yes, with an increased breakage deposit of €2,000 (rather than the standard €1,000).

We consider hen and stag groups case by case, at our discretion, so we can't promise acceptance, but do ask; we'd rather have a friendly conversation than a blanket rule. Where a booking is accepted, the €2,000 younger-groups breakage deposit applies.

The villa is strictly self-catering; no meals are included. Private chefs are popular with our groups, though: chef hire is arranged through our concierge service, Mark the Concierge (marktheconcierge.com), using chefs who know the villa well. Any other catering company must be agreed with the owners in advance. Grocery delivery to the villa is easy too, ordered online from Baptista.

Yes, by prior arrangement with Mark through marktheconcierge.com and with the owner's prior written consent. We've approved catered BBQs, musicians and decorated birthdays, and wedding events are priced by arrangement. Two firm rules: only guests named on the booking may stay overnight, and Portugal's noise laws are strict, so no loud music or outdoor noise after 10 pm. The GNR respond to any complaint and issue on-the-spot fines, so we ask every group to take this seriously.

Very. Retreats and fitness boot camps are among our most regular guests, and one corporate group has taken the villa every winter for five consecutive years. You get the whole villa exclusively. There's a small indoor gym of around 25 m² with a few free weights, a bike and a bench, a sauna, and a large flat covered outdoor terrace by the BBQ (around 100 m²) that comfortably fits 12 to 25 exercise mats; the living room (around 60 m²) works in poor weather with the furniture moved. For serious training, Titan Fitness is a short drive away and can also hire out yoga mats, as we don't keep mats on site. Daytime sessions with music at a respectful volume are fine, and your instructors, photographers and therapists are welcome to visit during your stay. Corporate invoices available.

Contact our villa manager on the ground in Luz; their details are provided with your arrival information, and they will put things right straight away. For anything they cannot resolve, email booking@villaluxluz.com or call or WhatsApp +44 7983 626636. Complaints not resolved locally should be followed up in writing within 28 days of your return, per the T&Cs.

Yes, the villa is fully licensed for holiday rental.

The gallery and video tour are at villaluxluz.com/gallery, and floor plans at villaluxluz.com/floor-plans.

Genuine Google reviews from past guests are at villaluxluz.com/reviews.

Not yet, but plans are in progress for 2027.

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