Sierra Nevada accommodation, Andalucia
| country: | Spain |
| location: | Andalucia |
| price: | From £3460 - £3960 per week for the farmhouse, depending on occupancy (see below). 2009 prices: £3980 - £4536 per week. Sleeps 8 people easily and extra beds can be added |
the amazing things you'll be doing
A secluded mountain farmhouse in the high sierras of southern Spain for parties of up to 8.
Accommodation during your holiday is in our lovely cortijo (farmhouse) within the environmentally-protected Parque Natural de Sierra Nevada in the province of Andalucía. The cortijo is dramatically sited on its own mountainside at 1,700m with panoramic views of the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada (highest peak Mulhacén 3,482m), the Mediterranean and the Rif Mountains of Morocco.
Bring your beloved, friends, family or colleagues, forget the world and have your holiday, celebration, team-building session or retreat in the Sierra Nevada just the way you want it, with exclusive occupation of the fully-staffed farmhouse. We have a large sitting room and courtyard which are ideal for parties or presentations.
Included is full board with wonderful dinners cooked by our chef (except three dinners eaten out each week), maid service, as much or little guided and supported mountain biking as you like (pitched at just your level - no need fret about unknown whippets or slowcoaches), and you have the place to yourselves. We can organise trips for you during your stay, for example to the beautiful city of Granada and the Alhambra or the beach.
We also run week long mountain biking holidays, short breaks, and family holidays. please contact us for more information.
Mountain biking: Living here, we know the huge variety of tracks and trails in the Alpujarras. Some are wide and gradually undulating and others are much more technical. Some are on rocky open mountainsides while others are in lush valleys. There are plenty of epic climbs and thrilling descents and, of course, miles of gorgeous singletrack.
Our guides are Offroad Training Consultancy qualified and tailor the rides to the experience and fitness level of each group.
Walking: We can provide you with maps and suggested routes for walking in the area. There are some beautiful tracks which are inaccessible by bike but passable on foot.
Horse riding: Nearby are stables which offer rides, from one hour to a full day.
Climbing and abseiling: We can arrange single-pitch and multi-pitch climbing with qualified instructors.
Paragliding: is available with a well established paragliding school about one hour's drive away.
Skiing: Sierra Nevada and Puerto de la Ragua are close enough to add to the start or end of your holiday.
Beach: If you have your own hire car there are several good Mediterranean beaches within reach.
Massage: Deep tissue massage adapted from Swedish techniques perfect for relief from cycling aches.
Relaxing: In the communal sitting room we have a selection of books, magazines and board games.
Visiting Granada: Add a day or two to your trip to visit the beautiful city of Granada.
Large guest rooms with en-suite WC and shower room Single and double beds available Shared guest lounge with wood-burning stove and sun terrace Washing machine for guests' use Full board (breakfast, picnic lunch and 3 course dinner) Paved courtyard with fruit trees and fountain Internet access available and good mobile reception
Each room has its own bathroom with a heated towel rail. You can request twin (90cm/3 feet wide) or double beds (180cm/6 feet wide). The beds are firm and very comfortable, with duvets and cotton sheets. The spacious, light-filled guest rooms open onto a cloistered Moorish patio with a central fountain. We eat in the farmhouse kitchen and relax outside or in the shared sitting room which has wonderful views of mountains and sea from its south facing terrace. In the sitting room there is a magnificent wood burning stove.
The large sitting room and courtyard are ideal for parties or presentations.
The abundant Andalucian sunshine and efficient solar panels ensure that we have a plentiful supply of electricity and more than enough hot water for showering dusty mountain bikers. We also have a generator for power backup and a boiler for extra hot water and central heating in the winter, in addition to the wood burning stove. Water comes from our own spring.
Family friendly: We run all-inclusive family mountain biking holidays in the summer holidays for families with teenage children, with reduced rates for the under 18 year olds.
Disabled access: One guest room with shower room is wheelchair accessible. Whole building is on one level. So, we have facilities for wheelchair users accompanying cyclists.
We are located in Berchules, Granada, Spain situated in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in an area known as the Alpujarras.
Nearest airports: Almeria (1.5 hours), Granada (2 hours), Malaga (3.5 hours).
Train stations: Almeria, Granada.
We will collect you from Granada or Almería airport (or from Málaga airport for a small supplement). Or, you may like to hire a vehicle which will give you the flexibility to explore while you are here. Detailed driving directions available on request.
Up to five guests: £3460
Six guests: £3640
Seven guests: £3800
Eight guests: £3960
Extra guests over eight, per person: £350
Discount if airport transfers not needed: £30 per guest
Accommodation during your holiday is in our lovely cortijo (farmhouse) within the environmentally-protected Parque Natural de Sierra Nevada in the province of Andalucía. The cortijo is dramatically sited on its own mountainside at 1,700m with panoramic views of the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada (highest peak Mulhacén 3,482m), the Mediterranean and the Rif Mountains of Morocco.
Bring your beloved, friends, family or colleagues, forget the world and have your holiday, celebration, team-building session or retreat in the Sierra Nevada just the way you want it, with exclusive occupation of the fully-staffed farmhouse. We have a large sitting room and courtyard which are ideal for parties or presentations.
Included is full board with wonderful dinners cooked by our chef (except three dinners eaten out each week), maid service, as much or little guided and supported mountain biking as you like (pitched at just your level - no need fret about unknown whippets or slowcoaches), and you have the place to yourselves. We can organise trips for you during your stay, for example to the beautiful city of Granada and the Alhambra or the beach.
