5-Star Nature
Looking for a memorable place to get away from it all? As Louise Cook Edwards reveals, the Hotel Bobadilla – just an hour from Marbella is an absolute gem of traditional Andalusian style, creative cuisine and totally unbridled nature. Photos: Gary Edwards/Hotel Bobadilla
The Hotel Bobadilla is without doubt one of the finest hotels in Spain. Tatler magazine went so far as to class it as one of the top 101 hotels in the world. Located in a vast, unspoiled stretch of countryside between Malaga and Granada, Bobadilla is one of the Leading Small Hotels of the World. A true Andalusian thoroughbred, this hotel is without equal in terms of its stunning location and the quality of services and leisure activities served with style to its privileged guests.
Neither the brochures nor the website, or even the appreciative cooing of previous guests can prepare you for the wonderful feeling you sense on actually driving into the grounds and seeing the 350 hectares of privileged woodland and olive groves in which guests can roam and relax at their leisure. There are many beautiful five star hotels, but few, if any, that afford this sense of having unlimited space and freedom.
Bobadilla is not new, the hotel has been open since the 80s, and it is that maturity, and well-established feel that make the place so special, along with its stunning elegant rustic design, and the blissfully unspoiled tract of nature which effectively act as the “grounds” of
the hotel. Yes, there are no less twenty-five kilometres of untapped nature to be explored on foot, mountain bike, horse, quad or for a more adrenaline fuelled ride, safari buggy.
Andalusian Country Life
If you have ever fantasized about owning a finca, or country house, then a stay at the Bobadilla can bring that dream to life. The design is based on a luxurious Moorish settlement, complete with chapel. Once inside a split level superior suite, complete with its own cosy open fireplace, elegant rustic furnishing, and a sun terrace overlooking nothing but the glorious Granada countryside, and a garden strewn with freshly-fallen oranges and autumn leaves, you are in your own private piece of Andalusian country life. Order room service and enjoy a fino with plump local olives in the late afternoon sun, and you could be transported back to the idyllic visions of Andalusia written by Laurie Lee in As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning…. The suites are so private, so well appointed, and so tastefully designed – to be more like home than a hotel room - that you could happily spend your entire stay there, making good use of room service and drinking in the pure, unadulterated tranquillity.
But as the list of activities you are given on arrival states, this is “Your Magnificent Residence in Spain” and you will no doubt want to make the most of the privileges on offer, and explore your options. With everything from mountain biking, clay pigeon shooting, horse riding and spa pampering among the choice, it is a case of where do you start…
Grand But Grounded
Just walking around the hotel itself is inspiring, with its grand reception, full of horse-shoe arches like the Mezquita de Cordoba, a white baby grand piano, lillies reaching for the sky in tall glass vases, vanilla scented candles and fabulous Moorish arch windows looking onto the hotel’s two fine restaurants. Sinking into a sofa and reading the Sunday papers here is just one rarified experience to be enjoyed at La Bobadilla. Every corner of the building is inspiring, with curious details, windows, patios, eclectic works of art. Just being there gives you an overwhelming sensation of experiencing the quintessential Spain, the real unspoiled Andalusia…
The spa also replicates the Moorish theme, and here you can be pummeled and preened with invigorating water jets, contrast showers and steam rooms – as well as opting for a host of beautifying treatments such as a vanilla milk bath or a caviar facial. Then simply lie back on a heated lounger with rays of sunlight streaming in, and feel the ultimate in relaxation – another key Bobadilla moment.
The Finest Food
The cuisine at Bobadilla is legendary, particularly La Finca restaurant, which has been awarded the top gastronomic accolade of 5 forks and is considered a reference point for creative Mediterranean cuisine in Spain. With dishes such as Ravioli with Wild Muschrooms and Black Truffle Sauce, or Lobster Gratin, the fine reputation is well deserved, and reservations before arrival are highly recommended, otherwise you may be disappointed. El Cortijo restaurant, shares a kitchen with La Finca, but for the 10% price
difference, La Finca delivers a much higher standard of cuisine.
The breakfast buffet at Bobadilla is superb; delicious hams and cheeses, fruit skewers, freshly cooked eggs and chorizo, a selection of olive oil varieties, a bountiful choice of breads, melt in the mouth pastries, and unusual fresh juices, Nespresso coffees and beautifully prepared teas, all served on the finest porcelain. This has to rate as one of the
best hotel breakfasts in Spain.
Back to Nature
For all its creature comforts and friendly and discreet service, which are of an incredibly high standard, the highlight of the Bobadilla is the unparalleled access to nature once you step outside the door. It is not every day you can take a mountain bike ride through olive groves, passing wild rabbits, and hearing the sound of birds chirping at every turn. For a small charge you can canter out on horseback along endless trekking routes, or take a speedier ride around the grounds in a buggy or quad. Those with a firearms licence can shoot clay pigeons, or hunt for small game, all within walking distance of the hotel.
Closer to the hotel itself, you can try a round of archery, book a tennis court, play table tennis, or settle down by the magnificent pool – which is designed to blend seamlessly with the environment. Children – who are absolutely welcome at Bobadilla – have their own pool and play area, and not far from the pool, there is an enclave for a delightful family of deer. Could you possibly ask more of a hotel?
The rarified ambience of Hotel Bobadilla comes at a price naturally, (in winter from 199€/night & breakfast- roughly a euro per hectar of space) but with special offers in low season, this is one luxury worth investing in.
After all, you simply can’t put a price on good memories – and at Bobadilla those are assured.
A Barceló Premium Hotel, La Bobadilla, Loja , Granada. Tel: 958 321 861
