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My wife Wendy and I were lucky enough to visit Spokes in early July for 2 weeks. We had been attracted by the website but the reality was even better. We were immediately impressed by the quality and luxury of the accommodation and the friendly welcome from Simon and Lesley made us relax right away. I have a spinal cord injury at T6 and the space and ease of getting around in a wheelchair was very refreshing compared to other so-called ‘adapted’ places. We stayed in the beautiful Garden Suite with its own private garden patio. My wife loved the spacious bedroom and bathroom and all the soft furnishings. The roll-in shower was perfect for me but Wendy loved relaxing in the bath. Wheelchair access to all areas inside and around the villa is very well thought-out and I was able to get around everywhere unassisted which meant Wendy could cram in even more sunbathing. On that point we were amazed by the consistently fantastic weather. We did not see a single cloud and were surprised to find out how good the weather is for most of the year in this area. I have used several methods for getting into a swimming pool but Simon’s ingenious hoist beats them all. I was in the pool almost every day, something I have not done before. Simon noticed that my wife had to hover around near me when swimming as my balance in the water is not so good so he attached a rope across the pool which gave me confidence to swim on my own. Along the same lines, when the adapted Kangoo vehicle was not available, Simon built a wooden platform so I could get into his Shogun. Where else would you get such personalized service and all without asking? To cool off after sunbathing we spent part of each day in Amazonia, a little jungle area near the pool with lots of shade and a nice breeze. As often as not Simon would appear with a cold beer for me and a wine for Wendy. All the food was delicious and freshly made by Simon and Lesley (special mention for Lesley’s fresh fruit salad each morning and Simon’s super tasty lunches) and it was great to be able to help ourselves to snacks and drinks all day. We managed to visit some of the local attractions - Armacao de Pera has fantastic beaches and a nice promenade with lots of cafes and restaurants. We also visited Silves, a historic town, the hills of Monchique, a piri-piri restaurant and a large shopping mall. There is a great selection of DVDs in the villa and we enjoyed Simon’s suggestion of watching some concerts at night outside on sun loungers. Simon and Lesley are great hosts, a fun couple dedicated to ensuring you have the best time, and we certainly did. We will be back, because knowing you are going somewhere so nice with no barriers takes all the anxiety away and allows you to have a fantastic holiday.
The Aspinalls,Cerebral Palsy Physiotherapy Centre Ltd, 1 Kings Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire, MK45 1EDSeptember 25, 2012 at 5:42 AM
We arrived at Spokes in July 2012. We were warmly greeted by Simon and later Lesley. We were escorted to the villa and upon arrival it was stunning! A beautiful villa from outside and as soon as we entered we saw it was immaculately kept and a wonderful place for us to stay. We were shown round and were amazed at the wet rooms and bathrooms attached to the bedroom, all the facilities, amount of space for us and a very homely feel. The villa was ideal for us as our daughter uses a wheelchair. Every room was beautifully presented, attention to detail was second to none. Particularly good was the ramped access throughout the villa and the gardens. This made wheelchair access very easy. The villa was beautifully clean and linen change and full cleaning occurred whilst we were there. The pool is beautiful with stunning views over the hills. The shady garden (our children called the jungle) was perfect to relax out of the sun and very peaceful.
Simon and Lesley were very helpful and communicative, and were at the end of the phone if we should need them.
We would whole heartedly recommend this villa for anyone who relies on a wheelchair or has mobility issues. Pure luxury with all the facilities!
We stayed at Spokes Algarve with Simon & Lesley for 10 days in September and October 2012. Our party consisted of Lesa, who is wheelchair-bound, Alina and Alex, carers, and Jim, husband of Alina and driver.
We had visited Spokes once before and it was great to see that none of the high standards had dropped any way. Simon and Lesley are still maintaining and indeed developing Spokes to their own very high standards.
All the facilities are basically perfect, from the bedrooms, wheelchair friendly bathrooms, bar and pool area to the quality of the information and general discussions from the hosts.
Everything at Spokes was being very carefully thought through. The bedrooms and bathrooms are beautifully fitted throughout the villa, with a total of three totally accessible bedrooms downstairs each with an en-suite fully accessible bathroom, plus an extra accessible bathroom. Upstairs there are more very well appointed bedrooms with en-suites and even better views.
The location is also a real plus point. Very close to local supermarkets (Silves, about 10km), the local mini-mercado (about 50 metres), local bars and great beaches. Here’s a few to ask Simon about:
* Silves: 10km – Medieval Castle, Continente Supermarket, Church * Alcantarilha Town: 6km – The “Chapel of Bones” * Amacao de Pera: 10km – Fantastic accessible promenade, shop, bars, restaurants etc * Porches: 11km – Ceramics Factory and shops * The strange, golfing ghost town that you can see from the villa pool...? Weird story...
Probably the best of these is Amacao de Pera. There you have about a 1 kilometre long, fully accessible promenade filled with bars, restaurants, shop plus great beaches. We went there more than once. Try the “Hera” restaurant with their friendly staff and fantastic tourist menu for only €12! More fresh fish than I could eat, plus drinks, desert, coffee etc. If you want a great view of the coast and beaches, try a drink on the high terrace of the Holiday Inn at the western end of the prom. You don’t have to be a resident and you get great service while looking at 15 kilometres of beautiful, uninterrupted coastline.
