Property Description
Set amid its own 150 acre estate of beautiful woodlands and looking out over the blue and green hills of the Parque Natural de la Sierra de Aracena, this is a truly wonderful villa, almost Tuscanesque in style.
Idyllic country retreats don't come much better than this. The British owners, as charming and engaging as they are resourceful and multi-talented, have lived here for more than 16 years now, offering small scale, high quality bed and breakfast accommodation from their chosen - and not so little - corner of Andalusian paradise.
In the summer (usually for the months of July and August) the entire property is made available for rental. It comfortably sleeps twelve and the rental includes two permanent staff.
Less than an hour from Sevilla, the Estate has an enviable location, deep in the heart of one of Spain´s most beautiful nature reserves. Rolling hillsides are thickly wooded with sweet chestnut and cork oak, small groves of olives and walnuts, orchards of apples, plums, peaches, figs and pears. There are some classically pretty villages too.
From its stunning hilltop position, overlooking mile upon mile of this verdant countryside, here you will enjoy the very best that the Sierra de Aracena has to offer.
With 150 acres of woodland estate, it goes without saying that there are plenty of delightful outdoor spaces. To mention just a few, there is a lovely, vine-shaded terrace which runs along the front of the house, a cool and tranquil spot to enjoy your lunch or a late dinner under the stars.
To the side, where there is another entrance to the house, the large courtyard, resplendent with flowering shrubs and palms is another. Here you will enjoy the soft hues of green and golden nature all around, stretching out to the heather-covered escarpments on the horizon. In Spring, the valley below the house is filled with white heather, primroses and the song of nightingales.
And then there is the swimming pool … approximately 100 metres away from the main house, it is reached by a stroll along a leafy lane. With its turquoise blue waters cascading into the view beyond, the evening swallows sometimes swooping down to take a drink, the sun setting over distant hills, it really is the 'ultimate' infinity pool.
Big (11m x 8m), and gorgeous, it is flanked by a large pool house / pavilion with its own bar and comfortable indoor sitting area. There's a barbecue and basic kitchen facilities too, so there's no need to go back to the main house for refreshments. If it all gets too much, taking the occasional dip and lounging in the sunshine, don't worry, there's a double bedroom (with en-suite bathroom) right here in the pavilion …
The pink-washed walls of the main house emerge out of the oak and chestnut woods at the end of the country track which winds gently down through the estate. A much-loved family home, built by the owners themselves using materials salvaged from old buildings in the area. It looks, and feels, like it has been here for centuries.
Features such as the paneled dining room, the arched doorways and the sweeping wooden central staircase are older than the house and look wonderful. Filled with pottery, books and family knick-knacks, it's a happy and eclectic mix of both Latin and Anglo-Saxon influences.
Downstairs, the principal rooms include a large, comfortable drawing room with cosy, rosy sofas distributed around the fireplace, the pine-paneled, candlelit dining room, a well-equipped farmhouse kitchen (the owner is a wonderful and renown cook), the conservatory (with a grand piano and a bar as well as panoramic views) and a study.
The laundry room, a cloakroom, the entrance hall and the two outdoor terraces complete this floor.
In keeping with the rest of the house, all the bedrooms are charming and attractively decorated, each with its own character and distinction, whether due to hand-painted walls, oriental hangings, a bath tub with a view, or a fireplace. Windows open to the oaks and chestnuts of the forest … and to the glorious sound of silence.
The Master Suite (a double with en-suite bathroom and balcony) is on the first floor. Two other double bedrooms (one has an adjoining sitting room which can be converted into an additional twin bedroom, if preferred) and two other bathrooms are also on this floor.
A twin bedroom with en-suite bathroom, a double (which can be unzipped to twins if preferred) and three more bathrooms are one flight further up. Also on this second floor are two smaller bedrooms which are best designated for children or staff.
And, just in case that's not enough bedrooms for you, don't forget that there's a double bedroom (the beds can be unzipped into twins), with en-suite bathroom, in the poolside pavilion.
