Placed as one of the top three establishments by the Spanish luxury online magazine Experiencias y Más, along with Dunas Beach in Málaga and Hospes Maricel in Mallorca.

Pool and Gardens

This resort, which was renovated in 2004, is 50 metres from the beach, it has a kids club a fleet of smart cars for use by guests. Complete gymnasium, turkish baths, saunas and a 24-hour chaffeur service.

The Alva Park Resort is in Lloret de Mar, Girona.

The hotel, designed as a typical island village has romantic patios, piazzas and fountains.

This luxurious hotel in Playa Blanca has 255 bedrooms spread over 20 typical house, with spectacular views over gardens, harbour and to the islands of Fuerteventura and Isla de Lobos.

Practically every bar you visit will serve it, in Andalucia it’s called tostada and you can have it with jamon and cheese too.

Not everywhere serves it with garlic like this method of making it.

Half lengthways and toast a baguette.
Rub the toasted slices with a cut clove of garlic.
Pour on olive oil, you need to cut the bread slightly so enough sinks in!
Pile on grated tomato, diced jamon and diced cheese.

Delicious – try with your morning coffee.

Have you a luxurious city apartment or rural retreat you would swap? Book your luxury accommodation without charge by swapping .

I’ll be back to let you know where I’ve booked to swap and later to review the property.

It’s all travel for some!

• John Harvey & Sons Ltd, V.O.R.S 30 Year Old Rich Old Oloroso
• Bodegas Hidalgo – La Gitana, Triana, Pedro Ximenez
• Gonzales Byass, Del Duque, Amontillado Muy Viejo
• Bodegas Sanchez Romate, NPU Amontillado
• Fernando di Castilla, Antique Oloroso
• Bodegas Perez Marin, La Guita, Manzanilla
• Bodegas Lustau, Puerto Fino
• Bodegas Valdivia, Sacromonte, Pedro Ximenez
• Sandeman, Royal Corregidor, Rich Old Oloroso
• Williams and Humbert, Dos Cortados, V.O.S. 20 Year Old Pal Cortado

For more information and tasting notes see Decanter.com

 Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia… Spanish cities have always been amongst the coolest travel destinations in Europe.

 But forget the chic urban centres for a moment; it’s also a country of gorgeous and wildly differing landscapes. It’s in this stunning setting that you can find many of the finest luxury hotels in Spain. Our five picks of the best rural luxury hotels in Spain are split between two regional powerhouses of tourism: Catalunya and Andalucia. And whether it’s exclusive boltholes in the snow-capped Pyrenees or ancient hermitages on the sun-bleached plains of Seville, there’s one thing that unites them all: oodles of style.

Castell d’Emporda - La Bisbal d’Emporda, Catalunya

 It took Margo Vereijken and Albert Diks more than three years to restore the 800-year-old Castell d’Emporda one of the finest small luxury hotels in Spain – and it was certainly worth the wait. 38 rooms are stylishly distributed between the castle itself and a Cristina Gabas designed modern annexe; castle rooms are obviously the most dramatic, but none disappoint.

Fountainhead - Riogordo, Andalucia

Surrounded by the Axarquia’s dramatic mountainous landscape, Fountainhead is the very definition of a rural retreat: the aesthetic is a thoughtful mix of the bright and the modern (with the occasional hat-tip to the area’s Moorish past), while there are just a handful of suites, a small spa, a top-class restaurant and a devoted team on hand at all times

Can Bonastre Wine Resort Terrace Views

Can Bonastre Wine Resort - Masquefa, Catalunya

Can Bonastre Wine Resort manages to strike just the right note between rural seclusion and, at just 35 minutes from Barcelona, accessibility. Boutique in size and style it may be, but that doesn’t come at the expense of proper luxury facilities – not least in a fantastic range of spa treatments and therapies. As the name suggests, wine features pretty heavily in Can Bonastre’s appeal, and the hotel’s two fine dining restaurants showcase vintages from their very own vineyards. It’s all capped off – to absolutely stunning effect – with views across to the mountains of Montserrat.

Palacio San Benito - Cazalla de la Sierra, Andalucia

In keeping with its roots as a 15th-century hermitage, there’s been an almost religious reverence brought to bear on the restoration of Palacio San Benito by Manuel Morales de Jódar. Plain function has simply never been allowed to take precedence over form or to strip out the building’s historical features. The fountain doubles up as a pool, the library is wonderfully overwrought (in the Sevillano style) and the gallery surrounding the central patio looks pretty much as it has for the last 500 years…

La Pleta by Rafael Hotels – Baqueira, Catalunya

Secreted away in the heart of the Pyrenees, and with privileged access to the exclusive ski resort Baqueira Beret, La Pleta by Rafael Hotel is where Spain’s beautiful people winter. Small and unremittingly chic, there’s a couple of great in-house restaurants to choose from, and… not much else. Apart from peace, quiet and wonderful views stretching away in every direction!

The decor pays homage to Andalusia’s Muslim roots without sacrificing modern luxuries,  but it’s the food that counts.  The Michelin two-star La Alquería restaurant  by Ferran’s right-hand man, Rafa Morales serves  El Bulli’s greatest  edible works of art. 

 As Adria says  “Cuisine is not something to be had, but a state to be in.”

Hacienda Benazuza

The hotel offers 42 exquisite  rooms, select cuisine in the Senzone restaurant and a  Bodyna Spa.

The Presidential Suite has original mosaic floor and  artistic paintings on the ceiling and superb view of the garden and city from its  exclusive balcony. 

And of course all those wanted luxuries plus ADSL connection.

1. Rhodes, Dodecanese, Greece
2. Capri, Campania, Italy
3. Santorini, Cyclades, Greece
4. Malta, Europe
5. Sardinia, Italy, Europe
6. Canary Islands, Spain
7. Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain
8. Corfu, Ionian Islands, Greece
9. Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
10. Madeira Islands, Portugal, Europe

Just minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the Costa del Sol. Alhaurin el Grande the nearest town to my delightful hideaway was awash with great restaurants and even better – walking distance.

So tuck-in enjoy the fantastic food and walk it off home then massage the night away in the hot tub or take a private mid-night dip in the secluded pool, then relax in the moonlight on the fabulous roof terrace. I did.

El Roble Holidays