Described by one client as "the most beautiful house I've ever seen" this is a place to drink in the views, pour yourself a glass of cava and slip into celebratory mood ...
Views are inspirational, the little infinity pool amazing, the house decorated and furnished with great style and imagination.
Hidden away in a forest just above the traditional white village of Montecorto, just 15 minutes to the north-west of Ronda, this delightfully romantic hideaway is sculpted around a limestone outcrop, its huge rocks ingeniously integrated into the design of the house. As one client put it, ” I think this is the most beautiful house I’ve ever seen.”
Views are inspirational, the little infinity pool amazing, the house decorated and furnished with great style and imagination.
With its extensive collection of paintings, music, films and books, this is a place to drink in the views, pour yourself a glass of cava and slip into celebratory mood. Here your spirits will soar!
At the very top of the village, you reach the house via a steep track which arcs up through the forest to a mountain spring. From here a narrow path flanked by rosemary, lavender, honeysuckle and mint climbs up to the house’s main entrance.
The limestone outcrop on which the house is built has been beautifully incorporated into its interior design.
Looking quintessentially Andaluz from the outside, once you pass through the door a wonderful architectural surprise awaits you … the limestone outcrop on which the house is built has been beautifully incorporated into its interior design.
The mountainside has been wrapped into the fabric of the building and its huge rocks, planted out with cacti and succulents, add a stunning decorative element.
It’s a house where fantasy came first in its design brief.
A pyramidal atrium is the visual axis around which the open-plan lounge / diner / kitchen turns: sunlight floods in during the day and you look up to starry skies at night. Your eye is immediately drawn to the stunning, wrap-around views of the peaks of the Grazalema National Park.
In the heart of some of Spain's most spectacular mountain scenery, it's an exquisite vista to behold.
Here you really feel you are on top of the world; right in the heart of some of Spain’s most spectacular mountain scenery, it’s an exquisite vista to behold.
Three huge drop-arched windows lead out to a wonderful terrace which enjoys the best of these superb views.
It’s a terrace to die for … at one end is the gorgeous little infinity-edge plunge pool, its azure blue waters seeming to merge into the distant mountains and the sky above.
Add the fragrant herb garden just beyond the pool, a second comfortable seating / dining area and a lovely solarium (accessed by a little path up from the pool) with shade provided by an Australian sail and an old carob tree, and you are going to find it very difficult to tear yourselves away from this divine spot.
A pyramidal atrium is the visual axis of the house. Sunlight floods in during the day and you look up to starry skies at night.
The transition between outdoor and indoor living is seamless. The living room, kitchen / diner and study are one huge open space with each window offering a new aspect of the stunning southerly views.
The clever use of light and space is fully complemented by carefully chosen, comfortable furnishings and bright, eclectic paintings, a fascinating mix of oriental, contemporary and African art, the colours inspired by the Mahgreb. There’s satellite TV and a huge collection of CD’s (flamenco, blues, jazz, classical, world, folk) and DVD’s for you to enjoy.
And hundreds of really good books too (including those written by the property’s owner), maps and an iMac computer with free 24 hour Internet connection which is housed in the study.
The kitchen / diner is as attractive as the rest, with its black slate floors lots of space and everything you need to self-cater in style. There are masses of herbs and spices. A good bottle of red wine will be awaiting you as well as a bottle of cava in the fridge.
Delightful local lady, Paqui, looks after the house, spending an hour late each weekday morning cleaning, making the beds and keeping everything neat and tidy for you. But, if you prefer her not to come – no problem.
There are two bedrooms. The large master bedroom with its king-size double bed and walk-in wardrobe is really romantic – Moroccan in style with rugs, wall hangings and rich colours.
It is reached via a staircase that winds down through the rocks. It has a really comfortable bed with an excellent mattress as well as a thinner top mattress (Scandinavian style). If you’ve never slept on a bed like this you’ll be amazed. Linen is top quality and light Indian quilts are supplied as well as blankets. There is a huge walk-in wardrobe with masses of shelf and hanging space.
The bedroom has a fabulous view out to the mountains: the house was designed with a slightly lower-than-average window so that you can laze in bed and lap up the view, waking each day to a stunning, panoramic view of the Grazalema peaks.
The bathroom, with its huge round tub sculpted between the rocks, is amazing. Run a bath, pour in the oils, light a candle: there’s plenty of room for two!
Also on this floor is the amazing bathroom. Another flight of fantasy with its huge round tub sculpted between the rocks and an enormous shower rose (specially made for the house in the Fez medina). The huge window has also been designed so that you can lie in the bath tub and look at the distant peaks of the Grazalema Park.
There is a long wooden dressing table / sink with masses of space for all your soaps, creams etc. And even in the bathroom there are framed prints, some from India, others from Spain. And lots of potted plants.