Also, with the use of the accessible Renault van, you can get out and really have a look at the rest of the Algarve. Try a trip through Monchique to Foia, on to Aljezur, Arrifana and the west coast bays, then southwards to “The End of the World”, Sagres, Lagos and finishing at Amacao de Pera for dinner. We did this and it’s a fantastic day out.
Simon and Lesley are so welcoming and helpful with absolutely any aspect of your trip, and we again thank them for making the whole experience so enjoyable.
Our thanks to the whole family, plus, of course, the various cats and dogs...!
I had been building up to travelling abroad since I sustained my injury which left me a wheelchair user (Spinal Cord Injury C5-C6 complete). I spoke with Andy & Wendy Nisbet (I volunteer with Andy at Spinal Injuries Scotland) who instantly recommended Spokes as THE place to go following their stay in July 2012.
My Mum (Joan) and I had been to Portugal for many family holidays and have always enjoyed our trips and our stay, but we haven’t been for many years…..Our stay at Spokes has reignited our love for Portugal.
The whole house, suites and grounds are nothing sort of superb, extremely well thought out, designed, executed and finished. You instantly feel at home and made the ease of getting around in a wheelchair great!
Simon, Lesley and George really can’t do enough for you. Wither its Lesley’s Fruit Salad or Simon’s Baked Tomato’s for breakfast. Nice light lunches of salads, open sandwiches or Octopus salad (which is delicious btw!) you don’t want for anything.
The villa is ideally situated for the local towns of Gaia, Silves and Armação de Pêra. Which all have great restaurants and an easy drive in the accessible Renault Kangoo van. However, if you prefer to eat in you’ll be well taken care of especially if George’s Piri Piri Prawns are on the menu!
With being my first time abroad since sustaining my injury, I was slightly hesitant about the unknown but with Spokes being a home away from home my anxieties instantly disappeared. Rest assured we’ll be back!
I found Spokes by sheer fluke on the net looking for disabled accessible holidays.- believe me as a manager of care homes ive done a few in my 23 year history. From the time we had looked , emailed, the spokes team had responded, we were hooked. The pictures looked fab- but in the back of your mind you think nah it cant be that good!! i spoke to Simon as he had called me himself from Portugal and we discussed what my service users needs were, what he had at the villa and what we could hire as other special equipment. We arrived in Portugal and it was about 35-40 mins drive to the villa. We met Simon at the main road near Spokes to take us to the five min drive to the villa. WOW was what we thought a lovely, clean, fresh, open villa was the first thought and then as we were shown around it was just as the pictures showed - nothing different or made up just the villa in it real natural beauty.WOW. Our stay was brilliant, the clients had time in the pool which was something they had never done before. Simon and Lesley were lovely very friendly and even bought us milk, water etc as we had gone self catering. As a professional looking after clients with learning disabilities i would recommend this place to anyone - you wont regret it fab place private friendly good sound advice thanks Simon & Lesley molly & Team
Spokes is absolutely perfect,we were 7 people,it was very spacious,I can't find anything to critisize.I liked the sail over part of the pool,nice to sit in the pool without the sun.The bathrooms were a dream.The owners,Simon and Lesley were so helpful,it was so nIce getting to know them.Would love to come back one day.Forgot to mention that we didn't need the airconditioning as there was a breeze,being on top of a hill,and there were no mosquitoes.
We have rented villas in the Algarve for the past fifteen years or so - they have all had their strengths and weaknesses, but I think this was the best villa we've tried. We were a party of seven: two couples and four singles, so the villa was a perfect size. It is new and well decorated; every bedroom has its own large wet-room bathroom, and the downstairs bedrooms have aircon. It was only when we arrived that we realised that it was also totally wheelchair friendly, and you can read more about that in other reviews.
The kitchen has everything you need in terms of appliances. A nice touch was that everything the previous guests had left was there for our use, such as dry goods and condiments. Invariably you buy too much stuff at the supermarket, and very often the owners or managers of these villas just clear everything out at changeover. Here the store cupboard had loads of basics, which was really useful.
There was a large living room with comfy sofas, where you could sit and watch the flat-screen TV or use the WiFi.
The pool is lovely - a perfect size and temperature, and there are pool toys available for kids. There were plenty of comfortable sun loungers, and at night the whole area is beautifully illuminated and looks magical.
I think our favourite place was the pool bar where we would sit for morning coffee and evening 'happy hour', before eating at the outdoor dining area. You can hook up your MP3 player and argue with the rest of the family about whose choice of music will reverberate around the pool area.
All in all - I wish I was back there and I really envy the lucky people who are there now.
Our family of nine arrived on 28th June 2013 and were immediately hit with the wow factor. The villa is amazing. We hired out the whole place on self catering package. Everything we needed was in place. The rooms are all a good size especially the Garden suite with its own private seating area outside. The air-con was essential as we had arrived during one of the hottest heat-waves on record. An extra charge is applied to the air-con but we found it to be very reasonable.
Good sized kitchen with all mod-cons. Great big table outside for alfresco eating. Plenty of space everywhere. The pool is amazing. I was able to access it using the great lift system in place. You can use the shower chair to lift in and out or you can use a canvas hoist as I did. This was from the bedroom hoist which I hired at E40 per week. Good sized pool which was nicely heated. There is also an accessible hot-tub available but I did not partake as it was too hot at that time.
