Superbly situated, on a hilltop with stunning 360º views, this converted 19th Century farmhouse is now a beautiful villa which exudes quality, comfort and style ...
There is nothing - and nobody - else around as far as the eye can see, just splendid mountain scenery in every direction.
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.
The gardens are richly planted with orange, lemon, pomegranate, fig, quince, cypress and olive trees, lavender, rosemary and other Mediterranean delights.
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 gravelled 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 a very comfortable home, completely refurbished with excellent good taste.
Originally a 19th Century farmhouse – and, from all accounts, a stop-over for banderos travelling with their contraband between the coast and Granada – it is now completely refurbished with excellent good taste.
Fresh and modern in style, it remains 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.
There's satellite TV and DVD, a good quality HiFi system and WiFi internet connection. The house has under-floor heating throughout.
The TV receives free-to-view programmes as well as Spanish stations and there’s DVD and a good quality Hi Fi stereo system. There are lots of 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.
Both have direct access from the gardens, but note that from indoors, the furthest one can only be reached by passing through the first one.
Top quality beds, bedding and furnishings are common to all of the bedrooms as are crafted, built-in wooden wardrobes and cupboards.
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.
Choose from two different terrace spaces for your al-fresco meals. One looks over the lakes to the southern mountains beyond, the other to the peaks of Sierra Nevada.
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, cypress 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!
The bathing terrace offers plenty of sunbathing space around the lovely, 12m x 6m heated swimming pool. Shade is provided by a cane-roofed pergola.
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 heated 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.
A relaxing and beautiful villa in a splendid countryside location, it's ideally placed for trips to Granada or to the Mediterranean coast.
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, rural 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.
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. It’s a wonderful place just to stroll around.
The Mediterranean Coast is just as easy to get to, offering beaches and seaside pleasures at the 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 wide, sandy beaches of Nerja and the Costa del Sol.
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.
All this, and a villa of the highest quality in a splendid countryside location to return to, one of the most relaxing and beautiful in all Spain … it all adds up to a great holiday!
All the facts and features about this villa
The swimming pool will be open throughout the summer and will close for the winter from the end of October until the end of March.
*Pool Heating: The pool heater is used to extend the swimming season into spring (May) and autumn (September & October). The pool will be closed during winter months.
The property is cleaned and linens changed weekly.
A cook and child minder are available at this property – on request.
Prices are inclusive of firewood.
Please, no smoking in the house.
For smaller parties (up to six people), there is a reduced price, based on the use of 3 bedrooms. The other bedrooms will not be made up and will not be available during your stay.
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.
Pool heating, if required is charged at 100 Euros per week. If you would like pool heating please contact us in advance of your booking as the owner needs a few days notice prior to your arrival to heat the pool. (See notes above regarding pool heating).
RB/VTAR/GR/00687
| 2023 Season Dates | Sleeping up to 10 per week |
|---|---|
| 4th January to 24th March | 2,000 € |
| 25th March to 26th May | 3,500 € |
| 27th May to 25th August | 4,500 € |
| 26th August to 27th October | 3,500 € |
| 28th October to 8th December | 2,000 € |
| 09th December to 3th January 2024 | 3,500 € |
| 2024 Season Dates | Sleeping up to 10 per week |
|---|---|
| 4th January to 24th March | 2,200 € |
| 25th March to 26th May | 3,800 € |
| 27th May to 25th August | 4,800 € |
| 26th August to 27th October | 3,800 € |
| 28th October to 8th December | 2,200 € |
| 09th December to 3th January 2025 | 3,800 € |
In open countryside, 3 minutes from Saleres (only basic facilities), 5 minutes from Restábal (only basic facilities); 10 km from Dúrcal (all facilities) in El Valle de Lecrín region (Province of Granada).
