This summer a family from the UK stayed with us in Costa Adeje. Their son is autistic, and — as many parents know — travelling can be one of the hardest things a family like theirs does. A few days in, his mum told us something we will not forget: it was the first holiday where they could all actually relax. She shared it with other parents online, and within days families from all over were writing to ask if a place like ours could work for their child too.
It made us think hard about something we should say clearly: a good villa can make an enormous difference for a family with an autistic or special-needs child — and a wrong one can ruin the week. So here is our honest guide to what actually matters, and the questions worth asking before you book anywhere.
Why a private villa often beats a hotel
Hotels are built around shared spaces — busy lobbies, dining rooms, corridors, lifts, pools full of strangers. For a child who finds noise, crowds or unpredictability overwhelming, that can be a lot. A private villa flips it:
- You control the environment. No queues, no crowds, no strangers coming and going. Just your family, in your own space.
- Your own kitchen. This is bigger than it sounds — familiar foods, special diets, and mealtimes on your child's schedule, not a restaurant's.
- You can keep routines. Same bedroom every night, quiet when it is needed, no shared walls with strangers.
- Space to decompress. Room to move, a garden to run in, somewhere calm to retreat to after a big day.
What to look for in a villa
Not every villa is suitable, and the pretty photos rarely tell you what you actually need to know. These are the things we would check first:
- A secure, enclosed outdoor space. A fully fenced garden with no direct access to the street is the single most important feature for many families — especially if your child tends to wander.
- Pool safety. Ask exactly how the pool is set up and whether there is any barrier. No pool is ever "child-proof" — always supervise — but the layout matters a lot.
- A genuinely quiet location. Away from nightlife, main roads and noisy neighbours. Residential and calm beats central and lively.
- A completely private property. No shared pool, no shared entrance, no neighbours through a thin wall.
- A full kitchen and space to spread out. For diets, routines and simply room to breathe.
- See it before you commit. Ask for photos or a video of the exact things that matter to you — the garden fence, the pool, the bedrooms, how quiet the street is.
"Is the outdoor space fully enclosed, and can my child access the street from it?" Ask it directly, and ask for a photo. A host who cannot answer clearly is telling you something.
How we help — just ask us anything
This is where booking direct really matters. When you book with us you are talking to us — Ronaldo and Mane, real hosts — not a call centre or an app. Tell us about your child and we will give you honest answers, including the most important one: if a villa is not the right fit, we will tell you. We would far rather you have a great week than a booking that goes wrong.
Depending on your villa we can also help with things like an early or quiet check-in after a long journey, extra information before you arrive, a car waiting so you avoid transfers, and local tips for calmer beaches and quieter times to visit. Just message us and tell us what would make the trip easier.
The villa this family loved: Maronata
The family in this story stayed at Villa Maronata in Costa Adeje, and it worked for them for concrete reasons — the same ones above:
✔ A fully enclosed, fenced garden — no access to the street · ✔ A private pool with a safety feature (always supervise near water) · ✔ A completely private villa, no shared areas · ✔ A quiet residential location. See the villa →
It is not the only option — different children need different things, and other villas in our collection may suit better. The right first step is always the same: tell us about your family, and let us help you choose honestly.
Tell us about your family
Every child is different, and we would rather be honest than oversell. Tell us what your family needs and we will tell you truthfully whether a villa is the right fit — no pressure.
