Villa Strelitzia really could not be faulted, it really felt like home to myself and 2 friends who stayed here for a week in February. It was Manuela's parents home and she has furnished it and decorated it to a very high standard. On arrival Jorje (her husband) met us and showed us the villa and was very helpful, they had left us three bottles of wine, white red and fizzy, in an ice bucket! also lots of fruit, crisps and cheese more than we have ever had any where. The kitchen was very well equipped.There are two really nice bathrooms up and downstairs. The bed I had in the very large main room was very comfortable and dressing gowns were also supplied! There were 4 separate seating areas outside and two living rooms inside upstairs and down, dvd's were supplied, we thought they were in spanish but were English with the option to have subtitles. The sunbeds(3) had lovely cushions and although the villa was right on the busy main road through Ingenio most of the accommadation was at the back so not too much traffic noise.Unfortuneatly the Jacuzzi leaked so we could not use it, as fast as we filled it up and started to heat it it leaked out and had to be topped with cold water, Manuela came to us to sort out the internet and told us she would get someone to fix it but we didnt get a chance to try it.
Ingenio is quite a large spread out spanish town and hardly anyone spoke English, just opposite the villa there is a very handy little shop and a supermarket a few minuites walk down the road. The bus to Las Palmas goes at 5min past the hour its number 11 and takes about 50min, At the bus station in Las Palmas go to your left and there is a tourist office where you can get maps and a bus time table. If you go back you can go to the old town but we got a taxi to the big beach it was 5 euros. To go to Maspalomas we had to go to the airport which takes about 15min and costs 1.20 and get a bus there, it does take a while, We made the mistake of getting the number 45 back to Ingenio it tool 1hour ad 30mins. After two days we had had enough of buses and went to the airport and hired a car.
One thing I have to say about Ingenio and where the Villa is I think you really have to have a car, there are no shops, bars or restaurants within a decent walking distance. We did walk to the Italian restaurant at the top of the town near the church, it was a very long walk up a steep hill and it didnt open until 8pm, it was cold and windy. The restaurant is very nice and the food is lovely,average prices. This is the only part of the description of the villa which we feel is misleading, we booked it because it looked lovely but also we thought we could walk to local bars shops and restaurants but that was not the case. We also couldnt find the local beach supposed to be 10mins away.
One point also if you hire a car Jorje said to reverse in, well its very hard to do this as you are on a very busy main road and the opening is very narrow. We drove in and then someone stood on the crossing,right outside and stopped the traffic to get out, it worked better that way.
We went to Masplomas, lovely promenade and dunes, also Puorto de rico nice beach, and Puorto de Mogan which is very pretty. Playa del Inglis is very touristy and very big and busy.We also went to some of the little villages around.
We had a lovely time and fantastic weather and as I said the Villa was really lovely and very friendly owners