Even though it's set deep within breathtakingly beautiful countryside, the property offers most 21st Century mod-cons, including satellite TV (BBC, Sky News, CNN, ITN etc. as well as BBC radio stations and Spanish terrestrial channels), a video and DVD player. There is internet connection (via satellite), telephone and fax. Domestic help is included in the price and an excellent cook can be provided by arrangement.
There’s lots to keep one occupied in this wonderful part of Andalucía. The lovely town of Aracena, with its Moorish castle and stunning underground caves, its weekly market, theatre and music concerts, is only a few minutes' drive away. There are a host of pretty, whitewashed villages to explore in the hills all around and opportunities to walk, ride or bird watch galore.
There are excellent restaurants in the vicinity and, throughout May to September, there are fiestas or romerias almost every weekend in the nearby villages. The women don their flamenco dresses, the caballeros sit astride their horses and there is, of course, always a huge party!
Then there's Portugal, somehow a different world away, yet just 60 kilometres from here. And if you crave urban adventure, the marvelous city of Sevilla is just an hour and a quarter away.
However, be warned, Alastair Sawday, publisher of the Special Places to Stay guides, chose this as one of his twenty favourite hideaways with charm. You may just become so relaxed here that you won't venture out at all.
Contact Us
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00 34 958 763 381
Property Details
Ground Floor :
Entrance hall
Guest cloakroom
Drawing room
Dining room
Study
Conservatory (with bar)
Farmhouse kitchen
Laundry room
Shaded terrace (furnished)
Walled courtyard (furnished)
First Floor :
3 bedrooms :
Nº 1 Master suite (double bedroom with en-suite bathroom and balcony)
Nº 2 Double room
Nº 3 Small double bedroom with an adjoining sitting room (which can be converted to a small twin bedroom (Nº 4)
2 bathrooms
Second Floor :
4 bedrooms :
Nº's 5 & 6 are staff (or children's bedrooms)
Nº 7 is twin-bedded with an en-suite bathroom
Nº 8 is a double (which can be unzipped to twins) with a small dressing alcove
3 bathrooms
Pool House :
1 double bedroom with en-suite bathroom (beds can be unzipped into twins)
Facilities
Satellite TV (Free to view) • CD / Radio • Telephone • Fax • WiFi Internet (bring your own laptop) • Grand Piano • Honesty Bar • Selection of books
Open fireplace in the drawing room • Central Heating • Portable Fans
Electric Oven • Gas hob (5 rings) • Microwave • Fridge / freezer • Dishwasher • Toaster • Juicer • Kettle • Coffee machine • Cooking utensils • Cutlery • Crockery
Washing Machine • Iron & board
All linen is provided (but not pool towels) • Hairdryer • Cot & Highchair available (on request)
Filtered swimming pool (11 m x 8 m, 1.0 m - 2.10 m deep)
Pool terrace • Gardens • Grounds • Sunbeds • Sunshades • Pool shower • 2 Barbecues • Outdoor dining and garden furniture • Parking
Notes
Weather permitting, the swimming pool will be open from May until September, inclusive
The maximum party size is restricted to twelve, notwithstanding that there is bedroom capacity for more
Prices are inclusive of a maid who makes the beds, cleans the house and does laundry (Mondays to Fridays) & staff who look after the pool, gardens and grounds
A cook can be provided by arrangement
Start and finishing days for this property are flexible
Location
Reached by a 1 km unpaved track (easily negotiable in an ordinary car), 2 km from Los Marines (basic facilities); 6 km from Aracena (all facilities; restaurants; banks etc)
Sevilla 1¼ hrs; Atlantic Coast 1½ hours
See the location map above
Airports
Sevilla 1½ hrs; Jerez 2½ hrs; Faro (on the Algarve Coast in Portugal) 2½ hrs; Málaga 3½ 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 Sevilla and other airports in Andalucia. Click here for full details
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About the La Sierra de Aracena
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