We’re now increasingly finding that we need to be a bit more hands on with the house renovation, and need to factor in time to get across to Jimena de la Frontera to meet with Jose, the project manager, more often. Or be in San Roque where all of the house administrative stuff happens – meetings with our solicitor, or bank trips, or visits to the Town Hall to sign forms. Sometimes we can do it in a day, but at the moment we’re living nearly 130kms away, on the western coast of Andalucia, in Sanlucar de Barrameda, so sometimes, especially if it’s been a long day, the drive back can be tiring. So we’ve been investigating hotels, where we can stay over and get to know new towns and villages. And, in Hotel Al Almoraima, we think we’ve found somewhere pretty special.

Located about twenty minutes from our house which is being renovated, it’s the perfect place to stay when we need to be in Jimena over two days. Originally a 17th century convent (built apparently, in 1603) it has been refurbished to a really high standard. With an imposing neo-Gothic tower, an internal courtyard framed with beautiful Andalucian arches and extensive gardens, it is a real country retreat. A long and winding drive way, with trees on each side, opens out into immaculately manicured gardens, with absolutely exquisite terracotta lanterns lining the final part of the sweeping drive, which ends at a huge circular, gravelled courtyard, with a fountain in the middle. Ahead of you, is the magnificent entrance, with a long walled balcony above – which it turns out, was where our room was located. It couldn’t have been in a better position.

Probably because we booked in low season (we stayed in November), we lucked out again on our room, and were allocated one of the large rooms, directly above the entrance, with a huge terrace. I think there are only four rooms of this category, and so we really were lucky, especially as the late afternoon was still warm and the terrace was in full sun, meaning we could bask in the early winter sunshine. Our room was large, with a big canopied double bed. The furniture is mostly dark wood and quite traditional – not to our taste, but absolutely fitting for this style of hotel and renovation. The en-suite bathroom was also sizeable, with a window directly onto the terrace and a whirlpool bath. This was a bit of a feature, but when initially switched on, was quite violent in terms of noise and splashing of the water. Not the most immediately relaxing experience, but once the controls were under control, it became a whole lot less noisy. Again, the style of the bathroom was not really to our taste, but it was in keeping with the whole renovation, and so definitely not something that spoiled our visit.

The hotel, although not deep in the countryside, is not in a town, and so you can’t just walk to a local bar or restaurant. However, there is an on-site restaurant – La Gañanía – and although quite expensive, is really worth visiting, as it’s a lovely experience. Since eating here, I have read up on this restaurant and it would appear that it is a very well regarded restaurant, with renowned chefs and plenty of plaudits. The menu may not be overly brilliant for strict vegetarians and vegans, but it unashamedly wears its colours. It is a restaurant which specialises in meat – unsurprising as it is situated in hunting territory, but we did manage to mix things up with a very good cheese platter and a fish dish. And, a very unusual shared cheesecake dessert – with a topping of shaved parmesan.

We are very lucky that we can experience hotels like La Almoraima, out of season. I’m not entirely sure if it would be a real go-to choice, in the peak season, when presumably it is a whole lot more expensive. As lovely as it is, I think that it would maybe attract more people who wanted to immerse themselves in an historical experience, or a gastronomic experience. Which is absolutely fine – we love both of these things, but I think that for the price you might pay in high season, we may be  wouldn’t appreciate it quite as much, as some. However, in low season, it was the perfect choice – relaxing, comfortable. undeniably beautiful and with a restaurant where we experimented and tried some choices which we wouldn’t normally choose.

The attention to detail in the hotel itself and in the grounds, is very sharp. Lawns are manicured. Goundspeople were in evidence throughout our stay on mowers and buggies and working by hand. There is lots to see and absorb, around the grounds, and plenty of opportunity to walk and take in the fresh air. Communal areas are beautifully decorated and maintained to a very high standard – I particularly loved the cloistered internal courtyard, with its palms and orange trees. As a side line, the hotel also offers a selection of branded goodies that you can buy at reception – all very stylish – including their own olive oil. Which I can highly recommend, and which has already been added to our growing collection…

Olive Oil Image : https://cadiz.cosasdecome.es/la-almoraima-de-castellar-ya-cuenta-con-su-propio-aceite/