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What will the weather be like?
Detailed information on Spain and its climate, as well as reliable up-to-date weather forecasts are published on the Spanish National Meteorological Agency’s site (click on the province to which you are travelling). If you like, you can contact us before you arrive to ask us for the weather forecast: we will be pleased to inform you.
How do I book my holiday?
Explained in simple, clear terms here
What are your booking conditions?
These are clearly explained in our Terms and conditions.
How do I get there?
The nearest airport (and ferry port in northern Spain) and the distance to your chosen holiday destination are stated on the individual property page. Full and precise driving instructions are sent to you at the same time as your holiday balance is settled (6 weeks before you travel). You will have the contact phone number of the caretaker or property manager who meet you on arrival and give you the key. If you plan to travel by public transport and would like help with local information, please contact us.
Do you arrange flights, ferries, car rental or airport transfers?
No, we don´t. We recommend direct booking with airlines, ferries and car hire companies.
Occasionally, we may be able to help arrange airport transfers, but please ask us in well in advance.
Can I take a short break, or does it have to be a week?
Most properties have a minimum one-week booking, but some can be booked for short breaks in quieter seasons. The daily prices are available on application.
Isn’t it cheaper if I book direct?
The simple answer is: maybe - but let the buyer beware. There are three good reasons for preferring to book with Rustical Travel.
As a genuinely Spanish company (we are based in Madrid), our good working relationship with owners and low expenses translate into more competitive prices than most.
More importantly, ours is not an advertising site. Properties do not (and cannot) pay to be featured on our site. Instead, they must meet our exacting standards, pass our rigorous inspections and be special enough for us to feel we can recommend them. There are far more properties that fail to make it onto our site than those that do.
Lastly, since no direct booking with owners is a legal contract guaranteed by industry insurance, it is only as reliable as the particular owner with whom you make it.
Generally speaking, when making a holiday booking, it's better to be safe than sorry, even if you pay a little extra.
Rustical Travel is a registered property management intermediary agency with statutory insurance cover as required under European Union law. It is is a registered, bonded Travel Agency in Madrid Nº 2297.
Can we bring more people than originally booked?
If additional people wish to come on holiday with you, then you must contact us to request that we amend your booking. We make no charge for this amendment, but the increase in party size may affect the price for the property. The number of occupants must never exceed the number of people (including infants and children) that the property clearly states it can accommodate.
Are there cooking facilities and telephone at the property?
At the property you will find most of the standard appliances that you would expect to have at home, including cooker, fridge and normal kitchen equipment. Telephones are not normally installed. Where they are, this is stated on the individual property page. We can tell you if the mobile signal is good at any particular property.
Are there TV channels in English?
Unless cable or similar is indicated, TV channels are naturally likely to be in Spanish (or Catalan). If satellite TV is indicated, a few channels will be in English, and probably French & German, too. Thw widest current variety of programmes is provided by the BBC free-to-air satellite service, which will be specfiied on the individual property page if applicable.
Is there internet / WiFi?
Your selected property may have internet / WiFi coverage. If it does, this will be stated on the individual property page. Please note that the quality and reliability of a WiFi connection cannot always be guaranteed.
Are bedlinen and towels provided?
Yes, all bedding and bathroom towels are provided, although you should bring your own towels for outdoor (pool or beach) use unless pool towels are specifically indicated as included for that property.
Is cleaning included?
All our self-catering properties are properly cleaned and prepared prior to your arrival and a clean change of bedlinen and towels is provided for each new week of your holiday stay. Unless stated as included for that individual property, additional cleaning and washing is not included and you are kindly requested to leave the property in as good a condition as is reasonably possible.
Are there any extra costs?
All our rental prices include VAT and there are no extra or hidden costs. Normal domestic use of gas, electricity and water are included in the rental price. Firewood is not normally included (unless we specify otherwise) and purchasable locally. Additional services not specified as included, such as grocery shopping prior to arrival, maid service or babysitting, are payable locally.
Does it have to be a Saturday start?
Most properties on our website have clearly defined start dates. Saturday is the most common changeover day, but some properties are more flexible about this and allow you to arrive on other days. In off-peak seasons, bookings for part weeks eg 10 days, are often possible.
What is the best time of year to visit?
It’s a very good question - and it depends on where you choose to go. Northern Spain and Catalonia (see our Spain Guides) offer a different climate and experience – and culture – to Andalucia in Southern Spain.
Because of the geographical spread of the rural areas within Spain, and their differences in seasons and altitudes, the best month to opt for is not always obvious. And it is summer that provides most variety:
SUMMER
Those intent on sun and swims should generally think: June to September, while other months (April, May and October) are also very possible for swims in Andalucia. We also have properties with heated pools: please ask!
In Andalucia, the swimming pool season is long. At some villas, it can be year round. May to October is normally very warm and sunny. In Las Alpujarras, you should distinguish between the Low and the High Alpujarra. Low down in the valley, pools are open in May and October. But be higher up, in the mountains, the water temperature is too chilly (we think) before June and after September.
In Catalonia, the pool season is shorter than in Andalucia, but the Mediterranean climate gives every reason to expect a long summer.
Northern Spain – Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria – has a somewhat different, Atlantic weather system. July and August can be glorious and warm but also unsettled, and fairer weather can often be had in May, September and October. Bear in mind that we know where microclimates ensure milder weather and low rainfall and we tend to feature properties in those places.
If in doubt, ask us, and we will give you our honest opinion for any particular property.
If you have walking holidays in mind, Northern Spain and Catalonia are good all year round. But in Andalucia, the hottest summer months of July and August present a challenge, unless of course you plan to do things Spanish-style, with shortish hikes early or late in the day, balanced by an afternoon siesta...
In Andalucia, the higher mountain villages (especially in the High Alpujarra) offer the signal advantage of balmy evenings and deliciously cool nights, even at the height of summer.
Cities like Seville, Madrid, Granada and Cordoba are very hot from mid-July until the end of August. They are exciting places and wonderful to visit but it’s always a relief to return to the cooler, if still warm, environs of your rural holiday home.
If you are concerned about heat at the height of summer, we can guide you to some excellent, more clement options in the Catalonian Pyrenees, Asturias, Cantabria, Galicia, La Alpujarra and Sierra de Aracena. Having said which, even in hottest Andalucia, a shady terrace, country breezes and a pool tend to relieve the heat very satisfactorily.
The warmest areas outside of summer are the Axarquia and Aracena. These areas are remarkably mild all year round and some pools remain open and usable in winter months.
SPRING
A beautiful time of year to visit rural Spain. Days are warm and nights are cool. Wild flowers abound, the weather is kind and the countryside comes alive. Walkers flock to the mountains at this time of year. Some showers are to be expected in northern Spain, but the south is already warming up for summer and shade is welcome at midday.
AUTUMN
Perhaps the most attractive of all the seasons. The days are still sunny and warm but a welcome chill returns to the night. The rural world relaxes, trees putting on their red and orange for the occasion, nuts are ripe, wild mushrooms appear and grapes are trodden into wine. Along with spring months, this is the most popular time of year for hikers all over Spain
WINTER
For some people, especially those whowant a genuine experience of rural life free of the bustle of tourism, winter is the best time of all. Days can be remarkably dry and sunny, especially in Andalucia, and when rain falls, it brings snow to the higher peaks. Unhurried villages, healthy hikes along foot and mule paths, good country fare and log fires, offer a holiday that no other season can give.
At what time can I arrive at my property and what time do I have to leave?
Our holiday homes are cleaned and ready to be occupied by 5 pm, with arrival normally only permitted between 5 pm and 10 pm. As a courtesy to the owner or their caretaker, please let Rustical Travel know your estimated arrival time, and advise the contact person in your directions (not Rustical Travel) if you are delayed. If you wish to arrive earlier than 5 pm, or are unable to arrive before 10 pm, it is essential that you contact us to ask if this may be permitted. We will try to arrange it for you, but you should be aware that it is not always possible. Unless you have made alternative arrangements with the owners, you will be expected to vacate the property by 10 am on the day of departure. Please note that cleaners may arrive at that time.
What is the security deposit required when booking certain properties?
At most Rustical Travel properties, a security deposit is not required. If an owner does require one, it is stated on the individual property page. A security deposit is a variable amount, normally between 80 € and 300 €. This sum is typically held against your credit card from the first day of your booking until three weeks after departure and then cancelled automatically. Occasionally, this security deposit is payable in cash on arrival and refunded at the end of your stay. Although such cases are very rare, in both instances Rustical Travel or the owner reserves the right to make deductions from the deposit for breakages, loss or damage to the property.
Will I have total privacy and tranquillity in my accommodation?
We inspect and assess each rental property thoroughly before accepting it for our website promotion. If we consider that guests’ peace or privacy might be compromised by untoward noise or busy roads, that property will be “weeded out” by our rigorous selection process and rejected before reaching our website. Do bear in mind, however, that houses with pools and gardens require regular maintenance to ensure that they are kept to high standards. So a caretaker or gardener is likely to come to tend the facilities, but they will be aware that your privacy is important and there will hopefully be no need to inconvenience you at all.
Are prices in pounds sterling or euros?
All our prices are in euros. Clients with bank accounts in other currencies who book by credit or debit card will have the euro price converted to their own currency by their bank. No fee is applied by Rustical Travel and none is charged.
Is Rustical Travel a legally registered travel and tourism agency?
Yes, of course. The registry number (CICMA) in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, where our Agency is based, is 2297. The telephone number of the Tourism Department is: (+34) 91 580 23 20.
The financial security of Rustical Travel's clients' holidays is fully protected by a bond deposited with the Ministry of Tourism.
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