Our hosts, Simon and Lesley, could not have been any more welcoming or helpful. We had our own cars but when we asked Simon brought my partner and I out to the town, in the Kangoo, for a meal and came back and picked us up. Their advice was very helpful too. We were also supplied with a mobile phone with their numbers on it in case of any emergencies or just for advice.
Overall we had a great holiday and would not hesitate to recommend the villa to anyone. We hope to return. Thanks
We recently visited 'Spokes' with our son 'Sam' who is 23 years old and has Cerebral Palsy with learning difficulties, he is totally wheelchair dependant. Usually we stay at self catering villas in the Algarve. Then one day searching the internet we found 'Spokes'. It all sounded to good to be true, but 'WOW' it more than delivered on all counts. Before we left the UK several emails and phone calls were exchanged with Simon to ensure everything we needed was in place for us before we arrived. When we arrived we were welcomed warmly, shown our rooms and had a delicious supper (the first of many). We certainly weren't disappointed, everything was in place for us. The hospitality was brilliant, we were catered for with amazing food and drink. The facilities were first class, access was faultless and flowed through the whole of the ground floor and outside areas. Simon went out of his way to ensure equipment was meeting our needs and tweeking if needed. Lesley's housekeeping skills are truly 5 star, she makes delicious salads and the most amazing chocolate cake. Sam says she gives good cuddles too! Sam was relaxed and happy sitting in shaded areas around the pool and garden areas. Once in the pool - using Simons ingenious overhead hoist - he enjoyed the freedom with squeals of laughter. One of his favourite areas to sit in was a small 'jungle' area named Amazonia, a lovely peaceful, shaded garden with hammock, which we managed to get him in using a portable hoist. We enjoyed a couple of trips out in the adapted vehicle, which enabled us to eat out at restaurants in nearby towns. We recommend the Piri Piri chicken restaurant between Algoz and Guia, fast and efficient service, reasonably priced and delicious food. On returning home my reply to being asked "How was your holiday?" has been "Amazing! I feel totally relaxed and for the first time in many years feel like I have been on holiday. No shopping, cooking, cleaning, my idea of heaven. Because Sam was relaxed so were we. It is all thanks to an amazing family who are intuitive and thoughtful to difficulties entailed when holidaying with a disabled person. Thank you Simon, Lesley and George, we will return. Jane, Chris, Jackie and Sam
Visited Spokes in July/August this year (2013). Wow! What a perfect villa for a family holiday. It surpassed our already high expectations.
From the moment we stepped through the front door, we knew we had chosen well. We were impressed.....spotless, modern and well-equipped. Simon and Lesley gave us such a warm welcome and had thoughtfully arranged a tasty meal, which we were certainly ready for.
Our family, 11 of us, consisted of my husband and I, two of our children and their partners and their children. I have MS, so to find such perfect accommodation was brilliant....hoist over pool (easy to use)....loan of car which accommodated the wheelchair and allowed me enjoy days out with the family and adapted en-suite bathrooms.
We made good use of the outside eating area, where we barbecued and grilled food, along with the bar, where we enjoyed one or two bevvies in the evening. We played music, sang and danced, which made the beautifully warm evenings really romantic.
When we didn't want to cook, we strolled a short distance to the friendly local bar and restaurant, which served very reasonable, tasty food and most nights had live music. They also ran quiz nights, which Simon would join us for. Competitive, lively and great fun!
The villa was in a quiet location but within easy reach of a first class golf course, markets, water park and beaches.
Simon and Lesley could not do enough for us....nothing was too much trouble.
All being well, we will be back to Spokes in the near future. Can't wait!"
Just had a fantastic two weeks at this beautiful villa [April 2014]. My daughter is newly injured [C5/6] but we were all determined to still have a family/friends vacation. Being our first trip and feeling very nervous of all the pitfalls, we found and booked ‘Spokes’. Simon and Lesley were brilliant talking us through, organising and in turn alleviating our fears prior to the trip and on hand during to support us when required. When we arrived, ‘Wow!’ the villa was beautiful, high spec and perfect for both my daughter’s needs and the rest of the party. I would highly recommend and we hope to visit again.
What can we say? We found Spokes on the internet and from the first point of contact with Simon & Lesley we knew we had found something special. Brilliant facilities, beautiful villa and lovely location. Our daughter Amy and her care team have very specific needs and Simon & Lesley were exceptional at making the preparations for our arrival and providing help during our stay. Whatever your needs are Simon & Lesley will do everything to meet them. We look forward to many future holidays at SPOKES. Thank you Simon & Lesley.
A very BIG thank you to Simon and Lesley for all your help to make our summer holiday at Spokes one that we will remember with happiness. We have really enjoed time just relaxing in the villa and making use of all the great facilities that you have provided to allow my son to access the property and pool. Thank you again as your help, care, and support has really made a difference and we look forward to planning another holiday at Spokes God Bless you both Praveen, Ouida, Rachel, Daniel, Jeremy and Jessica
Sept 2015 Wonderful stay,FAB villa, Ideal for 2 wheelchair users. Lesley was wonderful throughout. Would highly recommend this villa to any fellow wheelchair users...5 STAR all the way Thank you from SAM ROSIE AND TEAM
My family including my 21 year old son is is a wheelchair user who cannot weight bear or self transfer visited this wonderful home for 10 days in June. We have had some nightmares with locations in the past and therefore a new holiday destination is looked upon with some trepidation. We found the villa an absolute delight. All amenities were provided as promised by our wonderful hosts and they could not have been more helpful. My son was so happy that we have booked to return next year for a longer visit. The facilities on site for all the family both indoor and outdoor are spacious, well maintained and of a very high standard. We look forward to many more visits to Simon and Leslie and would recommend this location without reservation. Stayed June 2016, traveled with family
If you are looking for a holiday for someone with complex and or high dependency needs, you won't find anything better than Spokes.
