Accommodation and Conference Facilities - Costa Brava

I have bought in Arenal Duquesa in 2005. They have been delays for over a year, therefore I am asking for my deposit. They are giving me a hard time to give it back. I am wondering if it is worth to buy instead of loosing my deposit. Any one in the same position? if anyone moved to phase I what is your opinion? Is phase 2 finished? how the complex look like? \i would be very greatful for any comments. Thanks

Read the other posts on this site and you can see what everybody's opinions are. It is the easiest way for you to see what is happening instead of everybody repeating what has been discussed.  There are photographs on the photos section for you to see it.  Some of us have now completed and the general consensus is very good

suzanne

Hi Elena,
Suzanne is right scroll through the posts to get a feel of peoples opinions. Briefly though there are many who have had there deposit returned but this was through a bank guarantee. If you didn't have that in your contract I'm afraid I wouldn't hold out to much hope. On the other hand if you are close to completion why not go for it. Ask your lawyer when the LFO is to be issued for your apartment.
Alan

I have just returned from moving in and a great week. Stayed in the La Duquesa Golf for two nights while we redecorated, excellent new 4 star hotel overlooking the Duquesa golf course and only 65 euros a night.

Furniture arrived Tuesday and then we moved in on Wednesday. Everything was great and we are very happy with our purchase, BUT…we have no running water for three days and if it had not have been for Ken and Lynn in block 7 we would have struggled, so if you are planning on moving in permanently be very careful as the water is very hit and miss at the moment. However we were so pleased with everything else and we did not allow it to ruin the week.

Would like to thank Leema if your out there for recommending the lighting shop, we were able to purchase some lovely items and also we ordered the bath panel and shower cubicle from there.

Margo, I have decided to have my curtains made here in the UK and purchase the tracks from Leroy Merlin, (as recommended by Mandy in the ‘Bedding and Curtain shop’ at the bottom of the road to the complex) she said that it is expensive to have the curtains made in Spain and although she does sell curtain poles she does not sell Swish track.

The grounds were being worked on and we did our snagging and gave our list to Juan who said that on our return the defects would be put right, nothing to bad really, marks on the marble floor, the external doors and frame in the second bedroom have to be changed, I have asked for some of the external paint for my terrace and utility area and the air con has not been gassed so not heat.

The pool should be up and running in front of block 6 ready for the summer they were busy cleaning it last week. The TV is to be delivered in a few weeks. The gardens are looking beautiful and are now being cared for by the gardeners.

 

Edited to add, sorry about the writing errors, been a long day!

This message was last edited by laurdan on 2/9/2008.

I'm guessing it's still quiet out there Laurdan. Did you manage to get an idea how many people have completed yet? We stayed at the same hotel recently and were very impressed. Please note, for rainy days (which, thankfully, won't be often!) there is a fabulous spa which offers all sorts of lovely treatments.

It is very quite out there, once someone completes the post box is updated with your apartment number, therefore only two had completed in block 6, one in block 7, I did not check the other blocks.

It is really lovely...but as I have said before, if there is no running water it will not make a good home, be it holiday or permanent. It maybe best to wait until the services are connected and not be reliant on builders supply. Legally due to the services not being connected you cannot be forced to complete. Bear in mind that if you have no water you cannot use your toilets, bath, shower and kitchen sink and after a time it is tedious to say the least.

The apartment was cleaned by the cleaning staff but it is only superficial, we spent half a day cleaning the kitchen. The builders are up to the same tricks as in the UK and like to put there rubbish behind the white goods and behind the plinths! Everything else is very dusty and the wardrobe internals were dirty. But nothing that a few days cleaning can’t sort out.

The planting is lovely, fresh herbs planted with flowering plants and orange/banana tree areas it was beautiful and once established I can see why it had been nominated for the Daily Mail award last year.

For those of you that have remained it will be great once the teething problems have been ironed out.

You are right there. It will be miserable with no reliable water connection. Perhaps all of us who have not completed yet (how many is that, I wonder?) ought to consider withholding progress until we have the proper connections or have something put in writing that there will be no witholding of services without reasonable prior notice or hotel accomodation. I'm sure it's all just temporary teething troubles, but still, they need to know we're not in the mood to be messed around. As a matter of interest Lourdan, you say that you were helped by your kind neighbours. Does that mean that while you had no water, they did? Margo

Yes margo, we had no water in block 6 but block 7 had water, well at least Ken and Lynn did.  We did complete with the knowledge that we would be on builders supply, but as you say it would have been decent curtesy to advise that the water would be off and for how long.  We were promised that it would be on Friday but this was not to be.  Shame really!

 

 

I hope its on when i get there on tuesday.   It stayed on for the week i was there a week or two ago but knowing my luck the electric will go off too!!  oh, well, have to see if the showers by the pool are working instead. I am hoping some of my snagging will be done.

Did you make any enquiries about getting tv/satelite installed while you were there laurden?  I'm hoping to sort that out this week

suzanne

Don't want to rock the boat, but we had no electric for one day as well. 

We tried every surrounding block and none of the apartments had water or rather their outside taps at ground level had no water,  Ken and Lynn had water at top floor level in block seven.  Don't know what the problem is but I hope for your sake it is back on.  Juan led me to believe it would be back on Friday but this did not happen. 

Didn't sort out the TV as was too busy trying to find water...thank goodness it wasn't July .