Rooms

Though each house varies in size, decoration and design, their shared ethos is outdoor living, drawing focus on that vista across sand, sea and forest to the hazy outline of Morocco’s coastline: gazing and lazing are what come easiest here.

Stone House (sleeps 2-6 + 1 child)
This house is aptly named, with huge sandstone boulders serving as the back wall. In the open-plan living area, you'll find a swish kitchen: to one side is the dining table, to the other is the terrace for alfresco meals. We loved the floor-to-ceiling tapestry from Burma, and phrases made from painted wooden letters reflect the owner's pacifist/Buddhist take on life. A fireplace and central heating keep things warm in winter, and there's a mangificent plunge pool in the private garden. Our favourite bedroom was the rooftop double, which has a huge, sea-facing terrace and an ensuite shower room. Two walls of glass, one facing the sea, the other the rock garden, meet in one corner. The other two bedrooms, just off the living area, have double beds and sea views.

The Casita (sleeps 2-3)
The smallest house is best suited to couples, but the sofabed downstairs can serve as a third bed. The all-in-one living room has a kitchenette, a dining table and lovely big windows that allow light to pour in. Off from here is the shower bathroom. The open-sided stairs that lead up to the bedroom increase the sense of space (although they are somewhat treacherous!), as do walls of light-coloured stucco, off-white floor tiles and the lack of decorative clutter. Up in the bedroom, a huge window, coupled with a mirror backing the double bed, brings in light and the glittering waves of El Cañuelo beach. At the back of the house, there's a little terrace, accessed via the lounge, with some shaded seating.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Bathrobes
• Coffee / tea making
• Hairdryer
• Iron
• Toiletries
• TV
• Washing machine
• WiFi

Eating

Both houses are well-equipped for self-catering and have indoor and outdoor dining tables. The Stone House also has a barbecue. You can't drink from the taps here as the property relies on well water, but big water filters are provided. In Tarifa, there are some great little shops, 2-3 supermarkets and a wonderful covered market selling fresh fish. Down in Bolonia, 10 minutes away by car, there are a couple of sell-everything shops with tasty locally baked bread.

In summertime, there's a big choice of places to eat in Bolonia. This is when the chiringuitos (beach bars) open up - a friendly welcome and excellent seafood await at Las Rejas and El Albero, whilst a little further out of town there's a great roadside restaurant, El Tropezón. We particularly enjoyed our supper-with-a-view at El Tesoro, close to the tiny hamlet of Betis.

Tarifa also has numerous restaurants. Our favourite place for fine dining is Casa Lola, whilst El Picoteo is great for tapas. The Hurricane Hotel does a good lunchtime buffet in its beach-bar restaurant, with plenty of veggie options. Wherever you choose to eat, look out for local tuna on the menus (try it raw) - this stretch of coast is famous for the Almadraba tuna catch.

Features include:

• Barbecue
• Coffee maker
• Dishwasher
• Fridge
• Full kitchen
• Hob or stove
• Microwave
• Oven
• Toaster

Activities

• Walk through the pine forest for 15 minutes to discover the hidden beach of El Cañuelo, inaccessible to traffic, where nude bathing is the norm (make sure you note where the path starts/ends for your walk back)
  
• Laze with your book in a hidden corner of the gardens: it's dangerously soporific
  
• Visit the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia and its state-of-the-art museum, located 10 minutes away
  
• Try windsurfing or kitesurfing. Courses are on offer throughout summer on the beach in Bolonia
  
• Saddle up for an unforgettable horseback ride along the beach to Valdevaqueros
  
• Head inland and discover the pristine beauty of Los Alcornocales Park: the hiking possibilities here are endless
  
• Take a whale- and dolphin-watching trip out from Tarifa
  
• Take a fast ferry to Tangier, wander the souks, drink mint tea, buy a rug - and be back in Bolonia in time for a late supper

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Fishing
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Kitesurfing
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Wildlife
• Windsurfing

Kids

The rocks, the garden, the forest, dunes and beach: this is a fun setting for adventurous kids. But it's not ideal for toddlers, given the number of steps, sharp edges and drops in in the garden.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

The Casita sleeps up to 3 in a double bed and a small single sofabed. The Stone House sleeps 6 in 3 double bedrooms plus one additional child on a sofabed upstairs. This villa has its own private garden and a plunge pool.

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Bolonia Beach Houses are set near the hamlet of Bolonia in Andalucia, southern Spain. They are a 20-minute drive from the centre of Tarifa.

By Air
Fly into Gibraltar (70km), Jerez (120km), Málaga (170km) or Seville (200km).

By Car
You will definitely need a car to get here. For hire cars see our car rental recommendations. We advise requesting a hire car with good road clearance or four-wheel drive, though almost all cars (except perhaps a low sports car) can reach the houses if driven carefully.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.