Property Description
Gloriously situated on a hillside of wild flowers, oak and olive trees, this wonderfully restored farmhouse is the ideal place to get away from it all. The views - in every direction - are magnificent, across the property's own 30 hectare estate to the richly afforested mountainsides of the Alcornocales National Park which surround it. Watching the sun setting over the hills, beyond Gibraltar and Morocco to the south, is just one of many natural wonders here! A haven of peace and tranquility, it is a stunning setting, one of the very best in all Spain.
For many years a very successful country house hotel (it was featured in the "101 Best Hotels of the World"), its English owners now prefer a more relaxed way of life and offer the property for holiday rentals during the summer months, complete with an excellent and fully trained chef, kitchen staff, a housekeeper and gardener. All meals are prepared by the chef who will also buy in the ingredients for your chosen meals. Forget about donning your apron here - apart from Sundays (the staff's day off), there's no need to even enter the kitchen!
Everything is about comfort and relaxation here, but with its swimming pool and beautiful gardens, tennis court and full-sized snooker table, walking and riding trails, there is something for everyone.
Easily accessible, the Estate is just four kilometres from Gaucín, less than an hour's drive from Gibraltar Airport and 75 minutes from Málaga Airport. A little country road winds gently down from the pretty white village of Gaucín to El Colmenar in the valley below and a short track (in excellent condition) leads off from this road to the villa, gleaming white and proud on its hilltop. There's ample parking space on the huge forecourt.
Inside it's both elegant and comfortable, a delightful combination of refinement and relaxation. Huge double wooden doors open into a spacious and attractively furnished entrance hall, dominated by a magnificent sweeping staircase (almost Gaudiesque in style, it spirals up to a glass pyramid skylight). This leads up to the four en-suite bedrooms.
Downstairs the impressive sitting room is very homely: generous sofas and piles of books and DVD's, a CD player and Satellite TV invite relaxation. Windows and patio doors on three sides of the room cast gentle sunlight across its soft fabrics and antique furnishings. Outside, there's a comfortably furnished south facing terrace with fabulous views over the lawns, the forested hills and all the way down to the coast.
The ample dining room is equally attractive, rustic-chic in style. A long table comfortably seats ten. In summer, most guests prefer to eat outside, alfresco, on the large vine-covered terrace overlooking the hills and the spectacular sunsets. Light lunches served under umbrellas on the lawn with the view over the Mediterranean to Africa are also a must!
Alongside, the massive kitchen is equipped to commercial standards with dishwasher, ovens, microwave, deep freezers and walk-in cold room.
Wander up the splendid spiral staircase and you'll find the four en-suite bedrooms (two are doubles, two are twin bedded). Each is spacious, light and airy, with warm colour-washed walls, polished wooden floors and interesting cupboards made from old wooden doors or shutters. Bookshelves are full of old novels. Antique furniture and the use of pretty cotton prints for bedspreads, curtains and armchairs complete the country house look. Three have French doors with wonderful balcony views over the countryside. All have ceiling fans. Beds are comfortable with crisp white sheets.
Bathrooms are pristine with marble floors warmed by under floor heating and baths cleverly set behind Moorish-style arches (one is sunken into the floor). Each has fluffy towels, bathrobes, powerful overhead showers and hairdryers.
In the basement (in what was once the cellar) there's a fantastic snooker room with a full-sized table … There's a lovely swimming pool (great for a refreshing dip, although perhaps a bit too small for serious exercise) with its sun loungers and parasols. Furnished outdoor terraces are perfect places to relax, overlooking the beautiful gardens, filled with marguerites, cape daisies, lavender and honeysuckle. And beyond there's the tennis court with its stunning views to the coast, not to mention 30 hectares of delightful orchards and fields, olive and oak forests to explore.
And that's not all! All meals are prepared by the chef who will also do the shopping for your chosen meals too. Please note that you will need to pay for the ingredients (except for breakfasts) and that an initial float (of 500 euros) will be required on arrival. Please see the Notes (right) for full details. The chef has been here for fifteen years now, is a superb cook and will create a different, but always delicious, three course dinner for you every day (except Sundays). Suggestions are provided in advance of your stay. A typical menu might be, for example, langoustine with tomato and tarragon, rack of lamb and a mouth-watering chocolate and pear tart.
Breakfast is also excellent, with bread and croissants baked daily on the premises, fruit, yogurts, ham, cereal and freshly-squeezed orange juice, all beautifully laid out in the dining room. A light lunch (a simple plate of cheeses, salad, smoked meats, fruit) is also served every day (except Sunday) as is afternoon tea with cakes. Children's suppers can be arranged.
