We recently made a very exciting trip to Jimena de la Frontera, one Andalucia’s white washed villages, deep in the south west of the region. More on why we were visiting here. We had to do an overnight stay and so set about finding somewhere that matched our criteria – a bit quirky, boutique style, not hugely expensive and close to enough to the main amenities, including restaurants and bars. We’d never been to Jimena before, but loved the journey to get there – through beautiful countryside, dotted with white villages, cork tree forests (yes, these are a thing!), haciendas and very dried out river beds. As well as so many herons’ nests, on top of electricity pylons, some empty, some with a lone heron sitting on guard, and some with a pair, snuggled up together. As we approached Jimena, it looked as beautiful as we had hoped it might be – white washed houses tumbling down the hill, and a castle sitting at the top. A place we definitely though we could call home.
Casa Henrietta is a renovated townhouse on Calle Sevilla, the main street up leading from the main square, Plaza de la Constitución, The houses on Calle Sevilla are mostly very grand in appearance – lots of ornate shutters, wrought iron work around the windows, balconies, double doors, evidence of roof terraces. And one very special house, that we had an appointment to see the next day.
But onto Casa Henrietta. Located about a third of the way up the hill, it is an elegant white townhouse from the outside. Once inside though, you really how huge it actually is. The ground floor has an impressive communal lounge and seating area, with an open area where local artisans and craftspeople are able to sell their products. I have my eye already on a beautiful cream rug, which I know will eventually fit perfectly in our renovated house. The furnishings on this floor are very eclectic – lots of mixing and matching of styles and colours and fabrics. Lush plants hang down at different heights, complementing huge palms which sit in big urns and Moroccan style pots, with lots of artwork on the walls and thick curtains for texture. The best part of this lounging/reception area, is the enormous free standing bath, surrounded by plants and with a water feature, which sounds very peaceful and tranquil. Moroccan lanterns and Andalucian tiles add to the lushness.
We had a very large double room on the first floor, with a large terrace overlooking the countryside outside of Jimena. The decor is clearly the owner’s style – very colourful and again, eclectic. Lovely definitely, but perhaps a little too much colour for me. The house also benefits from a roof top terrace, which has the potential to be utterly stunning, but maybe a little too shabby chic. Seating areas definitely weren’t the most comfortable, but the views were astounding.
The house also has a restaurant, which certainly when we’ve stayed is only open on a Thursday – which has been very lucky for us, as each time we’ve stayed, a Thursday has been included. There is a very pretty courtyard, full of palms and potted plants and nooks and crannies full of interesting objects. There are plenty of tables, but there’s also lots of privacy from the tall plants. The menu is small – a selection of very, very tasty home made pizzas and delicious, fresh salads, and I have to say, each time we have eaten here, we’ve been super impressed. Locals also seem to come to here to eat, so it’s not a restaurant just for hotel guests, and it does seem to be a bit of hub for people to get together. Local wine is also on offer – and we’ve yet to try an Andalucian wine that is anything other than fabulous.
We’re very happy to have a hotel like this on Calle Sevilla, because if all goes according to plan, we may be quite frequent guests over the next few months…