Tosca Villa - Review Page 4
Terrace & Pool
Tosca has two attractive 3.75x2.5m terrace areas separated by 3x2.8m plunge pool with a depth of 0.9 metres.
The terrace outside the main living room is furnished with two deckchairs and a circular table and four chairs. We found this area ideal for all our dining. The second terrace, outside the third (ground floor) bedroom, has another pair of the very comfortable cushioned deckchairs and a nice gas barbeque. There are four portable sun loungers that can be positioned where required.
The plunge pool is small but adequate for a cooling dip, or as Jill found, great for sunbathing while floating in the pool on the provided transparent plastic lilo. A small hammock is slung across the corner of the pool and watching people trying to get into the hammock without falling into the pool is sure to create some entertainment.
Utility Area
Between the main living room and the ground-floor bedroom is a general utility area and a small cloakroom with w.c. and wash basin. Utilities included a huge American washing machine and dryer. A picnic cooler is available with ice packs in the freezer, making beach picnics more than a possibility.
Staff
Housekeeping services are provided six days a week and you couldn’t ask for a more helpful and charming maid than Catherine. She makes the beds, washes up and empties the dishwasher, changes the linen mid-week and the towels every other day. All the linen and towels were immaculately clean and presentable and beach towels are available on request.
Pool maintenance only takes five minutes and is conducted daily.
Sanctuary Villa Resort are responsible for the grounds and with the exception of the unfinished hotel and condominiums, the gardens appear to be largely well-maintained. We saw two gardeners constantly at work every day.
Beach
It is a 10-minute downhill walk from Tosca to the nearest beach – the mile-long Grafton Beach in Stonehaven Bay. However, it is a lot longer to the best swimming at the other end of the beach. The walk home is uphill. It is a hard slog, even at the coolest times of the day, and you have to pass a couple of villas where you may be harassed by guard dogs. Fortunately Tosca is the very first villa on the Sanctuary development, so the nearest to the exit gate. I would therefore think that only the very hardiest of souls would consider the beach to be within walking distance.
Our stay coincided with a full moon, so the seas were running higher than normal. The conditions were great for body boarders, but it was a struggle to get into the calmer waters behind the surf. Conditions at the further (eastern) end of the beach were generally calmer than at the western end where you first join it from Tosca. There is also reasonable snorkelling at the eastern end.
Stonehaven Bay beach normally offers good swimming and shelves relatively gradually. Although there are a few rocky parts, the majority is clear sand with no hidden “nasties”. There are no lifeguards, warning flags or other safety facilities, so visitors should obviously take great care and never, ever, exceed their capabilities and experience.
A number of traders ply the beach and some have semi-permanent ‘stands’ there. None of them were in the slightest way intrusive – in fact they can become friendly beach companions if you take the trouble to pass the time of day and exchange a friendly word. Buying something is not a precondition.
NEXT PAGE: Dining & Shopping, Vehicle, Security, Conclusion
Review Page Links: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5
Return to the search listing page
The buttons above present articles sequentially, in the order shown in the menu bar
at the top of the page. You are currently on the Property Review page in the Accommodation menu.
