La Almunia del Valle

Our second visit to this lovely hotel and we were not disappointed. It’s such a beautiful place to stay and the staff could not be more helpful. The evening meals are just amazing with 4 delicious courses each night and the breakfasts are to die for

If you're heading to the Sierra Nevada and want easy access to all the delights than Granada has to offer, look no further than staying at La Almunia del Valle. It is an absolutely delightful boutique hotel with a good eye for sustainability. Patricia and Manuel have created a bucolic paradise and their lovely warm personalities are firmly embedded throughout the gorgeous property. They are supported by an wonderful, friendly and very helpful staff who are always on hand to recommend day-trips, restaurants etc. We stayed in a standard terrace room which in my opinion has to be one of the top rooms! The terrace which is smothered by a vine is large and private (although we were visited on several occasions by the hotel's friendly feline, Rita!). The room itself was stylishly and comfortably furnished. The bed linen was the best I've ever experienced in a hotel and the bathroom was fabulous too! There's a great pool area with loads of sunbeds and recliners for snoozing in under ancient olive trees. Here you can get access to a well stocked honesty bar which offers soft and alcoholic drinks and a good variety of snacks. This bar is really convenient as there is no lunch on offer. The breakfast and set menu dinner get massive mentions! They are outstanding and served on a lovely terrace with stunning mountain views. Definitely the best breakfast we've ever experienced, with so much on offer and all produce is locally sourced. The dinner which comprises 5 courses, is out of this world and a gastronomic delight. At 40 euros per head it offers excellent value and is complemented by a great wine list too. Every night offers a different set menu and is always inspired by local cuisine. There are some great walks from the hotel, particularly the nearby river/canyon stroll which takes around 2 hours. We also headed up into the Sierra Nevada and treks with virtually no one else around are only 20 mins drive away. There's so much you can do from this hotel, you won't be bored. We will see you again La Almunia del Valle, as you have to be experienced more than once!

We wanted to tour the Sierra Nevada mountains in addition to seeing The Alhambra and Granada so we decided to stay in Monachil at the foot of the mountain range. This unique hotel fit the bill. It is about a twenty minute drive from Granada but totally removed from the tourist hustle and bustle. Our lovely room with balcony overlooked the mountains and we were awoken by roosters, not by traffic noise. The breakfast is served on the terrace overlooking the mountains and is an idyllic way to start the day. We did not opt for the dinner since we were unsure of when we'd finish touring each day so we ate in local Monachil restaurants. The staff is friendly and speaks English. Highly recommended. One does need a car to stay here and visitors should be aware that the turn-off to the hotel property is three quarters of a mile up a two way road barely wide enough for one car. If one met another car travelling in the opposite direction (which happened to us twice), one needed to back up to one of the few turnouts where a car could squeeze past. With a stone wall on one side, a fence on the other, and a couple of blind curves, this was quite a challenge, especially in the dark!