Our 11 year old daughter has multiple, complex needs due to profound brain injury at birth. She is totally dependent on others for every aspect of her life and a nurse / carer team looks after her every minute of every hour, 24 hours per day. After accepting compromises for years, whilst our daughter was younger and smaller, we decided we needed to find a luxury holiday destination suitable for the whole family whose facilities, service and management would reliably meet not just our daughters needs but also that of the team that look after her.
From the first point of contact with Simon and Lesley at Spokes in 2013, in preparation for our 2014 summer holiday, it became clear that Spokes was perfect in every way. We found our experience of Spokes so positive in the summer that we returned for a further week in the October half term and we also booked our 2015 holiday too! Simon, Lesley and the team at Spokes have risen to the challenges time and time again of preparing everything needed in accordance with our requirements and ensuring that our holidays with our daughter are safe and successful including:
• Liaison and coordination with local doctors as required including the provision of medical prescriptions in advance of our arrival. • Liaison and coordination with the suppliers of local medical equipment including oxygen equipment in advance of our arrival. • Managing the rental of disabled equipment from local suppliers on our behalf. • Providing Spokes own specialist disabled equipment. • Arranging, installing and removing furniture according to our requirements prior to our arrival. • Managing the adaption of Spokes own disabled equipment to our specification and requirements. • Storing our own disabled equipment and assembling and preparing it ready for our arrival. • Managing the adaption of our own disabled equipment to our specification and requirements ready for our arrival. • Liaison and coordination with local holiday accommodation rentals to ensure the needs of our care team are met. • Providing support to the care team, including transport, as required. • Arranging specialist disabled wheelchair transport from and to the airport and locally as required. • Providing a constant presence on site to advise as required and to ensure any issues arising are quickly and easily resolved.
You can depend upon Simon, Lesley and the team at Spokes to remove the uncertainty and reduce the risks of taking someone with complex and or high dependency needs on a foreign holiday allowing everyone to relax and enjoy themselves. Just how it should be!
FROM THE MANAGEMENT....FOR UP TO DATE TESTIMONIALS PLEASE VISIT US ON TRIPADVISOR.... https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g189122-d2733052-Reviews-Spokes-Silves_Faro_District_Algarve.html
Perfect! Would highly recommend Just returned from a week's holiday here with our disabled daughter. 5 great, spacious, en-suite, air-conditioned rooms catered for the 10 people in our party perfectly. Great facilities (pool, spa, table tennis, darts, pool table as well as lots of different spaces around the villa to relax (great wifi too!). Simon and Lesley are wonderful friendly hosts to give local knowledge and only too willing to help in any way they can. Easy quick drive to beaches, supermarkets and local attractions for those that want but we just lazed around the pool mostly and enjoyed a beer! This is a fantastic place to stay, would highly recommend, disability or not. The Harron Family
We have spent many hours on the internet trying to find fully wheelchair accessible accommodation and came across this accommodation via an accessible holidays website. We were pleased that the photos showed wet bathrooms as well as ramps throughout the site. We had a lovely conversation with one of our hosts, Simon and booked our accommodation once our flights were confirmed. Simon was very helpful in trying to find car hire - although in the end we decided not to use a hire car, but Simon was very accommodating in taking us by car to the local beach and tourist areas.
We were greeted very warmly by Simon and Lesley on our arrival who made it clear that they would do all they could to make our week's holiday an enjoyable one. We enjoyed the lovely cooked breakfast provided every morning, although in the summer months the facilities are let on a self catering basis. There is a well equipped kitchen. My husband was very appreciative to see a riser recliner chair in the lounge, adding to his comfort during our stay. The swimming pool has steps down as well as an ingenious device for lowering a wheelchair right in to the pool. We enjoyed some sunny days, but not warm enough to venture in to the pool in March. There is a local train station within a few minutes walk but unfortunately there is no concept of wheelchair access on to the trains which have 4 steep steps to board!
As an able bodied person I was able to enjoy 3 train trips which was comfortable once on board, but I did not see any space for a wheelchair user.
This was my first visit to Portugal and due to the comfortable surroundings, and wonderful hosts, the best holiday we can remember.
Wow, What a Excellent post. I really found this to much informatics. It is what i was searching for.I would like to suggest you that please keep sharing such type of info.Thanks abogado
My wife Wendy and I were lucky enough to visit Spokes in early July for 2 weeks. We had been attracted by the website but the reality was even better. We were immediately impressed by the quality and luxury of the accommodation and the friendly welcome from Simon and Lesley made us relax right away. I have a spinal cord injury at T6 and the space and ease of getting around in a wheelchair was very refreshing compared to other so-called ‘adapted’ places. We stayed in the beautiful Garden Suite with its own private garden patio. My wife loved the spacious bedroom and bathroom and all the soft furnishings. The roll-in shower was perfect for me but Wendy loved relaxing in the bath. Wheelchair access to all areas inside and around the villa is very well thought-out and I was able to get around everywhere unassisted which meant Wendy could cram in even more sunbathing. On that point we were amazed by the consistently fantastic weather. We did not see a single cloud and were surprised to find out how good the weather is for most of the year in this area.
