The house has been recently refurbished, and is very well done - the decor is well thought out, the showers are powerful, the kitchen is very well equipped - we really enjoyed the stay. Coming back to the peace of the hillside above Sao Vicente each day was lovely - we're glad we chose to stay in the northern area of the island rather than the bustling, crowded south. Eagles swooped along the valley that the house overlooks, and the wall lizards were chased by the kittens from the house below - other than that, all was quiet except for the bread van honking its horn to call out buyers as it wound round the hillside. There's a small supermarket in Sao Vincente 10 minutes away which sells everything you'll need. Highly recommended as a wonderful base for exploring Madeira and Isabel was a great host.