On the referral of a hotel manager in Granada, we decided to book a stay at Casa Rural El Paraje in Burchules, in the Alpujarra region. What a gem of a referral this turned out to be. Firstly, our hosts, Brenda and Philip spoke 4 languages including English. Then they had some magnificent high altitude local wines that were phenomenal! Then they cooked dinner which was amongst 2 of the best meals I have had in Spain in the 3 weeks we have been here. The location is peace personified. The water is from a fresh mountain spring and good enough to bottle. Our room looked out across the Sierras down to the sea from about 5000 feet. It was just amazing! What a great experience.

We were greeted with a cup of tea followed by a three course home cooked dinner with an outstanding bottle of local wine. Breakfast can be taken on the terrace with a view over rollling hills, there are vines, tomato plants, almond trees and a totally relaxing atmosphere. We were lent guided walking maps and given excellent advice which ones would suit us. The room had a balcony, tables and chairs and two nights were just insufficient to enjoy the place and setting adequately, especially when I discovered I could have gone horse riding nearby. The Belgian hosts are relaxed, pleasant and friendly, everything is spotlessly clean and comfortable. Needless to say everything is extremely quiet and you are unlikely to see so many bright stars in a night sky anywhere.

On my own I stayed just one night at Casa Rural El Paraje to taste a few days of the Alpujarras travelling from my house in Mojacar. A short but wonderful stay close to the village of Berchules. I arrived late afternoon at the beautifully converted farmhouse with knowone around and found a lovely note by the owner with a key to my room and directions to where drinks were stored. My room was large simply furnished, with en-suite bathroom and a window and views overlooking the Alpujarras, perfect! Dinner was excellent on the terrace under candle light with a menu of fabulous gazpacno soup, fish with garden vegetables, ice cream, excellent local wine and brandy. I retired very late to sleep soundly in a very comfortable bed! Next day an excellent buffet breakfast on the terrace with a group of charming guests and Brenda and Philip's two young daughters. I recommend this place to stay as a retreat from exploring the Alpujarras, very relaxing with very charming Dutch owners.

What a fantastic location, lovely house, great weather and superb hosts.

We enjoyed five days at Casa Rural El Paraje. It is a sympathetically restored house found not too far along a track with the most amazing views. Our hosts, Filip, Brenda and their two girls (Moira and Roisin) were lovely people, well informed about the local area, great cooks and nothing was too much trouble. They spoke excellent English along with a number of other languages.

We enjoyed lovely breakfasts and dinners on the terrace with views extending for miles and miles with a 200 degree vista. They have their own vegetable garden that provides many of the ingredients for the meals. Breakfast was continental with a good selection of bread, cereal, ham, cheese, jams, yoghurt and fruit. Freshly squeezed orange juice was served. The coffee was superb and the poached eggs were great, benefiting from the “whirlpool” approach (you’ll have to ask Filip about that!). There is an honesty bar where you can find soft drinks and beer stashed in a large fridge at the side of the house. Filip and Brenda also have an excellent selection of wines from the local region.

We have no hesitation in highly recommending Casa Rural El Paraje and its wonderful hosts.

Les & Auds