We also run week long mountain biking holidays, short breaks, and family holidays. please contact us for more information.
activities
Mountain biking: Living here, we know the huge variety of tracks and trails in the Alpujarras. Some are wide and gradually undulating and others are much more technical. Some are on rocky open mountainsides while others are in lush valleys. There are plenty of epic climbs and thrilling descents and, of course, miles of gorgeous singletrack. Our guides are Offroad Training Consultancy qualified and tailor the rides to the experience and fitness level of each group.
Walking: We can provide you with maps and suggested routes for walking in the area. There are some beautiful tracks which are inaccessible by bike but passable on foot. Horse riding: Nearby are stables which offer rides, from one hour to a full day.
Climbing and abseiling: We can arrange single-pitch and multi-pitch climbing with qualified instructors.
Paragliding: is available with a well established paragliding school about one hour's drive away.
Skiing: Sierra Nevada and Puerto de la Ragua are close enough to add to the start or end of your holiday.
Beach: If you have your own hire car there are several good Mediterranean beaches within reach.
Massage: Deep tissue massage adapted from Swedish techniques perfect for relief from cycling aches.
Relaxing: In the communal sitting room we have a selection of books, magazines and board games.
Visiting Granada: Add a day or two to your trip to visit the beautiful city of Granada.
facilities
Large guest rooms with en-suite WC and shower room Each room has its own bathroom with a heated towel rail. You can request twin (90cm/3 feet wide) or double beds (180cm/6 feet wide). The beds are firm and very comfortable, with duvets and cotton sheets. The spacious, light-filled guest rooms open onto a cloistered Moorish patio with a central fountain. We eat in the farmhouse kitchen and relax outside or in the shared sitting room which has wonderful views of mountains and sea from its south facing terrace. In the sitting room there is a magnificent wood burning stove. The large sitting room and courtyard are ideal for parties or presentations.
The abundant Andalucian sunshine and efficient solar panels ensure that we have a plentiful supply of electricity and more than enough hot water for showering dusty mountain bikers. We also have a generator for power backup and a boiler for extra hot water and central heating in the winter, in addition to the wood burning stove. Water comes from our own spring.
Family friendly: We run all-inclusive family mountain biking holidays in the summer holidays for families with teenage children, with reduced rates for the under 18 year olds.
Disabled access: One guest room with shower room is wheelchair accessible. Whole building is on one level. So, we have facilities for wheelchair users accompanying cyclists.
how to find us
We are located in Berchules, Granada, Spain situated in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in an area known as the Alpujarras. Nearest airports: Almeria (1.5 hours), Granada (2 hours), Malaga (3.5 hours).
Train stations: Almeria, Granada.
We will collect you from Granada or Almería airport (or from Málaga airport for a small supplement). Or, you may like to hire a vehicle which will give you the flexibility to explore while you are here. Detailed driving directions available on request.
2008 pricing
Prices are per week for the whole farmhouse, based on the number in the party. We have four guest rooms, each sleeping two people in twin or double beds, so the maximum number is eight, unless you would like to add one or two extras, as there is plenty of space in two of the rooms for an extra bed. Shorter or longer stays are worked out on a pro rata basis.Up to five guests: £3460Six guests: £3640
Seven guests: £3800
Eight guests: £3960
Extra guests over eight, per person: £350
Discount if airport transfers not needed: £30 per guest
free bike hire for guests arriving by train!
In the spirit of promoting greener transport and longer stays per mile travelled, we are offering guests who travel to Spain by rail the incentive of free top-of-the-range mountain bike hire for the duration of their holiday (worth £95 for an eight day trip). So, as well as getting a great deal, guests need not worry about the complexities of taking their bikes on the train.It is surprisingly easy and a great holiday adventure in itself to travel from the UK to Andalucia by train. The afternoon Eurostar from London to Paris takes just 2 hours 20 minutes, followed by the excellent overnight trainhotel from Paris to Madrid. From Madrid there are regular regional trains to Malaga, Almeria and Granada.
Plus, if you do not need airport transfers, we offer you a £30/€42 'no transfers' discount per person from the cost of your holiday.
how this holiday makes a difference
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We encourage a responsible approach to travel. We offer expertly and sensitively guided mountain biking for small groups, staying in our farmhouse in Sierra Nevada Natural Park, within The Alpujarra region of Andalucia. The development of responsible rural tourism in the area provides economic benefits and encourages an alternative development pattern to the intensive poly-tunnel agriculture or golf course tourism, which have affected many parts of Andalucia.
Accommodation: Guests stay in our farmhouse, which has been built in compliance with environmental and aesthetic considerations. We live in the farmhouse year-round, contributing to the economic and social structure of the village. We have regenerated the smallholding around the farmhouse and planted numerous indigenous trees, thus encouraging birds and other animals back to the land. The house runs on solar power for the hot water and electricity generation and guests are encouraged to understand the need for modest consumption of electricity and water. Staff: We employ local people for cooking, cleaning and transport. Food: Meals are made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients, avoiding packaging wherever possible. We avoid paper napkins and disposable plates etc. Glass bottles are returned to the supplier or recycled. Kitchen waste is composted. When eating out we patronise locally owned bars and restaurants. Water and water use: Potable water from local springs is provided for drinking, avoiding the need for bottled water. Guests are encouraged to be sparing in their water consumption. Towels and sheets are changes once a week on request. Office: We use recycled and recyclable materials wherever possible; print as little as possible using double sided printing. Bookings and correspondence are done electronically, avoiding paper use.  Culture: Guests are encouraged to interact positively with the local community by being respectful and courteous in the countryside and villages. We also encourage guests to try and to buy local foods, and wines and crafts. Respect for the environment: Guests are informed of the fragility of the mountain ecosystem and required not to leave litter or damage or stray from the trails. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |