Private Oasis - Agreed!
Submitted: July 2, 2011
Stayed: June 2011
My wife and her parents stayed at Villa Clairette for 10 days in June this year. Typically, we go the hotel route, but decided to try a property rental for a change. Despite my initial concerns (1 house, 2 in-laws, 10 days), it was a great experience and there was more than enough room and privacy.
The house is really cool. It is on a side street so very quiet. You enter the property through a non-descript gate and find yourself in a brick-paved private courtyard. The house is positioned well so there is good morning and afternoon sun, while the palm tree in the center of the courtyard provides enough shade for those with sun-burnt shoulders!
The home had everything that we needed and everything was new. The kitchen was the best asset as it was well stocked with every tool you could imagine (the central wok burner on the hob was my favorite). There was a new entertainment system, but we only used the i-Pod dock to listen to our music. Overall, the house is really tastefully decorated, well laid-out and extremely comfortable.
We really enjoyed wandering into the market in the mornings, picking up some food for dinner - fresh fish/seafood/meats/vegetables/cheese. Baguettes on the beach for lunch (5 minutes walk) and then cooking in the evening and eating outside in the courtyard with a bottle of wine. This became our daily ritual as the quality of the produce in the market and the house so delightful that we did not eat a meal out.
My in-laws are in their 70's so preferred to laze around the house on the patio furniture, rather then hitting the beach. There are 3 sets of patio doors that open up into the courtyard, so it makes the house and the courtyard feel like one giant space.
Although Biarritz is a small city, it seems to be divided in 2 areas – the tourist area and the locals area. The house is located in the "locals" area so you really get a sense of living in a secluded beach community in France. The Grande Plage is where most people go, but we opted for one of the smaller beaches. There are a string of beaches as you head along the coast towards Spain.
I would definitely recommend this property and we will be back, with or without the in-laws!
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Girls Getaway,
Tourists without a Car,
Families with Teenagers,
Families with Young Children,
Romantic Getaway
Helpful votes: 1/1
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