ReplyDeleteI have used several methods for getting into a swimming pool but Simon’s ingenious hoist beats them all. I was in the pool almost every day, something I have not done before. Simon noticed that my wife had to hover around near me when swimming as my balance in the water is not so good so he attached a rope across the pool which gave me confidence to swim on my own. Along the same lines, when the adapted Kangoo vehicle was not available, Simon built a wooden platform so I could get into his Shogun. Where else would you get such personalized service and all without asking? To cool off after sunbathing we spent part of each day in Amazonia, a little jungle area near the pool with lots of shade and a nice breeze. As often as not Simon would appear with a cold beer for me and a wine for Wendy. All the food was delicious and freshly made by Simon and Lesley (special mention for Lesley’s fresh fruit salad each morning and Simon’s super tasty lunches) and it was great to be able to help ourselves to snacks and drinks all day.
We managed to visit some of the local attractions - Armacao de Pera has fantastic beaches and a nice promenade with lots of cafes and restaurants. We also visited Silves, a historic town, the hills of Monchique, a piri-piri restaurant and a large shopping mall. There is a great selection of DVDs in the villa and we enjoyed Simon’s suggestion of watching some concerts at night outside on sun loungers.
Simon and Lesley are great hosts, a fun couple dedicated to ensuring you have the best time, and we certainly did. We will be back, because knowing you are going somewhere so nice with no barriers takes all the anxiety away and allows you to have a fantastic holiday.
ReplyDeleteWe arrived at Spokes in July 2012. We were warmly greeted by Simon and later Lesley. We were escorted to the villa and upon arrival it was stunning! A beautiful villa from outside and as soon as we entered we saw it was immaculately kept and a wonderful place for us to stay. We were shown round and were amazed at the wet rooms and bathrooms attached to the bedroom, all the facilities, amount of space for us and a very homely feel. The villa was ideal for us as our daughter uses a wheelchair. Every room was beautifully presented, attention to detail was second to none. Particularly good was the ramped access throughout the villa and the gardens. This made wheelchair access very easy. The villa was beautifully clean and linen change and full cleaning occurred whilst we were there. The pool is beautiful with stunning views over the hills. The shady garden (our children called the jungle) was perfect to relax out of the sun and very peaceful.
Simon and Lesley were very helpful and communicative, and were at the end of the phone if we should need them.
We would whole heartedly recommend this villa for anyone who relies on a wheelchair or has mobility issues. Pure luxury with all the facilities!
We stayed at Spokes Algarve with Simon & Lesley for 10 days in September and October 2012. Our party consisted of Lesa, who is wheelchair-bound, Alina and Alex, carers, and Jim, husband of Alina and driver.
ReplyDeleteWe had visited Spokes once before and it was great to see that none of the high standards had dropped any way. Simon and Lesley are still maintaining and indeed developing Spokes to their own very high standards.
All the facilities are basically perfect, from the bedrooms, wheelchair friendly bathrooms, bar and pool area to the quality of the information and general discussions from the hosts.
Everything at Spokes was being very carefully thought through. The bedrooms and bathrooms are beautifully fitted throughout the villa, with a total of three totally accessible bedrooms downstairs each with an en-suite fully accessible bathroom, plus an extra accessible bathroom. Upstairs there are more very well appointed bedrooms with en-suites and even better views.
The location is also a real plus point. Very close to local supermarkets (Silves, about 10km), the local mini-mercado (about 50 metres), local bars and great beaches. Here’s a few to ask Simon about:
* Silves: 10km – Medieval Castle, Continente Supermarket, Church
* Alcantarilha Town: 6km – The “Chapel of Bones”
* Amacao de Pera: 10km – Fantastic accessible promenade, shop, bars, restaurants etc
* Porches: 11km – Ceramics Factory and shops
* The strange, golfing ghost town that you can see from the villa pool...? Weird story...
Probably the best of these is Amacao de Pera. There you have about a 1 kilometre long, fully accessible promenade filled with bars, restaurants, shop plus great beaches. We went there more than once. Try the “Hera” restaurant with their friendly staff and fantastic tourist menu for only €12! More fresh fish than I could eat, plus drinks, desert, coffee etc. If you want a great view of the coast and beaches, try a drink on the high terrace of the Holiday Inn at the western end of the prom. You don’t have to be a resident and you get great service while looking at 15 kilometres of beautiful, uninterrupted coastline.
Also, with the use of the accessible Renault van, you can get out and really have a look at the rest of the Algarve. Try a trip through Monchique to Foia, on to Aljezur, Arrifana and the west coast bays, then southwards to “The End of the World”, Sagres, Lagos and finishing at Amacao de Pera for dinner. We did this and it’s a fantastic day out.
Simon and Lesley are so welcoming and helpful with absolutely any aspect of your trip, and we again thank them for making the whole experience so enjoyable.
Our thanks to the whole family, plus, of course, the various cats and dogs...!
