Wednesday 3 August 2011

Travel : Hoopoe Yurt Hotel, Spain

Yurts seem to be rather in vogue at the moment so I couldnt resist the opportunity for a little break at a Yurt Hotel in Andalucia to see what all the fuss was about!...



Do: Relax! and enjoy the beautiful & tranquil gardens of the hotel. If you do find yourself getting itchy feet head north & wander around the white town of Ronda perched atop a deep gorge, on your way back stop at the Cuevo de la Pileta & discover cave paintings dating back as far as 25,000 years deep inside the natural caverns of the Andalucian hills.

Sleep: The Hoopoe Yurt Hotel is an idyllic hotel with 5 individually decorated yurts set amongst olive groves & wildflower meadows near the town of Cortes de la Frontera in Andalucia. We stayed in the 'Mongolian Yurt' decorated with traditional burnt orange motifs, deep sheepskin rugs, antique furniture & plush, squishy bed! The 2 pool areas provided a sublime space to relax, top up the tan & read against a backdrop of mountains & lavender. For more info visit the website - Hoopoe Yurt Hotel

Eat: Fresh, home cooked, home grown & locally sourced 3-course dinners are offered 4 nights a week, a variety of tapas the other three. Dinner is served at a long communal outdoor dining table where you are encouraged to mingle with the other guests, make friends & enjoy the unlimited wine. The food & service was outstanding and was a definite highlight of the stay.

Tip: The hotel is located at the foot of a track leading off of an unmarked road so do not rely on a sat-nav alone! It is also advisable to hire a fairly powerful car with enough oomph to pull you up the steep, winding mountain roads en route to your luxurious little hideaway in the warmth of the Spanish sun.