The Lodge Ronda

Country life with colonial spice at Ronda's most spoiling house-party hideaway (sleeps 14)

We could reveal the names of the English duchess, the celebrity chef or the party leader who all recently checked in at The Lodge. But enough of prying paparazzi: let's just say that if you're looking to escape the mundane with a group of family or friends, at a supremely stylish yet utterly relaxing rural retreat, then look no further than this snazzy house rental for up to 14 (although you can book just 5 rooms, if you are a smaller group). Fusing Asian and African design and materials with a quest for light and sense of well-being, the building's wrap-around verandah, high window openings, planked floors and isolated ridge-top setting are evocative of the best safari lodge architecture with its inside-meets-outside brief.

Inside, the vast open-plan living room and 7 stylish rooms (all doubles or a mix of doubles and twins) are delightful spaces to relax in. And to help you unwind further, there's a yoga studio in the garden where you can have private lessons, or indulge in massages and beauty treatments. Couple all this with top in-house catering, a stunning pool, friendly Spanish staff and that delicious sense of cossetted privacy and you'll understand why The Lodge is making big waves amongst the travel intelligentsia.

Highs

• With a top-notch chef, organic veggie garden and state-of-the-art kitchen, foodies will be in their element. Choose from a range of meal plans, or self cater if you prefer
• The vast, open-plan sitting room/diner/kitchen makes for easy interaction between guests and friendly staff
• Masses of space: set in a 28-acre private estate so you'll have lots of room to spread out
• The building's contemporary, angular lines and big windows make a refreshing change from traditional cortijo style
• The Lodge is blissfully bucolic yet you're just a hop away from Ronda and a handful of pretty villages

Lows

• The garden rooms (#6 and 7) don't have quite the same caché as the 5 upstairs but are pretty swish nonetheless
• A rather strict cancellation policy