Lesa, Alina, Alex & Jim
I had been building up to travelling abroad since I sustained my injury which left me a wheelchair user (Spinal Cord Injury C5-C6 complete). I spoke with Andy & Wendy Nisbet (I volunteer with Andy at Spinal Injuries Scotland) who instantly recommended Spokes as THE place to go following their stay in July 2012.
ReplyDeleteMy Mum (Joan) and I had been to Portugal for many family holidays and have always enjoyed our trips and our stay, but we haven’t been for many years…..Our stay at Spokes has reignited our love for Portugal.
The whole house, suites and grounds are nothing sort of superb, extremely well thought out, designed, executed and finished. You instantly feel at home and made the ease of getting around in a wheelchair great!
Simon, Lesley and George really can’t do enough for you. Wither its Lesley’s Fruit Salad or Simon’s Baked Tomato’s for breakfast. Nice light lunches of salads, open sandwiches or Octopus salad (which is delicious btw!) you don’t want for anything.
The villa is ideally situated for the local towns of Gaia, Silves and Armação de Pêra. Which all have great restaurants and an easy drive in the accessible Renault Kangoo van. However, if you prefer to eat in you’ll be well taken care of especially if George’s Piri Piri Prawns are on the menu!
With being my first time abroad since sustaining my injury, I was slightly hesitant about the unknown but with Spokes being a home away from home my anxieties instantly disappeared. Rest assured we’ll be back!
Thanks again Simon, Lesley and George.
this is a test
ReplyDeleteReviewed August 1, 2013 NEW
ReplyDeleteI found Spokes by sheer fluke on the net looking for disabled accessible holidays.- believe me as a manager of care homes ive done a few in my 23 year history.
From the time we had looked , emailed, the spokes team had responded, we were hooked. The pictures looked fab- but in the back of your mind you think nah it cant be that good!!
i spoke to Simon as he had called me himself from Portugal and we discussed what my service users needs were, what he had at the villa and what we could hire as other special equipment.
We arrived in Portugal and it was about 35-40 mins drive to the villa.
We met Simon at the main road near Spokes to take us to the five min drive to the villa. WOW was what we thought a lovely, clean, fresh, open villa was the first thought and then as we were shown around it was just as the pictures showed - nothing different or made up just the villa in it real natural beauty.WOW.
Our stay was brilliant, the clients had time in the pool which was something they had never done before.
Simon and Lesley were lovely very friendly and even bought us milk, water etc as we had gone self catering.
As a professional looking after clients with learning disabilities i would recommend this place to anyone - you wont regret it
fab place
private
friendly
good sound advice
thanks Simon & Lesley
molly & Team
Stayed May 2013, traveled on business Value
Spokes is absolutely perfect,we were 7 people,it was very spacious,I can't find anything to critisize.I liked the sail over part of the pool,nice to sit in the pool without the sun.The bathrooms were a dream.The owners,Simon and Lesley were so helpful,it was so nIce getting to know them.Would love to come back one day.Forgot to mention that we didn't need the airconditioning as there was a breeze,being on top of a hill,and there were no mosquitoes.
ReplyDeleteRoom Tip: All the rooms were great
“Beautifully appointed villa”
ReplyDeleteReviewed July 25, 2013
We have rented villas in the Algarve for the past fifteen years or so - they have all had their strengths and weaknesses, but I think this was the best villa we've tried. We were a party of seven: two couples and four singles, so the villa was a perfect size. It is new and well decorated; every bedroom has its own large wet-room bathroom, and the downstairs bedrooms have aircon. It was only when we arrived that we realised that it was also totally wheelchair friendly, and you can read more about that in other reviews.
The kitchen has everything you need in terms of appliances. A nice touch was that everything the previous guests had left was there for our use, such as dry goods and condiments. Invariably you buy too much stuff at the supermarket, and very often the owners or managers of these villas just clear everything out at changeover. Here the store cupboard had loads of basics, which was really useful.
There was a large living room with comfy sofas, where you could sit and watch the flat-screen TV or use the WiFi.
The pool is lovely - a perfect size and temperature, and there are pool toys available for kids. There were plenty of comfortable sun loungers, and at night the whole area is beautifully illuminated and looks magical.
I think our favourite place was the pool bar where we would sit for morning coffee and evening 'happy hour', before eating at the outdoor dining area. You can hook up your MP3 player and argue with the rest of the family about whose choice of music will reverberate around the pool area.
All in all - I wish I was back there and I really envy the lucky people who are there now.
Stayed July 2013, traveled with family
“The perfect wheelchair villa”
ReplyDeleteReviewed July 19, 2013
Our family of nine arrived on 28th June 2013 and were immediately hit with the wow factor. The villa is amazing. We hired out the whole place on self catering package. Everything we needed was in place. The rooms are all a good size especially the Garden suite with its own private seating area outside. The air-con was essential as we had arrived during one of the hottest heat-waves on record. An extra charge is applied to the air-con but we found it to be very reasonable.
Good sized kitchen with all mod-cons. Great big table outside for alfresco eating. Plenty of space everywhere. The pool is amazing. I was able to access it using the great lift system in place. You can use the shower chair to lift in and out or you can use a canvas hoist as I did. This was from the bedroom hoist which I hired at E40 per week. Good sized pool which was nicely heated. There is also an accessible hot-tub available but I did not partake as it was too hot at that time.
