The English owners of this villa have always loved the area and used to holiday here when they worked abroad. Such was their affinity for the region that they decided to build a house in their favourite spot. They bought the land and its surrounds in 1999 and the house was finished in 2001. The family stay here as often as they can which gives the villa a certain warm ambience, a tell-tale sign of a proper home.

The house is very easy to find from Ronda town, the route is a short distance, about fifteen minutes in the car. Drive past fields of black bulls (you know you really are in Spain!) and turn into a private estate off the main road. Follow a tarmac road for 1km through an estate of Spanish oaks and herds of glossy, brown cattle grazing in the paddocks. Electric gates open up to a gravel drive which takes you to the entrance courtyard of the villa.

The house is built with a south-facing covered veranda at the back of the house, to take maximum advantage of the sun and the beautiful views of the Serranía Ronda. Large birds of prey circle on the thermal currents above the mountains and are a common sight throughout the year. Spotting eagles while having lunch on the terrace adds something a little special to the day.

The terrace dining table has seating for eight and three double, French windows lead directly into the living room. There is also direct access from the kitchen to the terrace. The patch of bare earth close to the house is known as an era; it's a threshing floor which is over a hundred years old. As eras are usually circular, this one is unusual for its square shape.

The living room is spacious and sunny, made cosy with two large sofas, tasteful rugs and a wood-burner that is set within the open fireplace. Antique furniture, some from the owners' time in the far-east, give this room a distinctly colonial country house flavour. The Edwardian dining table (before being extended) seats six very comfortably.

The living room has double doors for access into a less formal, light and airy kitchen/diner. The dining table here seats six and is a cheery hub of the house, ideal for family breakfasts. You'll probably want to spend most of your holiday meals eating al fresco, which is easy to do as French doors lead directly onto the rear, south-facing terrace. With its quarry tiled floor, cushion-covered bay window seat and dresser full of pretty china, this dining area has a country kitchen feel. Although the house has central heating, a woodburning stove provides extra warmth in the cooler months.

The kitchen itself is neat and bright with its white units. It has an American-style fridge freezer with ice-making facilities, an electric oven topped by a four-ring gas hob, dishwasher and extra freezer. The washing machine is situated in the garage, close by.

One of the three double bedrooms is situated on the ground floor. Although it doesn't have its own en suite facilities, the ground floor bathroom is nearby. The bedroom is a good size with plenty of room for a desk at the window, a wardrobe and chest of drawers. An antique radio casing houses a CD player.

The ground floor bathroom, with its view to the pool, is smartly decorated with blue and white tiles. It has a walk-in shower, wc, bidet and sink. As well as the bathroom, there is a convenient ground floor cloakroom with a wc and hand basin.

The final room to mention on the ground floor is a study, ideal for an hour or two's retreat, or if you prefer, it can be converted into a double bedroom to allow for a couple of extra guests during your stay. Like all the other rooms in the house, it is spacious and airy, with a large window which has a view to the pool. This room, and others in the villa, houses a wide selection of books from thrillers to classics, you'll not be short of reading material here. Alternatively, you could spend some private time on the internet (good signal Wifi is available throughout the house). The oriental artwork is from Hong Kong where the owners lived for many years, the oil paintings are by artists local to Ronda.