La Casa Grande

An 18th-century hill-top house with huge views over the countryside and a front door that opens onto the old town of Arcos

This is an ancient town that balances impossibly on the crest of a high hill; one side is a sheer cliff. You get narrow streets, ancient alleyways and rather good views. La Casa Grande is right at the top of it all; open your window and there it is - half of Andalucia laid out before you.

You potter up to the top of the hill, park the car in front of the church, then wander along a cobbled alleyway and arrive at the house. The street is named after the family that built this house in 1729 and you can see their crest carved into the stone pediment above the front door. Inside you find a deliciously simple home: a central courtyard with an ancient well, a roof terrace where you breakfast with 20-mile views, and 8 delightful rooms, most of which look the right way. Tapas suppers on the roof let you make the most of the best room in the house. Wonderful Arcos is on your doorstep, and there’s hiking, a river and a lake down the hill. Don’t miss it.

Highs

• A majestic position at the top of a cliff with views that stretch for miles
• Simply-furnished, stylish rooms, that offer fantastic value-for-money
• The old town of Arcos - narrow lanes, labyrinthine alleyways, ancient bricks and mortar

Lows

• You have to leave your car in a public carpark up a very narrow and steep street a few minutes from the hotel
• If there is only one person on reception, you won't receive assistance with luggage, although there is a trolley
• Driving in Arcos can be be quite hair-raising, with natives not always displaying the friendliest road-sense