Tuesday, 20 February
Our holiday rentals agency in Mallorca presents a quick guide to a problem free holiday
At Portvil we want to make sure that our clients have the best possible holiday. We have been in the property rental business for a long time, so we know what hurdles you can face during your holiday, that is why we have created this small guide of hints and tips with everything from unwanted pests to recycling, so that you are completely prepared and can enjoy a stress free break.
What do I do if I need to see a doctor or go to the hospital?
If you are unfamiliar with the medical system in operation in Mallorca, here is a short guide.
If you have a
European EHIC card, this entitles you to
medical treatment in the Spanish national health service system.
Each town has a
“PAC” or “Centre de Salut” where you can go for medical treatment. They are well signposted and it’s always a good idea to check out where the nearest one is. Please make sure to take your identification and EHIC card with you.
If you are unsure where this is, you can call the emergency number and we will give you this information.
If the problem is more serious and
an ambulance is needed, then please call the emergency number provided and we will call an ambulance as it will be very difficult for you to explain where the villa is, especially if you are in the countryside. The emergency number in Spain is 112, it is the Spanish equivalent to 999.
You will be taken to the nearest public hospital either in Inca or Palma.
If you have a
travel insurance policy (it is recommended), then
you can use the numerous private options. In the tourist areas, in resorts such as Puerto de Alcudia or Puerto de Pollensa, there are many private doctors who are happy to assist you. You can usually get
an appointment right away and the usual procedure is for payment to be made to the doctor, which then can be claimed back from your insurer’s (minus any excess your policy may have).
In more serious cases, again it is best to call our emergency line and we will inform you about the nearest private hospital and organize an ambulance if necessary. You may find in your villa a 24 hour medical service number which you can call yourself but, of course, we are here to help and can call them for you and make any arrangements.
You must take your identification and policy details with you and the hospital will do the rest, they contact your insurers and arrange the necessary care and deal directly with your insurers, to then process and forward the costs to them.
We hope that you will not need any of the above but having a backup plan and guidance will ensure that you won’t be left in a difficult situation.
What should I bring with me?
I’m sure we’ve all had that moment when it comes to packing our suitcase and we wonder if were really going to need everything that we’ve packed, or if you haven’t packed enough.
Hairdryer: we provide these in each villa and apartment
Bath and hand towels are also provided (but not beach towels).
All the bed linen and blankets / duvets for colder periods are provided.
If you are arriving late at night you may want to order a welcome pack from us, to provide you with some essentials until you can get to the supermarket. Be aware that the supermarkets nearby to the tourist areas are open until 9 pm in the summer months.
We don’t provide soaps or shampoo etc. like in hotels. You may wish to bring a small travel soap and toothpaste until you can get to the supermarket.
You will find all the products here that you find at home, maybe not always of the same brand.
You may wish to bring a beach towel as we do not provide them but bear in mind they are quite inexpensive in the tourist shops.
Please just ask us if you have any questions about what is or is not provided in the villas.
What to do when a property isn’t in the condition that you expected
In the unlikely scenario that the villa you booked is not in the condition you expected, please contact us immediately so that we can resolve the issue as quickly as possible for you so that you can get on with enjoying your holiday. We can send cleaners very quickly to resolve any cleanliness issues for you and we have a team of technicians who can attend to look at any problems with the security or the appliances in the house. Do not wait to see if the problem goes away as sometimes we may not be aware of an issue that could have arisen but it can be resolved quickly.
How to avoid unwanted visits from pests
Those of you who have made frequent visits to Mallorca’s countryside and the Mediterranean in general will know about the insects etc. that can invade from time to time.
Ants can be a pain and it is recommended to sweep and clear up food remnants as soon as possible, including even bread crumbs if you want to avoid a line of ants coming in to clear it up or larger infestations. Also, do not leave rubbish bags lying around as this will surely attract them.
Cockroaches are a lesser problem but one or two can make an appearance. There are inexpensive sprays that will keep them at bay. Mosquitos can be a problem especially after some rain, it is best to buy a plug in anti-mosquito appliance for bedrooms and a spray to put on your skin in more extreme problems. There are also anti mosquito candles and other products which can be easily found in local stores.
Throwing your rubbish away into the green container bins located at the side of the roads will also avoid most visits from field mice and feral cats. Be aware that there is no rubbish collection service in the countryside in Mallorca.
We don’t wish to alarm anyone but these are easy measures to make your stay free from irritations that can come as a surprise to the unaccustomed.
How to help the environment whilst on holiday
We are all aware of our environmental footprint and the impact we can have on the environment, this does not change when we are on holiday. One of the largest environmental problems is the amount of plastic found in the ocean. Please make sure you that when you visit any beach you collect your rubbish and put it in the bin, most beaches have different coloured bins so that your rubbish can be separated and recycled.
In general terms, you can recycle here as you would at home. You will see recycling points quite frequently for glass, plastic and paper/ cardboard. If you are cycling or hiking in the mountains it is unlikely that you will always find places to discard rubbish. The vast majority of tourists take their leftovers with them to keep the mountain areas free from the ugly sight of plastic bags etc. We all need to help protect the delicate environment around us.
