"Catifalarga" has a spectacular location
high on the mountainside above the Moorish village of Capileira. There are fantastic
views of the surrounding countryside, the river gorge, the southern sierras and
the Mediterranean in the far distance.
Run by the mercurial Luismi and his well-meaning
staff, those in search of something other than a conventional hotel will
warm to this whimsical place on the mountainside.
The establishment's
slightly eccentric character might mean that the something or other may go amusingly
awry but that is part-and-parcel of Catifalarga's charm.
The experience begins
with a somewhat uneven but not long drive up from the road leading up to the National
Park from pretty Capileira. There's no reception but guests will find a member
of staff in the gardens, the kitchen or the bar. This is reached from ample parking up a stairway,
off which the accommodation is distributed.
A lot of skill and workmanship in traditional materials of stone and
chestnut has gone into renovating the original cortijo and adding
the rooms and apartments. All are well-furnished and tastefully decorated, with Moroccan features such
as inlaid tables or polished copper handbasins. Apartment kitchens and bathrooms
are decorated in Granada blue-and-white, set off by walls painted in ochre. All
enjoy the same splendid views, in some instances from a private terrace.
There are three levels to Catifalarga and access to terraces and wild mountain
gardens. The bar doubles as a breakfast-and-dining
room and continues to an outside terrace for meals outside in warm weather. There's
also a spacious guest room / public bar with sofas and an open fireplace.
Most
Thursday evenings, the place resounds to the rhythms of local flamenco artists
and, from time to time, other live music is offered and local people come to dance
and enjoy themselves. The bar terrace is also the best place to view the fabulous night stars - shooting
stars, as well!
You will be assured of a friendly welcome at this rural lodging. It's just 1
km from the village and a good departure point for hikes. A small swimming pool is open in the summer months.
And one other good thing: over the past couple of years, they have learned how to cook! The restaurant is, these days, very good indeed, arguably the best in the higher Alpujarras.
