Self catering accommodation and activities in unspoilt Catalonian Pyrenees

I've only ever reviewed a property once before - and that was very positive - but feel that it is my responsibility to give some details about CA19 and its shortcomings. A big issue is noise. There was little noise insulation between our apartment and the others in the building. We could hear every sound as if it was coming from within our property. This made our stay very unenjoyable in the first few days when there were 8 or 9 people and four dogs in the neighbouring property. The dogs also spoiled our stay. Our neighbours frequently had to retrieve their pets from where we were sitting in the evening. This was not the 'harmonious and peaceful' location promised on the overview on The Rustical Travel website. There were many other problems - on our third morning as we were packing for a trip out, we locked the door, realised we had forgotten something and were unable to unlock the door to our property. The caretaker, Laura, tried to fix it with no luck and it took the rest of the day - until 7pm - to replace the lock and get access to our rented property. This was incredibly stressful as we had left items we needed for the day inside. We complained to Rustical Travel at this point and on our return but they have refused to compensate us for the loss of access to our property for 8 hours. They blamed us for causing the problem even though the lock on a neighbouring property also failed during our stay. More stress was caused by two power cuts when we lost all electricity and water. We take issue with the description of the property as 'quality accommodation'. We had used Rustical Travel before and thought we could rely on their quality control but on this occasion we were very disappointed. There were a number of other issues: The staircase is dangerous with a wobbly bannister - at the top it is almost off its hinges - and limited head room. One could easily slip from the small landing to which you take a step down from the bedrooms. The landing does not extend all the way across the bedroom doorways. The staircase divides the downstairs room in two and makes it difficult to move between the two areas. There is inadequate lighting in all of the rooms. There are hardly any electrical plug sockets around the house and there are none in the main double bedroom. There is almost no storage space for food/provisions in the kitchen. There is not enough storage space for clothes and suitcases. The small bedrooms were very hot at night and there is no net over the windows to prevent insects entering. Providing just four or five knives, forks, plates, glasses etc seems very mean and causes unnecessary inconvenience. It is impossible to control the temperature of the water in the shower room. The wall between the two shower rooms provides no sound proofing. The fridge had lost the lower shelf in the door which made storing cold drinks and milk difficult. The list of faults is endless. Our stay at CA19 was very unsatisfactory and so was Rustical Travel's response to our experience."

This was a wonderful property in the most beautiful landscape. The perfect country hideaway. We enjoyed many lovely walks direct from the house. The choice of pools was great. The owners were very friendly and helpful. We would love to visit again sometime."

Beautiful, peaceful, tranquil location. A couple of stand out sittings of deer and golden eagles! Great surrounding walks in the mountains with stunning views.Great escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. Our batteries have been well and truly recharged. Stylish. The pool and view was dreamy. Interiors of cottage Boutique’esk. The spa and indoor pool area also adds a great touch. We went with our toddler and 9 year old - very child friendly. Particularly the shallow pool area, games room and stair gate. A large BBQ area poolside is also great for meal times."

We had an amazing time here. The surrounding area is quite beautiful. Villa CA19 was small but so cosy. Both bedrooms have an ensuite. Everywhere is incredibly clean and the bed really comfortable. The kitchen needs more kit and a bottle opener, The TV and DVD were vital as you are in the middle of nowhere. The fire is gorgeous and needed even in August as the rooms are beautifully cool in the heat of the day but not warm at night. The owner's father couldn't have done more to make sure we were happy. The pool area is stunning. We explored the area and had a fabulous time. The supermarket is incredibly cheap and about 25 minutes away."

Very peaceful setting , Very clean accommodation , activities A1 Thanks Ciara"

Just perfect! Helpfull people and beautiful area. We had a splendid week in Capolat."

What a fantastic time we had staying at the property near Berga. We arrived in a torrential storm but were met by the charming owner Josep, who showed us around and made sure we had everything we needed. After that the weather picked up and we spent 7 very happy days exploring the area, and making the most of the facilities.Our property (ca19) was really interestingly decorated in true rustic style and the outdoor pool has a view like no other. Anyway just wanted to pass on some very positive feedback - and thank you and your team for making it all possible. Best wishes."

We had a great week in this house near Berger. The facilities - pools and games room were great for relaxing at the house and the surrounding views were gorgeous. The proprieter was very welcoming and helpful, buying food for us in advance of our arrival and helping to arrange a parascending session. There are pleasant local walks all around and you can drive further afield to walk in the higher Pyrenees. It is very remote and getting to the nearest shops and town requires at least a 30 - 40 minute drive on winding roads; most places took longer to get to. The house itself was comfortable; it could do with a bit more kitchen equipment and crockery but other than that, everything was fine and clean."