Our hosts, Simon and Lesley, could not have been any more welcoming or helpful. We had our own cars but when we asked Simon brought my partner and I out to the town, in the Kangoo, for a meal and came back and picked us up. Their advice was very helpful too. We were also supplied with a mobile phone with their numbers on it in case of any emergencies or just for advice.
Overall we had a great holiday and would not hesitate to recommend the villa to anyone. We hope to return. Thanks
“Amazing 'Spokes' Algarve”
ReplyDeleteReviewed July 11, 2013
We recently visited 'Spokes' with our son 'Sam' who is 23 years old and has Cerebral Palsy with learning difficulties, he is totally wheelchair dependant.
Usually we stay at self catering villas in the Algarve. Then one day searching the internet we found 'Spokes'. It all sounded to good to be true, but 'WOW' it more than delivered on all counts.
Before we left the UK several emails and phone calls were exchanged with Simon to ensure everything we needed was in place for us before we arrived.
When we arrived we were welcomed warmly, shown our rooms and had a delicious supper (the first of many). We certainly weren't disappointed, everything was in place for us.
The hospitality was brilliant, we were catered for with amazing food and drink.
The facilities were first class, access was faultless and flowed through the whole of the ground floor and outside areas.
Simon went out of his way to ensure equipment was meeting our needs and tweeking if needed.
Lesley's housekeeping skills are truly 5 star, she makes delicious salads and the most amazing chocolate cake. Sam says she gives good cuddles too!
Sam was relaxed and happy sitting in shaded areas around the pool and garden areas. Once in the pool - using Simons ingenious overhead hoist - he enjoyed the freedom with squeals of laughter. One of his favourite areas to sit in was a small 'jungle' area named Amazonia, a lovely peaceful, shaded garden with hammock, which we managed to get him in using a portable hoist.
We enjoyed a couple of trips out in the adapted vehicle, which enabled us to eat out at restaurants in nearby towns. We recommend the Piri Piri chicken restaurant between Algoz and Guia, fast and efficient service, reasonably priced and delicious food.
On returning home my reply to being asked "How was your holiday?" has been "Amazing! I feel totally relaxed and for the first time in many years feel like I have been on holiday. No shopping, cooking, cleaning, my idea of heaven. Because Sam was relaxed so were we.
It is all thanks to an amazing family who are intuitive and thoughtful to difficulties entailed when holidaying with a disabled person.
Thank you Simon, Lesley and George, we will return.
Jane, Chris, Jackie and Sam
spokes test
ReplyDeleteVisited Spokes in July/August this year (2013). Wow! What a perfect villa for a family holiday. It surpassed our already high expectations.
ReplyDeleteFrom the moment we stepped through the front door, we knew we had chosen well. We were impressed.....spotless, modern and well-equipped. Simon and Lesley gave us such a warm welcome and had thoughtfully arranged a tasty meal, which we were certainly ready for.
Our family, 11 of us, consisted of my husband and I, two of our children and their partners and their children. I have MS, so to find such perfect accommodation was brilliant....hoist over pool (easy to use)....loan of car which accommodated the wheelchair and allowed me enjoy days out with the family and adapted en-suite bathrooms.
We made good use of the outside eating area, where we barbecued and grilled food, along with the bar, where we enjoyed one or two bevvies in the evening. We played music, sang and danced, which made the beautifully warm evenings really romantic.
When we didn't want to cook, we strolled a short distance to the friendly local bar and restaurant, which served very reasonable, tasty food and most nights had live music. They also ran quiz nights, which Simon would join us for. Competitive, lively and great fun!
The villa was in a quiet location but within easy reach of a first class golf course, markets, water park and beaches.
Simon and Lesley could not do enough for us....nothing was too much trouble.
All being well, we will be back to Spokes in the near future. Can't wait!"
Just had a fantastic two weeks at this beautiful villa [April 2014]. My daughter is newly injured [C5/6] but we were all determined to still have a family/friends vacation. Being our first trip and feeling very nervous of all the pitfalls, we found and booked ‘Spokes’. Simon and Lesley were brilliant talking us through, organising and in turn alleviating our fears prior to the trip and on hand during to support us when required. When we arrived, ‘Wow!’ the villa was beautiful, high spec and perfect for both my daughter’s needs and the rest of the party. I would highly recommend and we hope to visit again.
ReplyDeleteWhat can we say? We found Spokes on the internet and from the first point of contact with Simon & Lesley we knew we had found something special. Brilliant facilities, beautiful villa and lovely location. Our daughter Amy and her care team have very specific needs and Simon & Lesley were exceptional at making the preparations for our arrival and providing help during our stay. Whatever your needs are Simon & Lesley will do everything to meet them. We look forward to many future holidays at SPOKES. Thank you Simon & Lesley.
