Vale do Lobo 5 Bedroom Villa in Portugal

Planet

As part of our commitment to our customers we strive to do all that we can to ensure that your stay in one of our luxury villas will cause as minimal impact to the environment as possible. This commitment includes carrying out regular first-hand inspections on all of the properties on our portfolio and forming strong links with our destination partners and villa owners in order to encourage the use of environmentally friendly products such as low-energy and LED lighting, A+ class electrical appliances,, the use of as few harmful chemicals in swimming pools as possible, and stringent recycling practices.

Guests can rest assured that in the construction of the villa, where possible, the latest building technology available has been used to ensure that the most up-to-date lighting and insulation practices have been used, allowing for the property to stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter, negating the need for air-conditioning, which although available in the property, is encouraged to be used sparingly.

This particular villa has been built using the most modern building practices available and has been fitted with solar reflective glass which reduces the internal heat transference, and with motorised black-out blinds throughout so you can keep the property cool during the day without the need for air-conditioning. Notably, this luxury villa also features underfloor heating which offers clear environmental benefits in energy efficiency, and houses a top of the range modern kitchen with high-grade energy-efficient appliances. The villa is located within walking distance to the beach, meaning little to no need for car travel, and we encourage our guests where possible to use public or group transport should they wish to venture further afield. As part of our concierge service we can also provide hybrid car hire options.

Upon arrival at the villa you will receive a welcome information pack which will include advice on how to make your stay as environmentally friendly as possible. This pack will include information on limiting towel and linen changes, responsible use of air-conditioning and other utilities, responsible water usage and step-by-step advice on recycling using the bins provided locally. As part of the owner’s commitment to the environment, pool towel and linen changes are limited to once per week, and a charge may be applied for extra changes.

Our own commitment to our environmental responsibilities includes the encouragement of recycling both as a company and as individuals. We use as many energy-saving products in our office as possible and when producing and distributing pre-departure information documents to our customers we save valuable paper by sending these documents electronically as opposed to printing and posting. Where possible we also endeavour to use public transport for all business travel.

People

As part of our concierge service, we have built up tremendous relationships with a wide variety of local service providers including local water-sports companies, local nanny services, local transport companies and local entertainment providers. This means that we can fully encourage the revenue from tourism to the area to be filtered straight through to the local communities. We solely use local management companies which provide excellent employment opportunities in the area and all house services including maintenance, pool cleaning and gardening are provided by small local companies or individuals who rely on the tourism pull of the area. Maids and any house staff, including chefs, butlers or drivers requested, will all be local Algarve residents.

You will be provided on arrival with an information pack containing first-hand advice on the best locally-owned restaurants, bars, boutique shops and convenience stores that we encourage you to use. This advice will be geared towards encouraging you to shop locally where possible and will contain information on the best places to find locally-sourced fruit and vegetables, including markets and local wine merchants. Your welcome food package which is included in your property rental will include locally-sourced produce which has been hand-selected for your convenience and enjoyment.

Our team of dedicated and experienced destination experts make it their priority to ensure that all information provided to our guests is beneficial to the local communities, and we can also provide insights on the cultural etiquette of the area and traditions which should be observed whilst visiting.

Our valued customers are an essential part of our community and we endeavour to uphold our commitment to them by providing only the most accurate and helpful information which will enable them to uphold their own commitment to the environment. By creating strong relationships with our overseas partners we can ensure that we are providing the very best for our customers and that they can rely on us to keep our side of the responsible travel agreement. As a company we, along with our sister company, support numerous charities and NGOs both nationally and internationally, including Surfers Against Sewage and the RSPB. We make it our firm mission to give back to the world what we take from it.