Five Best: Andalucian hideaways
Get away from it all - deep in the Spanish countryside
Saturday, 10 March 2007
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Hoopoe Yurt Hotel, Cortes de la Frontera
Getting back to nature couldn't be easier at this solar-powered retreat. Scattered among olive groves in the shadow of the rugged Grazalema mountains are three romantic yurts, each set in its own acre of meadow. Filled with traditional Mongolian artefacts and exotic textiles, the chic and bohemian yurts even have en suite bathrooms. A wooden pergola with low Turkish seating and antique kilims is ideal for smoking a hookah. Chinese lanterns illuminate alfresco dinners.
Hoopoe Yurt Hotel, Cortes de la Frontera, Malaga Province (00 34 952 117 055; www.yurthotel.com). Yurts start at £80, including breakfast. Open April-October.
Finca La Morera, Near Ronda
The old farmhouse Finca La Morera is set in a lush valley in the foothills of the Sierra de Salinas. The beautifully restored 200-year-old retreat has an expansive sitting room with a high, white vaulted ceiling. Tiled floors, roll-top baths and white Egyptian cotton sheets set the tone in the six en suite bedrooms. The five-acre grounds have two swimming pools and a dining terrace with stunning views. Lavender, thyme and rosemary fill the herb gardens; seasonal organic fruit and vegetables are also grown.
Finca La Morera, Huerte La Fresneda, Arriate, near Ronda, Malaga Province (01749 814 811; www.fincalamorera.com). Weekly rental starts at €3,000 (£2,041); sleeps 12.
Molino Bajo, Lecrin Valley
Conveniently located halfway between Granada and the coast, Molino Bajo is a 200-year-old olive mill converted into a stylish rural retreat. Set in the Lecrin Valley against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, the property has an elegant Moorish feel with intricate tile-work, warm colour washes on the bedroom walls and Moroccan shadow-casting lanterns. Seven-foot-high olive jars - known as tinajas - adorn the stylish open-plan living area in a nod to its history. Outside, there's a small, unheated courtyard pool to cool off in, and a secluded terrace for sunbathing and barbecues.
Molino Bajo, Melegis, Lecrin Valley, Granada Province (020-7385 2152; www.molinobajo.com). Weekly rental starts at £1,150; sleeps 10.
La Almunia del Valle, Monachil
Majestic mountains tower around La Almunia del Valle, a boutique hideaway in the village of Monachil in the Sierra Nevada National Park. Almunia ticks all the boxes of a chic rustic retreat. Warm colours, terracotta tiles and stone walls fill the 10-bedroom property, which has been built into the mountainside. Outside, a stone roof terrace provides the perfect setting for dining with a view. The hotel is perfectly placed for exploration - the Sierra Nevada, complete with mountain hikes, pine forests and sinuous rivers, is on the doorstep. Meanwhile, Granada is only five miles away, the ski slopes 12 miles and the coast 50 miles.
La Almunia del Valle, Camino de la Umbria, Monachil, Granada Province (00 34 958 308 010; www.laalmuniadelvalle.com). Doubles start at €110 (£79), including breakfast.
Trasierra, Sierra Morena Mountains
More than 3,000 acres of orange groves and woodland surround Trasierra, a 16th-century property 50 miles north of Seville. Owned by Charlotte Scott - interior designer and mother of flamenco guitarist Jackson Scott - Trasierra is a much-loved family home as well as a chic boutique hotel. Piles of books, bath oils and wooden antiques fill the guest rooms of the main house and cottages. Olive oil and marmaladeare among a raft of items produced by the Trasierra estate, which also holds yoga, painting, riding and walking retreats.
Trasierra, Cazalla de la Sierra, Seville Province (00 34 954 884 324; www.trasierra.co.uk). Doubles start at €220 (£157), including breakfast.
Take an armchair trip to some of the world's most interesting places with Simon Calder