ReplyDeleteA very BIG thank you to Simon and Lesley for all your help to make our summer holiday at Spokes one that we will remember with happiness. We have really enjoed time just relaxing in the villa and making use of all the great facilities that you have provided to allow my son to access the property and pool. Thank you again as your help, care, and support has really made a difference and we look forward to planning another holiday at Spokes
ReplyDeleteGod Bless you both
Praveen, Ouida, Rachel, Daniel, Jeremy and Jessica
Sept 2015
ReplyDeleteWonderful stay,FAB villa, Ideal for 2 wheelchair users. Lesley was wonderful throughout. Would highly recommend this villa to any fellow wheelchair users...5 STAR all the way
Thank you from SAM ROSIE AND TEAM
“First Accessible Holiday that delivered 100%”
ReplyDeleteMy family including my 21 year old son is is a wheelchair user who cannot weight bear or self transfer visited this wonderful home for 10 days in June. We have had some nightmares with locations in the past and therefore a new holiday destination is looked upon with some trepidation. We found the villa an absolute delight. All amenities were provided as promised by our wonderful hosts and they could not have been more helpful. My son was so happy that we have booked to return next year for a longer visit.
The facilities on site for all the family both indoor and outdoor are spacious, well maintained and of a very high standard. We look forward to many more visits to Simon and Leslie and would recommend this location without reservation.
Stayed June 2016, traveled with family
If you are looking for a holiday for someone with complex and or high dependency needs, you won't find anything better than Spokes.
ReplyDeleteOur 11 year old daughter has multiple, complex needs due to profound brain injury at birth. She is totally dependent on others for every aspect of her life and a nurse / carer team looks after her every minute of every hour, 24 hours per day. After accepting compromises for years, whilst our daughter was younger and smaller, we decided we needed to find a luxury holiday destination suitable for the whole family whose facilities, service and management would reliably meet not just our daughters needs but also that of the team that look after her.
From the first point of contact with Simon and Lesley at Spokes in 2013, in preparation for our 2014 summer holiday, it became clear that Spokes was perfect in every way. We found our experience of Spokes so positive in the summer that we returned for a further week in the October half term and we also booked our 2015 holiday too! Simon, Lesley and the team at Spokes have risen to the challenges time and time again of preparing everything needed in accordance with our requirements and ensuring that our holidays with our daughter are safe and successful including:
• Liaison and coordination with local doctors as required including the provision of medical prescriptions in advance of our arrival.
• Liaison and coordination with the suppliers of local medical equipment including oxygen equipment in advance of our arrival.
• Managing the rental of disabled equipment from local suppliers on our behalf.
• Providing Spokes own specialist disabled equipment.
• Arranging, installing and removing furniture according to our requirements prior to our arrival.
• Managing the adaption of Spokes own disabled equipment to our specification and requirements.
• Storing our own disabled equipment and assembling and preparing it ready for our arrival.
• Managing the adaption of our own disabled equipment to our specification and requirements ready for our arrival.
• Liaison and coordination with local holiday accommodation rentals to ensure the needs of our care team are met.
• Providing support to the care team, including transport, as required.
• Arranging specialist disabled wheelchair transport from and to the airport and locally as required.
• Providing a constant presence on site to advise as required and to ensure any issues arising are quickly and easily resolved.
You can depend upon Simon, Lesley and the team at Spokes to remove the uncertainty and reduce the risks of taking someone with complex and or high dependency needs on a foreign holiday allowing everyone to relax and enjoy themselves. Just how it should be!
Neil & Iona Mayo
Nottingham
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g189122-d2733052-r429067751-Spokes-Silves_Faro_District_Algarve.html#
FROM THE MANAGEMENT....FOR UP TO DATE TESTIMONIALS PLEASE VISIT US ON TRIPADVISOR....
ReplyDeletehttps://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g189122-d2733052-Reviews-Spokes-Silves_Faro_District_Algarve.html
Perfect! Would highly recommend
ReplyDeleteJust returned from a week's holiday here with our disabled daughter. 5 great, spacious, en-suite, air-conditioned rooms catered for the 10 people in our party perfectly. Great facilities (pool, spa, table tennis, darts, pool table as well as lots of different spaces around the villa to relax (great wifi too!). Simon and Lesley are wonderful friendly hosts to give local knowledge and only too willing to help in any way they can. Easy quick drive to beaches, supermarkets and local attractions for those that want but we just lazed around the pool mostly and enjoyed a beer!
This is a fantastic place to stay, would highly recommend, disability or not. The Harron Family
ReplyDeleteWe have spent many hours on the internet trying to find fully wheelchair accessible accommodation and came across this accommodation via an accessible holidays website. We were pleased that the photos showed wet bathrooms as well as ramps throughout the site. We had a lovely conversation with one of our hosts, Simon and booked our accommodation once our flights were confirmed. Simon was very helpful in trying to find car hire - although in the end we decided not to use a hire car, but Simon was very accommodating in taking us by car to the local beach and tourist areas.
We were greeted very warmly by Simon and Lesley on our arrival who made it clear that they would do all they could to make our week's holiday an enjoyable one. We enjoyed the lovely cooked breakfast provided every morning, although in the summer months the facilities are let on a self catering basis. There is a well equipped kitchen.
My husband was very appreciative to see a riser recliner chair in the lounge, adding to his comfort during our stay.
The swimming pool has steps down as well as an ingenious device for lowering a wheelchair right in to the pool. We enjoyed some sunny days, but not warm enough to venture in to the pool in March.
There is a local train station within a few minutes walk but unfortunately there is no concept of wheelchair access on to the trains which have 4 steep steps to board!
As an able bodied person I was able to enjoy 3 train trips which was comfortable once on board, but I did not see any space for a wheelchair user.
This was my first visit to Portugal and due to the comfortable surroundings, and wonderful hosts, the best holiday we can remember.
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Stayed: March 2017
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