Property Description
This beautiful home on a hilltop has a gorgeous countryside location, deep in the heart of what the Moors rightly called "the Valley of Happiness". Just a couple of kilometres above the unspoiled village of Restábal, it's midway between Granada to the north and the Mediterranean coast to the south. Both are an easy 30 minute drive away.
There is nothing - and nobody - else around as far as the eye can see, just splendid mountain scenery in every direction. The nearest neighbour is a kilometre away. The lakes at Beznar (actually it's a reservoir but who would ever know the difference) are clearly visible from the front of the house, enclosed by the southern mountains which rise up spectacularly before crashing into the Mediterranean Sea beyond.
To the side, and from the pool, the views are equally fabulous, over patchwork fields and orange and lemon groves to the snow capped peaks of Sierra Nevada which rises up dramatically across the horizon.
Just a few minutes drive through the dales and then up into the hills from the centre of the village, access couldn't be easier. A private (concreted) lane takes you right to the front gates of the villa. There's plenty of parking space on the graveled courtyard in front.
One enters through the villa's gates to an attractively planted central courtyard, the bright colours of the pretty flowerbeds competing for attention with the azure blue pool gleaming up from the terrace just below. A palm tree sways gently in the breeze, its base festooned with red geraniums, the hillsides down and below the house (it's a two acre estate) are richly planted with orange, lemon, almond and olive trees. It's heavenly …
Originally a 19th Century farmhouse, it is now completely refurbished with excellent good taste, fresh and modern in style yet suitably traditional with its terracotta floors, wrought iron window grilles, wooden interior shutters and its lovely old, weather-beaten roof tiles.
The huge, timber-beamed living / dining room is fabulous with big windows and double French doors opening to the outside on three sides.
Like the rest of the house, it's very comfortable with two plump white sofas and matching armchairs gathered around the wooden coffee table in front of the fireplace. On the other side of the room a lovely old oak table can seat ten for dinner. Attractive original paintings and other classy furnishings complete a lovely room.
The TV receives free-to-view programmes (BBC, ITV etc) as well as Spanish stations and there's DVD and a good quality Hi Fi stereo system. There are lots of CD's, magazines and books to choose from, plus WiFi internet connection. The house has under-floor heating throughout.
On its fourth side, the living room opens through to a superbly equipped and very attractive kitchen. Everything is of the highest quality and there's not a chef in the land who wouldn't be happy here.
There's lots of marble-topped work space, a large electric oven, five ring gas hob, an eye-level grill / microwave combination, Magimix, a huge fridge / freezer, double sinks, dishwasher and even a warming oven too - to complement all the usual kitchen bits and pieces.
It's a kitchen which is a real pleasure to be in. Just around the corner, beyond and to the side of the living room, a beautiful, antique sideboard is home to hotplates and there is also a little, self-contained drinks area with a separate fridge, wine rack and lots of quality glasses. You will wine and dine in style here!
Also on the ground floor, one wing of the villa has been converted into a bedroom suite, perfect, perhaps, for the children. There are two attractive bedrooms, both with small (4'6") double beds, separated by the walk-in shower room which they share. Both bedrooms have double doors which open to the courtyard and gardens outside.
Please note that, unless accessed from the gardens, the furthest one can only be reached by passing through the first one.
Stairs, guarded by two splendid, stone-carved ridgebacks on either side, lead up to the three main bedrooms on the first floor.
To the right (the stairs divide) is the lovely master bedroom suite with its 5' wide double bed and dressing table, pretty prints and paintings under its beamed, sloping ceiling. Its en-suite walk-in shower room is equally spacious and welcoming.
To the left, a mezzanine landing leads to the other two bedrooms (one with a 6' king-sized double bed with Tempur mattress, the other with a 5' wide double bed). Both are big and attractively furnished rooms; both have excellent en-suite facilities (one has a walk-in shower room, the other has a bath tub with the shower over).
Top quality beds, bedding and furnishings are common to all of the bedrooms as are crafted, built-in wooden wardrobes and cupboards, and pretty rugs or carpets on the floors. The three upstairs bedrooms have heated towel rails in their en-suite bathrooms.
All have ceiling fans and fly netting on the windows so they can be left open, keeping everything fresh and cool even on the warmest of nights. The insulation provided by the thick, original farmhouse walls helps too.
The gardens and terraces around the house have been attractively planted with orange, lemon, pomegranate, fig, quince, cyprus and olive trees, lavender, rosemary. oleander and many other Mediterranean delights. They are immaculately maintained.
At the front, a wide, shaded terrace runs along the length of the villa, with ample space for both al-fresco dining around the granite-topped table (seating ten) and more casual relaxation in one of several cane armchairs. There is a free standing barbecue.
These areas look out, across the front gardens (which include lots of herbs so there are some divine aromas to enjoy too), over the lakes below and to the southern mountains beyond. There are worse places to be!
A pathway leads around the house to the courtyard on the other side, an equally pleasant place to be. This also has outdoor dining facilities (another granite-topped table which seats 10) and views to match. There is a bench placed between the olive trees where your gaze will take in the peaks of Sierra Nevada on the horizon.
A laundry room is accessed from this courtyard, with a washing machine, dryer and drying rack.
A few steps lead down to the bathing terrace just below, which offers plenty of sunbathing space around the gorgeous 12 m x 6 m swimming pool. There are six wooden sunbeds and two sun chairs. If you prefer a little shade, that's provided too by the cane-roofed pergola. The pool is not accessible to small children as it is surrounded by wrought iron railings and gates with a bolt.
Restábal is a small and still very authentic rural village located at an altitude of 550 metres near Lake Beznar in the Lecrín Valley. It's only a small village of around 500 people but it has a restaurant, a bank, a coffee bar, a pharmacy and two minimarkets. Hiking up into the hillsides is a joy with trails to other villages and, from higher up, views which extend to the distant Mediterranean.
The surrounding countryside is a vast semi-tropical valley, filled with orange and lemon trees as well as olive, fig and almond trees. It's real Andalucía yet so close to sophisticated Granada and the buzzing Mediterranean coast. There are several other villages in the valley which offer shopping, restaurants, bars and lots of history.
The nearby village of Albuñuelas is the highest village in the valley, with a weekly market and several historic buildings, including a 14th Century Moorish Tower. Melegís offers two restaurants and holds the three-day festival of San Juan in late June. From Chite you can walk down to Lake Beznar. Talará contains the ruins of an Arab castle.
Dúrcal is the biggest - a small town these days - offering a weekly farmers' market, many stores, plenty of nightlife and access to the Sierra Nevada Parque Natural.
Granada is, of course, a beautiful Moorish city with the superb palaces and gardens of the Alhambra and the Generalife, the old Islamic/Jewish Quarter of the Albaicín, a wide variety of restaurants, theatres and cinemas, good shopping and many cultural pursuits as well as its own bullring.
You can drive to the picturesque Alpujarras or visit the magnificent Sierra Nevada with its world-class skiing less than an hour’s drive away. The ski station, located at an elevation of 2,100 metres, hosted the World Championships in 1997 and 2000 and has 19 lifts and 61 kilometres of pistes, plus extensive snow-making equipment.
The Mediterranean Coast is easily reached and offers beaches and seaside pleasures at many coastal villages and towns. The closest is Salobreña with Almuñecar and the pretty horseshoe bay of La Herradura beyond. Keep going along the Costa Tropical for the sandy beaches of Nerja and the Costa del Sol where Málaga and Marbella await you!
All this, and a villa of the highest quality in a stunning countryside location to return to, one of the most relaxing and beautiful in all Spain … it all adds up to a great holiday!
Contact Us
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Property Details
Ground Floor :
Large living / dining room
Kitchen
Guest cloakroom /W.C.
2 bedrooms, both with small (4' 6" wide) double beds, both with access to the courtyard and gardens. These are suitable for wheel chair access. Please note that one can only be accessed from inside the house via the other bedroom
Bathroom (walk-in shower, no bath tub)
Laundry Room (accessed from the courtyard)
Gardens, covered furnished terrace and furnished courtyard (part covered)
First Floor :
3 double bedrooms:
(1) Master bedroom with 5' wide double bed, with en-suite walk-in shower room
(2) Double bedroom with 6' king-sized double bed,
with en-suite walk-in shower room
(3) Double bedroom with 5' wide double bed, with en-suite bathroom (shower over bath tub)
Facilities
Satellite TV (Free-to-view, BBC, ITV etc. & Spanish stations) • DVD • Hi Fi Audio • WiFi Internet (bring your own laptop) • Selection of CD's, books and magazines
Open fireplace in the living room (logs are included) • Under floor central heating throughout • Ceiling fans in all bedrooms
Large electric oven • Gas hob (5 rings) • Eye-level grill / microwave combination • Warming oven • Fridge / freezer • Dishwasher • Magimix • Mixer • Toaster • Juicer • Kettle • Coffee maker • Cooking utensils • Cutlery • Crockery
Washing Machine • Tumble Dryer • Iron & board
All linen is provided (including pool towels) • Hairdryer • Cot & Highchair available on request
Gated, filtered swimming pool, 12 m x 6 m, 1.6 m deep) with underwater lighting
Pool terrace • Shaded pool area • Gardens • Night lighting • Sunbeds • Pool shower • Built-in barbecue • Outdoor dining and garden furniture • Outdoor parking
Notes
Weather permitting, the swimming pool will be open from May to September, inclusive
The property is cleaned and linens changed weekly
Prices are inclusive of firewood
Please, no smoking in the house
Rentals for this property normally run from Saturday to Saturday in peak months. During the rest of the year rental starting and finishing days are flexible
Location
In open countryside, 3 minutes from Saleres (only basic facilities), 5 minutes from Restábal (only basic facilities); 10 km from Dúrcal (all facilities)
Granada 30 mins; Costa Tropical 30 mins; Sierra Nevada Ski Resort 1 hr; Malaga 1½ hrs
See the location map above
Airports
Granada 40 mins; Málaga 2 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
Find Out More
About the El Valle de Lecrín
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