Granada villa rental with private pool in a semi-tropical valley

See all:  Villas in Alpujarras  <Villas in Andalucia  <Villas in Spain

Rustical´s review                                                See prices

Hidden away at the end of a private drive, this country farmhouse property of dignity and distinction offers an elegant, natural environment and an ideal location, halfway between famed Granada and beaches of the Costa Tropical.

It's all on its own, so succinctly secluded that John Le Carré chose it to stay when writing his novel, "The Constant Gardener."

An iron gate from private parking leads you directly through to a long, cobbled terrace, which opens at the far end of the villa into a vast, sunny, open space, well-furnished and with night-time illumination. Standing in the shade of a giant Aleppo pine, you can spy the local village below and the view stretches right across the valley.

You enter the villa to a reception corner, where a table is piled with maps, books, walking guides – an immediate invitation to explore the environs. Antique furniture is ranged about on the original red-and-white lozenge floor, and this stretches to the end of a high, wood-ceilinged room where a sitting area has comfy sofas and chairs alongside the TV & DVD.

Midway along the room is a coffee table whose chairs are positioned to take in the view through a picture window. Quite a good spot to place your laptop, too, if you want to make use of the WiFi internet.

A warm, sun-filled Andalusian climate obtains here, so windows may be thrown open to let a breeze play through the downstairs rooms, while any hint of cold is kept well at bay during the brief winter by central heating throughout.

The separate dining room has a table that extends to seat twelve people. It’s contiguous with an extremely good kitchen supplied with stacks of crockery, pots and pans, and it opens at the back to a rear garden, where steps rise to a gazebo in a patio planted round with rosemary, thyme, roses and a pretty mimosa. Also out the back is a laundry room.

A signal advantage of holidays here is the way household chores are taken out of your hands by Pepa, the maid, who provides you with two hours of domestic help a day, except Sunday. For two hours every morning you can forget about cleaning, bed-making and breakfast serving. Extra hours can be contracted if you want help with shopping or cooking.

Back inside, a staircase goes up to the first floor and its five attractive, very comfortable bedrooms. Mattresses are high quality, sheets are smooth cotton and there are double feather pillows. In wardrobes, you’ll find bathrobes and slippers.

Towels and bed linen are changed twice weekly.

All bedrooms have their own bathroom. Note that the fifth and final bedroom, suitable for two children, can only be accessed through the fourth, double bedroom.

A twin-bedded room, with a wood-beamed ceiling and decorated in a sea blue, looks out to a palm tree and the garden where the pool is. The bathroom has a walk-in shower and pretty, round, ceramic washbasin.

A second twin-bedded room, similar to the first but rose-coloured, has views to the front of the property: you can see across to hills and down to Albuñuelas village.

Another twin-bedded room, ochre, with antique beds and the same wood ceiling, is particularly spacious and has a small sofa. A power shower is installed over a half bath.

Twin beds can be pushed together in these rooms, but if you want one double bed, the fourth room has one. It is decorated in a soft amber wash and has a pretty view of the garden patio. Its bathroom has a shower over a half tub and a heated towel rail.

The last room, as mentioned previously, is accessed through this double bedroom. It can act as an extra dayroom or sleep two children, and it has its own shower room.

The accommodation is consummately pleasing inside, although the Andalucian climate is likely to see you outside a great deal of the time. Whether on the main terrace with its swing seat and views of the valley and the orange and olive orchard below which belongs to the property, in the rear pario and gazebo, and especially in the pool garden.

The swimming pool, gated off for extra safety, has a lawn for sunbathing, poolside shower and is mosaic-walled. It’s reached up garden steps and is a private, understandably favourite spot.

To the rear stands another house, but this belongs to the same owners, and their apartment (if occupied by them), doesn’t overlook you. The arrangement is designed for you to have total privacy.

Bread and croissants can be delivered daily and a fish seller comes by most days, too. Otherwise, the local village is a 5-minute walk. It offers simple shopping and a couple of bar-restaurants.

Other nearby villages in the valley, joined by country lanes, provide more interesting opportunities to sample genuine Andalucian cooking, and you’re only 20 minutes from superstores if you want to do a major shop.

The valley setting is one of the main sources of oranges in Granada: you see them everywhere, lemons, too, and almonds. It’s a warm, fertile countryside, where the locals tend to take things pretty easily.

Visitors appreciate the strategic location: just 30 minutes to the coast for beaches, and less than that to delightful Granada and Lanjarón, gateway to Las Alpujarras.

See other:  Large Villas in Spain

Facilities
4-ring hob (2 gas, 2 electric) & electric oven; microwave; kettle; cafetière; juicer; blender; toaster; fridge freezer; dishwasher; washing machine; tumble dryer; iron & board; hairdryer; WiFi internet; TV (most channels in Spanish only); DVD; VCR; CD/radio; cot & highchair; central heating; wood burning stove in dining room; plenty of terrace and garden furniture, including sunloungers and sunshades; private, gated swimming pool (8 m x 4 m, 1.70 m deep); barbecue; all linen provided; 2 hours’ domestic help every day except Sundays; private parking.

Distribution
All two floors
Ground floor: reception/sitting room; dining room and kitchen; WC.
First floor: 5 bedrooms, each with private en-suite bathroom facilities as detailed above; 3 bedrooms are twin-bedded, 1 is double-bedded and 1 (accessed via the double bedroom) has two beds for children.
Exterior: extensive furnished terraces; rear patio garden with furnished gazebo; utility room; swimming pool and garden; private parking.

Notes:
-The swimming pool will be open from 16 April to 15 October 2011, weather permitting
-Barbecue use may be restricted by local fire regulations during summer months

Location & Distances
300 metres from Albuñuelas village.

 

Albuñuelas (simple shopping, bar-restaurants, chemist)	5 mins walk
Country restaurants	5 mins drive
Costa Tropical (beaches)	20 mins
Alpujarras	20 mins
Granada (and Alhambra)	30 mins
Granada Airport	45 mins
Sierra Nevada ski resort	45 mins
Malaga Airport	1 hr 45 mins
Almeria Airport	2 hrs

Booking information for this property
The capacity of 10 people is for a maximum of 8 adults & 2 children.
Changeover day: normally Saturday in summer High Season.

Prices and dates