Molino Rio Alajar

Rooms

Creating the 6 guest cottages was a labour of love for Peter and Monica, the Molino’s Dutch owners. All of the base elements were locally sourced; chestnut beamed and planked ceilings, terracotta floor tiles and walls of locally-quarried red sandstone which give the buildings a really warm, integrated feel.

Each casita has a lounge and a kitchen-diner (often open-plan), and they're decorated with an appealing mix of locally crafted and antique furniture. They have a good range of comforts too: underfloor heating (and a hearth or woodburner for winter), air-con, DVD and CD players in the living room (you can borrow discs from the communal library), and a phone that communicates with the reception area. Each house has a terrace for outdoor dining, and the abundance of greenery between the cottages guarantees your privacy.

Bedrooms are simple and rustic, with iron beds and colourful bedlinen. Most have medium-sized ensuite bathrooms with pretty hand-painted sinks and Moroccan-style rain showers; just 1 has a bathtub.

The largest cottages are La Ciguena and El Conejo which can sleep 6 at a push but which are perfect for a family of 4. Both have 2 small twins (or singles) leading off from a gallery above the lounge/diner which share a shower room on the ground floor, as well as a larger double-bedded room with an ensuite bathroom; La Ciguena’s has an independent entrance.

La Zoya (sleeps up to 4) has a double and a twin, both with shower rooms and a gorgeous sweep of mountain views from its raised, half-moon terrace. La Tortuga (sleeps 5) is slightly larger with a double and a triple, both with ensuite shower rooms. Like La Zoya, it has been built on just one level.

El Aguila (sleeps 4) is rather smaller: it has a double bedroom as well as 2 single beds hoisted up on a mezzanine level above the open-plan lounge/diner and are accessed via a spiral staircase. Kids would love it, though it would also make a good choice for 2 adults. This cottage has a full length bathtub. Last and littlest is El Buho (sleeps 2); it has an open-plan, bed-sit style which makes the most of the reduced dimensions. This cosy living unit has a shower rather than bathroom.

Features include:

• WiFi

Eating

All of the cottages’ kitchens have been really well kitted out and are much more than the afterthought that you often come across in self-catering units. Each has a gas hob, an electric oven, a microwave and a fridge (but no dishwasher); there's plenty of stainless steel cookware, cutlery and crockery, and a terrace for outdoor dining in summer. Once you’ve eaten a first supper outside, with a spectacular sunset to accompany your meal, you’ll be loath to dine anywhere else.

Peter and Monica can provide a welcome hamper of goodies; you’ll be set up for your first supper and breakfast, though you may wish to do a big shop before you arrive. They can also do interim shops for you if, for example, you are off hiking and need picnic ingredients. But half the fun of shopping in Alajar is trying out your hand at Spanish or gesticulating at what you want; expect constant good nature from those on the other side of the counter. And you can supplement your purchases with all kinds of veggies dug straight from the huerta (veggie patch), which has been lovingly planted out by Jose María, Molino’s green-fingered maestro. From mid October through to March you’ll be able to find wild mushrooms for sale in the shops, or you can go in search of your own (see Activities). Over in the reception/sitting room area you'll find a fridge full of cold drinks as well as a selection of local wines - that's in case you haven't shopped for your own drinks.

If you prefer to eat out you can walk into the village in just over 15 minutes. There are a couple of cheap-and-cheerful bars on the square where you can try the local wine with tapas. The best of them is the atmospheric Meson El Corcho which is stuffed full of curios, all made entirely from cork. There’s a second excellent restaurant in the village, El Padrino, but it is only open on Fridays, Saturdays and on Sundays for lunch. If you get a chance to eat here, don’t miss it; you can pre-book a 3-course dinner with wine-tastings through the hotel. Otherwise, for a memorable supper, drive to the next village to the east, Linares de la Sierra, and to Restaurante Los Arrieros, one of the top eateries in the Park (closed Mondays). Hardly surprising that pork - this variant stewed in white wine and onions - is the specialty.

Features include:

• Barbecue
• Fridge
• Full kitchen
• Kids' meals
• Microwave
• Oven
• Restaurants nearby
• Shopping service
• Welcome hamper
• self-catering

Activities

• Walk straight out from the Molino and into a network of ancient cobbled footpaths; Peter can supply detailed route maps for 6 or more day circuits, as well as trustworthy advice on flora (iris, orchids, peonies, gladioli) and fauna (hoopoes, bee-eaters, vultures)
  
• If you want help carrying your picnic (or your children), hire one of their donkeys, which come with a friendly Spanish guide. Horse riding and bird-watching trips can also be arranged direct from the cottages
  
• Explore the rolling hills of the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park
  
• Wander into the village (15 minutes away) to pick up provisions, then clamber up the hill to the extraordinary hermitage of Pena de Arias Montano which crowns the cliff behind the village
  
• Visit the Rio Tinto mines: the scale of these open-cast mines is beyond belief, the colours extraordinary, and the Victorian-style houses weirdly incongruous
  
• Drive into Aracena (20 minutes) to visit the 13th-century church and ruined castle of the Knights Templar on the hill above town; then descend into the stalactite-festooned Gruta de las Maravillas (Cave Of Wonders)
  
• Play a game of tennis or table football, take a dip in the communal pool, then relax in the shade of one of the century-old oak trees
  
• Book some guitar lessons or a week-long Spanish course (3 hours/day Mon-Fri; 2 different levels); or reserve your place on a mushrooming week (October-March; includes a 3-hour guided walk midweek)
  
• On the rare rainy day, borrow a book, CD or DVD from the library and settle down in your living room with a glass of Rioja
  
• Take a day trip to Seville - it's only 90 minutes each way

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Horse riding
• Language courses
• Plantlife / flora
• Table tennis
• Tennis
• Trekking

Kids

The Molino is really well set up to cater for children. There are dogs to walk and play with, donkeys to be ridden, a toddlers' paddling pool, a tennis court, boules, outdoor chess and table football plus plenty of adventures in the surrounding woodland. Book ahead for any or all of the year-round weekly programme of kid-friendly activities (babies are free for most activities), best for ages 6-12. Nearly all of the cottages would suit families of 4, and 1 can sleep up to 5. This is a place where children are treated as guests like any others, rather than a nuisance.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

La Tortuga sleeps up to 5 in a double and triple bedroom. All other cottages can sleep a family of 4 in two bedrooms, a double and a twin, except El Buho, the smallest room, which can take a baby cot, perfect for a new family. Note that the twin room for El Aguila is on a mezzanine floor, this one also has a bathtub (all others have showers).

Cots Available

Distances:

• Airport: 1.5 hours
• Hospital: 45 minutes
• Doctor: 25 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The Molino is just outside the village of Alajar, in Adalucia, Spain. It's approximately 12km to the west of Aracena and an hour and a half’s drive from Seville.

By Air
Fly into Seville San Pablo (110km) or Faro (215km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines.

By Train from the UK
If you'd prefer to travel overland from the UK, consider going by Eurostar to Paris from London Waterloo, then changing twice. It's a bit of a journey, but if you're not pushed for time it's a great way to see Spain. See Seat 61 for more details.

By Car
Either way, you'll probably need to hire a vehicle, see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com

More on getting to Andalucia and getting around