Private villa with heated pool and lovely views in Aracena, Spain

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Rustical´s review                                                  See prices

Just before you arrive at the market town of Aracena, on the road that links Sevilla with Portugal, a good one-kilometre track takes us to the top of a small hill, where we find this attractive, traditional villa and its irresistible views.

It is totally private, overlooked only by the occasional vulture and the rare black stork, tranquil in an idyllic setting.

The main house with four bedrooms and four bathrooms can be rented on its own, or together with a self-contained poolside apartment below (the apartment is never rented separately: your privacy is guaranteed).

The swimming pool is large and solar heating makes swims possible from Easter to October. It’s not a sauna, mind, but it does take the edge off the chill. An awning is erected on the pool terrace to provide shade during the hot summer months.

It's a well-equipped house and comes with WiFi internet.

A plastic pool for infants can be set up on the main terrace on request.

The main accommodation feels like a real home, airy and bright under high ceilings, and it's pleasantly decorated, posters of old Seville bullfights patterning the kitchen wall.

It’s evident that this is a much loved place to stay, not just well furnished but stocked with inviting collection of books and local information (we will also send you comprehensive and up-to-date information on Aracena and area).

A huge terrace looks way south over the hills and is quite spectacular, a real delight. You have a barbecue, shade from the Andalusian sun, and outdoor furniture for meals al fresco.

The four bedrooms in the main house are:

1. A spacious, en suite Master double bedroom, up just a few steps from the kitchen area and with its own door to the outside world. It has a large window with breathtaking views: we’re sorry our photos don’t show this, but it really is beautiful to wake up to in the morning. The bedroom also has a wood stove for the colder months.
From the living area a hallway leads to:
2. An en suite double bedroom with open fireplace and doors opening to main terrace.
3. An en suite twin-bedded room.
4. A simple, smaller room, offered for single use, is more functional and has a sofa bed only. It has use of another bathroom near the living area.

The accommodation has an open plan design. The living area has seating for 7 people at any one time, but the dining table is large enough to seat 10 people comfortably.

The kitchen has a bar with two bar stools, just the spot to enjoy tapas or an informal drink while someone else cooks! The kitchen is fully equipped and includes a dishwasher. A utility room has microwave, washing machine and dryer and a large fridge-freezer.

An outdoor reception with a built-in barbecue leads directly to the large terrace which overlooks the beautiful swimming pool area and has steps down it.

Down here, below the main house and facing the pool is an additional independent two-bedded apartment, available as an add-on (not rented separately) to sleep four more guests.

Our only doubt here is that people coming together won’t have identical accommodation. The self-contained pool apartment is a more modern, less rustical, purpose-built unit and doesn’t really have the same charm as the main house. The fact that you’re right by the pool does make the apartment attractive, though.

It’s perfectly decent and comfortable, nonetheless, with its own living area and small kitchen. Both bedrooms are twin-bedded, with the same comfortable mattresses as the main house and en suite showers.

Although this is the kind of villa where clients tend to stay in and just enjoy the place, there is much to do in the local area. Aracena town is unspoilt, genuinely Spanish, relaxed, and just 3 minutes’ drive away. The number of restaurants and café-bars is remarkable and we’ve done our best to narrow down it down to certain favourites in the Local information guide we send you.

There’s a healthy balance here between local activity, tourism and agriculture, not least of which is the rearing of black pigs, which roam the cork oak forests, feeding on the acorns.

These pigs produce the famed Iberian cured ham that is prized all over the world. It’s particularly associated with the nearby village of Jabugo.

We get very positive feedback from our clients about the Aracena area. You can visit well preserved little villages full of character, castles, caves, go for walks in the Sierra…

In Almonaster village, for example, where you can visit the old mosque (see photo), one of very few that survived the Christian reconquest.

The natural richness of the area makes spring and autumn a real treat for flower lovers and mushroom hunters. If you’re not sure about which mushrooms are good to eat, you can simply choose a restaurant dish that uses them: they’re a local speciality.

Seville is just over an hour away and we recently discovered the magic of some of the Portuguese towns which are even closer, just beyond the Spanish border, so you have the chance to experience two different cultures. Crossing over into another country is always exciting for children, of course.

See other:  Large Villas in Spain

Facilities
4-ring vitroceramic hob and electric oven; fridge-freezer; dishwasher; microwave; electric juicer; kettle; barbecue; coffee maker; space heaters; 2 open fireplaces and 2 stoves (firewood included); WiFi internet; satellite TV (a few programmes only in English); DVD; music system; 3G mobile cover; washing machine & dryer; iron & board; cot & highchair available; private, heated swimming pool (10 m x 4.5 m, 1.10 to 2m deep);  small, octagonal infants pool available on request; sunloungers and outdoor furniture; all bed linen and towels included, including pool towels; private parking.

Distribution
Main house, all on one floor:
Open plan kitchen/dining/living room; Master double bedroom (Queen-size bed) with en suite shower room/WC; double-bedded room (Queen-size bed) with en suite bathroom (shower over bathtub/WC) and access to main terrace; twin-bedded room with en suite shower room/WC; sofa-bedded room; bathroom; utility room.
Exterior: furnished, shaded dining terrace and brick-built barbecue.

Pool apartment, all on one floor:
Open plan living / dining room / kitchenette; 2 twin-bedded rooms with en suite shower/WC.
Exterior: terrace with swimming pool and sunbeds; flower gardens; private parking.

Notes:
-The swimming pool is maintained and open all year, weather permitting, but the solar heating is only effective from April to October, not in winter, when swims will be very cold.
-Please note that some clients may not find this property suitable for toddlers. They are very welcome, but do take into account a number of exterior steps, and that the pool & terrace area would need to be blocked off. This is possible, but would need to be arranged. A small paddling pool for infants is available on request.
-Sorry, no pets allowed here. If you want to bring one with you, ask us and we’ll try to find you somewhere else.
-Strictly no smoking indoors at this property.

Location & Distances
Located in private grounds close to Aracena, accessed by a 800-metre track, the last 300 metres of which are slightly steep but perfectly manageable in an ordinary car.

Aracena (most facilities, shopping, restaurants, grotto)	1.3 km
Portugal	1 hr
Seville and Seville Airport	1 hr 15 mins
Atlantic Coast (beautiful sandy beaches)	1 hr 30 mins
Jerez Airport	2 hrs
Faro Airport (Portugal)	3 hrs

Booking information for this property
Changeover day: normally Saturday in High Season.
Privacy guarantee: when the pool apartment is not booked for additional accommodation, it remains closed and unoccupied.

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