Granada holiday accommodation, Spain
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
We are fully committed to renewable energy, we have a fully ‘off grid’ system with an extensive array of solar panels for hot water and electricity. We are very happy to show our guests how everything works.
Our central heating system is driven by a large pellet burner stove, which also helps to heat the dining room. We use only energy-efficient light bulbs and every bathroom has shower facilities as well as a full bath to encourage sensible use of water; all the toilets have dual flush; the room keys have an energy saving card to fit in the slot in the room, to ensure there is no waste of energy. For washing we use an eco ball and prefer ecologically friendly cleaning, washing and personal hygiene products, though they are very difficult to find in this part of Spain! We change bed sheets and towels every 4 nights, unless otherwise requested.
Our land is mostly wild, with Almond and Olive orchards which had not been exploited for some time. We do not use pesticides and are bringing the trees back into production organically. We grow our own organic fruit and vegetables in our own kitchen garden, raise free range chickens and source everything else from local organic farmers. We have dedicated recycling bins for guests to use, which we add to our own domestic recycling. We also practice composting which is a great way to use up vegetable peelings and chicken manure!
We support the Foundation Gypaetus, for the reintroduction of the Bearded Vulture which reached the brink of extinction in Europe a few years ago. The FG has a rearing site in the natural park of the nearby Sierra de Cazorla and every year release into the wild a number of vultures, which are then tracked for a minimum of 5 years. Up to now all the released birds have taken up residence in the Sierra de Castril, very close to the hotel. We offer interested guests information about the whereabouts of the birds and how to get to the various sites, plus special information cards to fill out in case the birds are spotted. And of course it is amazing how many other beautiful things you see when looking for something else!
Community
This part of Andalucia has historically been one of the poorest in Europe. The effects of past poverty are still visible in many of the elderly population, many of whom were victims of under nourishment and childhood diseases such as rickets and polio. Habitually young people have migrated to the coasts or to cities such as Madrid or Barcelona to look for work and the countryside population continued to diminish. The spectre of the terrible recession of the nineties here in Spain is again rearing its ugly head in the current ‘crisis’ and unemployment figures are back among the highest in Europe.
We are involved in two recently founded associations which are doing something to reverse these trends: one is an association of local organic producers and consumers, to promote organic farming. This employs young people to teach the importance of organic practice for the land and the health benefits for the people.
The second initiative is concerned with the sale of organic produce which employs only local people and is carrying out a campaign of information in schools as well as providing ingredients for school dinners. By supporting this association as customers we look after our guests by providing organic produce at the same time as supporting local employment and organic farming. We also sell local organic products such as olive oil, oregano, honey and saffron, alongside art, craft and glass products from local workshops. Our preferred guides are young locals with enthusiasm and a passion for nature. They have bravely chosen to stay in their own town to earn a living and the development of tourism can help make this possible.
We encourage all our guests to make use of local restaurants and shops by offering them extensive information and by using our language skills and contacts to book and organise things on their behalf to ensure an enjoyable and tailor-made experience.
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