The light scree floor, the rock and the views help make this a truly memorable bathroom – one you will never forget. Run a bath, pour in the essential oils, light a candle: there’s plenty of room for two!
This is a delectable place to hide away with a loved one, a perfect place for a first (or second) honeymoon …
At the very top of the house, reached by a staircase that winds between the rocks, is a second, smaller double bedroom. Also really romantic it has been decorated in the greens and blues that are typical of Moroccan Riad design. It has a door leading out to a top roof terrace.
Private and secluded, hidden away amongst stands of bamboo, olive and almond trees, this is a delectable place to hide away with a loved one, a perfect place for a first (or second) honeymoon …
Honeymoon or not, most guests who stay here don’t move very far. Watching the sun setting over the mountains with a glass of Rioja in hand is very special … and with so many books, CD’s and DVD’s to enjoy, you may just want to stay home and abandon yourself to the peace and beauty.
You can stroll down to the village shops and bars but you may just want to stay home and abandon yourself to the peace and beauty.
There is nothing to disturb your intimacy here yet you can stroll down to the village in less than ten minutes.
Montecorto, just below the house, is home to 950 people, two restaurants, a number of bars, several small shops – there is a bank, chemists, post office and a doctor’s surgery – and very friendly locals. Just wander down from the house through its little streets to buy fresh bread, fish and vegetables, not forgetting to stop at Pepe’s huerta (vegetable garden) on the way back to buy fresh, seasonal organic produce.
For trips out, you are spoilt for choice here. Ronda is just a quarter of an hour away. With its extraordinary gorge, mansion houses, quaint narrow streets and Spain’s oldest bullring, it is well worth visiting.
There are a number of larger supermarkets as well as other interesting shops and excellent restaurants including the Michelin-starred “Tragabuches”. A short drive away, in Zahara, is the excellent ‘Al Lago’ restaurant.
Whether chilling out, recharging your batteries or exploring the treasure-trove of delights that Andalucía has to offer.
Quite apart from the wonderful countryside all around and the natural treasure-trove of the nearby National Park, it’s also an ideal location for exploring much of the best that Andalucía has to offer. Apart from Ronda, of course, Grazalema and the other pueblos blancos of Cádiz province (Arcos de la Frontera, Zahara and Setenil) are close at hand, and it’s not so far, either to Jerez, Cádiz, Sevilla or to the wonderful beaches of both the Atlantic coast and the Mediterranean Sea.
Acinipo is a spectacular Roman theatre, hewn out of solid limestone standing on a high plateau just above the village. And the magnificent Grazalema National Park begins, literally, on your doorstep. One of the most beautiful tracks of mountain anywhere in Europe, it offers fabulous walking.
The property’s owner leads guided walks in the area. His own walking guide, “Walking in Andalucía” has become a trusted companion for thousands of walkers.
The book (there is always a copy in the house) including six fabulous walks in the nearby countryside.
The area around Grazalema and Ronda is a great place for bird watching, especially for spotting the big raptors. There are binoculars and guide books at the house and guided trips can be arranged with an excellent, English-speaking ornithologist.
For the more energetic, there are all manner of activities to enjoy.
And, when you return here, what a reward for your day’s exercise. Just above the village and looking out to a heavenly panorama of mountain, hill and wooded slopes, this “House of the Rocks” is a really lovely, unforgettable hideaway-for-two.
Whether chilling out, recharging your batteries, or as a base for walking through the magnificent countryside, this is the ultimate place “just to be”.
All the facts and features about these villas
Weather permitting, the plunge pool will be open throughout the year (although, because it’s not heated, the normal swimming season is from late April to September, inclusive)
The house is built on several different levels and there are some steep slopes around and about so it is not suitable for children, the elderly or infirm
Rentals for this property normally run from Saturday to Saturday
Prices are inclusive of one hour of morning housekeeping, Monday to Friday). This is optional, if you prefer to be left alone, this is not a problem
No suitablo for chikldren under 12
Please, no smoking indoors
See Terms and Conditions for full details.
RB/29821AAG0A
| 2024 Season Dates | Week up to two | Week up to four |
|---|---|---|
| 6th January to 23rd February | 1,300 € | 1,560 € |
| 24th February to 25th October | 1,560 € | 1,820 € |
| 26th October to 06th December | 1,300 € | 1,560 € |
| 07th December to 10th January 2025 | 1,560 € | 1,820 € |
| 2024 Season Dates | Week up to two | Week up to four |
|---|---|---|
| 4th January to 21st February | 1,300 € | 1,560 € |
| 22nd February to 24th October | 1,560 € | 1,820 € |
| 25th October to 05th December | 1,300 € | 1,560 € |
| 06th December to 2nd January 2026 | 1,560 € | 1,820 € |
In the village of Montecorto (simple shopping, bar / restaurants, bank, pharmacy etc.) in the Ronda Mountains region (Province of Málaga).
