Villa Mallard

Description

Inside: accommodation at Villa Mallard is spread over four floors and three independent guest rooms in the grounds.

The front door opens onto a mezzanine gallery overlooking a fabulously voluminous open-concept communal space on the ground floor. The double-height ceilings of the central atrium make for an extremely airy and tranquil atmosphere, the eye-catching geometric design and layout create ever-changing perspectives, and banks of oversized picture windows offer seemingly endless variations on the breathtaking sea views. Alternating white and exposed stone walls bring yet more character, while slate-grey flooring and bespoke wooden cabinetry combine elegantly with black metal fixtures and fittings.

The same aesthetics, materials and colour palette described above are to be found throughout the property and even outside, where wood cladding combines to great effect with white-painted walls, glass and locally quarried stone.

Steps lead down from the gallery into the epicentre of Villa Mallard, a bespoke contemporary kitchen with a sleek black island and breakfast bar. From here the space flows towards a dining area and on to a super-panoramic living area, furnished with a large L-shaped sofa and a chaise-longue looking out to sea.

A series of glass doors open out from this sociable space onto a wonderful shaded sea-view terrace that runs along the entire façade of the property. A guest WC completes the accommodation on the ground floor.

Back on the mezzanine gallery, an open corridor sweeps along to the first of Villa Mallard’s eight bedrooms, a sea-view double with in-room, walk-in shower, a sink and an en-suite WC. Sliding glass doors open out onto a panoramic terrace.

Returning once more to the gallery, a pair of staircases lead up to two sleeping wings – east and west – on either side of the house:

• the east wing is home to one double and one double-twin bedroom, both of which have en-suite shower rooms, incredible sea views and balconies overlooking the terraces, the gardens, the pools and the sea;

• the west wing is arranged over two levels. On the first floor is a double bedroom with en-suite shower room and a shady, view-filled terrace, while on the second is a double-twin, also with en-suite shower room. Both of these bedrooms boast impressive corner windows that have been designed to maximise the sea views.

A path leads down below the pool to the three independent guest rooms, which are hidden away in the fragrant pine woods of the extensive grounds. Camouflaged by the mirrored glass walls that reflect the surrounding trees, they offer a contemporary take on a traditional log cabin, discreetly immersed in their natural habitat but finished and furnished with luxury in mind. One hosts a generous double bedroom, the other two double-twin bedrooms. All three have decked terraces, en-suite showers rooms, and breathtaking views out through the greenery to the glistening blue sea below.

Outside: as mentioned above, the communal ground floor space opens out via a series of sliding glass doors onto a shady terrace running along the front of the house. Steps lead up and down from this outdoor hub to a variety of other terraces that fan out around the house and the grounds. The views over the surrounding pine woods and the sparkling sea down below are extraordinary from all angles.

Immediately outside the kitchen is a covered outdoor dining area, and, following the contours of the ground floor layout, there are various spots furnished for sitting and relaxing.

Steps from the outdoor dining area lead up to the terrace accessed from the mezzanine level bedroom. This in turn connects to a table tennis area and, up a few more steps, to a full-sized basketball court, a dream for sports enthusiasts.

A few metres from the al fresco dining area, meanwhile, is the first of the two magnificent pools, a 16m-long infinity pool designed for those who wish to do some proper swimming. Two sunbathing areas, including a decked area suspended over the hillside, flank the long sides of the pool, while to the far end is a convivial, comfortably-cushioned sunken sitting area that’s perfect for the sunset aperitif ritual.

Steps lead down from the first pool to the second, a curvaceous infinity affair with a beach-effect shallow end that will be enjoyed by the younger members of your group and those who love to indulge in more relaxed watery pleasures. Below the pool is a four-person shower room and WC.

Looking over the lower pool is another al fresco dining area and a fabulous outdoor kitchen under a shady pergola. Equipped with a pizza oven, a large barbecue, a bar, work surfaces, fridges, an ice machine and a dishwasher, it is perfect for both professional chefs and keen amateurs.

Last but not least, just beyond the pools to the right of the property is an Olympic-sized (3x5m) trampoline awaiting the more athletic types within your party.