Hidden away at the end of a private drive, you will find this country farmhouse, a property of dignity which offers an elegant, natural environment and an ideal location, being halfway between historical Granada and the beaches of the Costa Tropical.
It's on its own, so succinctly secluded that John Le Carré chose to stay here 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. A warm, sun-filled Andalusian climate dominates 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 accommodation was partially refurbished in 2022 with excellent taste by its new property owners.
They have created a balance between classic and modern, resulting in a beautiful home which is both aesthetically pleasing and practical.
A great job has been done on the kitchen which is now handsomely upgraded. From the living room, lovely new French doors allow you to spill out onto a terrace where you can sit and enjoy a cup of tea or a Sangria....whatever takes your fancy!
In the living room and kitchen, a new aerothermia system provides refreshing floors during summer and lovely warm floors for chillier moments.
All bedrooms have central heating and mobile fans for temperature control depending on the season.
The excellent kitchen is 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 with rosemary, thyme, roses and a pretty mimosa.
A great plus 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 for Sundays. 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. All bedrooms have their own bathroom. The fourth, double bedroom, has a door connecting it to the fifth and final bedroom, suitable for two children. The refurbishment has also added more comfort and luxury to the bathrooms with heated towel rails.
There are great outside areas, such as the main terrace with its swing seat and views of the valley; the pretty orange and olive orchard below; the rear patio and gazebo and especially the relaxing pool garden. Garden steps lead you to the pool which has a lawn for sunbathing, a poolside shower and artistic mosaic walls; this is a private and understandably favourite spot.
The pool garden area has a gate, but there are gaps in the hedge so we don't count the perimeter as toddler-proof.
To the rear stands another house which belongs to the same owners, and their apartment (if occupied by them), doesn’t compromise your privacy. The arrangement is designed for you to have total privacy. Catering can often be provided by Pepa, the maid. Her cooking has been much praised by previous guests for whom she has prepared meals.
Pepa is very good at typical Andalusian dishes and some specifically local ones. She buys the ingredients and cooks the meal, being quite happy to explain her methods as best she can in simple English. An arrival meal can also be provided if booked in advance. Previous guests have written amazing comments about this service.
Otherwise, the local village is a 5-minute walk. It has basic shopping and a couple of bar-restaurants.
Albuñuelas is extremely tranquil except for 5 days in August (normally the second week in the month), when the village celebrates its annual fiesta. This can be heard from the villa, so if you require complete peace-and-quiet you should avoid these dates.
Other nearby villages in the valley, joined by country lanes, provide more interesting opportunities to sample genuine Andalucian cooking, and you’re only 30 minutes from large superstores if you want to do a major shop.
The valley setting is one of the main sources of oranges for Granada and you can see orange, lemon and almond trees everywhere! It’s a warm, fertile countryside, where the locals tend to take things in their stride.
Visitors here appreciate the strategic location: it's just around 40 minutes to the coast, and less than that to vibrant Granada. Then you can easily visit Lanjarón, a spa town and the gateway to Las Alpujarras.