And there's plenty to do around and about. Go walking on one of the many mountain trails, ride out across the hills (horses are usually available at the nearby riding school), play golf on one of region's golf courses, explore the nearby village of Gaucin or the hilltop castle in Jimena de la Frontera. A drive north over the spectacular mountain road will quickly bring you to Ronda, probably the most famous of Andalucia's hilltop towns with its spectacular gorge, bridge and Spain's oldest bullring. Visit the beautiful beaches on the Costa de la Luz, a 90-minute drive from here, or those on the Mediterranean's Costa del Sol, just 40 minutes away. You can even combine your stay with a foray to Morocco - the fast boat from Tarifa to Tangiers takes just 40 minutes.
This is no average villa rental: every detail has been carefully thought of, from the inclusion of pool towels, tennis racquets and balls, to the freshly-filled vases of roses. The rental even comes complete with a resident cat!
The property has received enthusiastic reviews from both clients and press, the likes of House and Garden, the Sunday Times and Conde Nast Traveller. "A magnificent Andalusian home ... the interior more than exceeds the promise of the exterior: at every turn you admire sumptuously decorated rooms where stylish decor blends with lovely antiques ... Guests return in the evening to drinks and tapas on the patio followed by a delectable set three-course dinner ... ", says one travel guide.
Or, in the words of one guest who stayed here, "stunning setting, great atmosphere, excellent food, very charming rooms, views, great pool, peace, tranquility. We had a wonderful stay!"
Contact Us
Would you like to book this property? Any questions? We are here to help
00 34 958 763 381
Property Details
Ground Floor :
Entrance hall
Sitting room
Dining room
Kitchen
Furnished terrace
Dining terrace
Gardens and grounds
First Floor :
4 bedrooms :
2 doubles both with en-suite bathrooms
2 twin bedded both with en-suite bathrooms
Lower Ground Floor :
Snooker room (with full size table)
Laundry room
Facilities
Satellite TV (Free to view) • DVD • CD Player • Internet connection (dial up only so very slow) • Books & DVD's available
Open fireplaces in the living room and dining room • Underfloor heating in the bathrooms • Radiators in all bedrooms • Electric underblankets in all bedrooms • Ceiling Fans
The kitchen is designed and equipped to commercial standards with all neccessary appliances. It is not a domestic kitchen and best left to the chef and staff who provide all meals, every day except Sundays
2 Washing Machines • Tumble Dryer • Iron & board
All linen (including bathrobes & pool towels) is provided • Hairdryers • Cot & Highchair available (on request)
Filtered swimming pool (6 m x 6 m, 1.5 m deep)
Pool terrace • Gardens & Grounds • Sunbeds • Sunshades • Pool shower • Barbecue • Outdoor dining and garden furniture • Parking
Snooker table (with cues, balls)
Shared use (with other cottages on the estate) of :
Tennis Court (racquets and balls can be provided)
Notes
The property is available for rental from late May through to the beginning of October. The swimming pool is open throughout this period
A weekly change of linen and towels is included for rentals of more than one week
Gourmet food (breakfast, light lunch, afternoon tea and dinner) are prepared for you by the chef each day, except on Sundays.
There is no charge for this service for guests staying at the villa (or for the shopping), but clients are required to pay for the ingredients. The chef will require an initial float of 500 euros (payable in cash on your arrival) and at the end of each week will present you with an itemised bill for the ingredients purchased. Any balance owing must also be paid in cash
Most ingredients are available locally but if you ask for things which have to be brought up from the coast (specialised fish etc) then a transport cost will be included
If you wish to invite additional guests to dinner, there will be a charge for the extra work required from the chef and her staff (payable locally)
Housekeeping and garden & pool maintenance are also provided on six days each week (not Sundays)
Additional services (eg. babysitting, laundry service) are available on request (payable locally)
There is a resident cat
Rentals for this property normally run from Saturday to Saturday
Location
In open countryside, 4 km from Gaucin (most facilities)
Ronda 45 mins; Marbella 45 mins; Gibraltar 1 hr; Málaga 1¼ hrs; Jerez 2 hrs; Sevilla 2½ hrs
See the location map above
Airports
Gibraltar 1 hr; Málaga 1¼ hrs; Jerez 2 hrs; Sevilla 2½ hrs
See our Links Page for web sites of airlines traveling to Andalucia from the UK.
Car Hire
We offer competitive rates for car hire from Málaga and other airports in Andalucia. Click here for full details
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About the Ronda Mountains
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