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 6-20. 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 8 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 who'll adore your little ones, that delicious sense of cosseted privacy, being a hop away from Ronda and pretty local villages, 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
- Families of all ages and sizes are encouraged, and kids will love the pool and gardens
- The building's contemporary, angular lines and big windows make a refreshing change from traditional cortijo style
- Access to the concierge services of Hotel La Fuente de la Higuera nearby
Lows
- The garden rooms (#6, 7 and 8) don't have quite the same caché as the 5 upstairs but are pretty swish nonetheless
- The yoga studio can be used to sleep up to 6, but the 'sleepover-style' setup is best suited to kids and it doesn't have a bathroom
- A rather strict cancellation policy
Best time to go
For outside dining and swimming visit during May-late September, but at any time of year a stay at The Lodge is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Our top tips
Few people associate Ronda with all things oenological, yet this relatively young DOC is now producing some remarkable wines. Try to programme in at least one bodega visit: if he's around, Lodge owner Pom Piek will give you the lowdown on which to go to.
- Boutique Villa
- 8 bedrooms
- Meals on request + self catering option
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Daily Maid Service
- Towels & Bedlinen
- Bicycles Available
- Laundry Service
- DVD library on request
Rooms
The decoration of the 8 bedrooms mirrors the airy, uplifting vibe of its shared spaces. Owners Pom and Christina - who also own sister property Hotel La Fuente de la Higuera - have worked and travelled throughout the Far East and shipped lamps, four-poster beds, chests and cabinets back from Indonesia: what they didn't find ready-made, they designed themselves.
The dark tropical wood and clean-cut lines are perfectly complemented by mosquito nets, luggage racks, African art and artefacts, and retro sinks and taps: there's more than a hint of Raffles here. Central heating keeps you cosy in winter (The Lodge stands almost 800m above sea level), and all rooms apart from the two lower ones have aircon units for hot summers. Expect top quality linens, a pile of snowy white towels, Gilchrist & Soames smellies, and bathrobes for your forays down to the pool and massage room or studio. Better still, each bedroom has a private terrace with hardwood table, chairs and a hammock.
The nicest of the seven rooms are those which wrap around the garden terrace and dining area. Queen Bee is room 1, which encompasses a massive slice of sleeping space with open hearth, an east-facing deck and comes with a bath and separate shower. Rooms 2 and 3 are in the same wing but face north so get rather less light. Room 2 benefits from having an open hearth (and can be made up as a twin) whilst 3 has a separate bath and shower.
Rooms 4 and 5 give onto the courtyard so feel slightly less private. Both are doubles, room 5 being the larger: it also has an open hearth. Rooms 6 and 7 are down a floor and in a separate wing next to the massage studio (the only rooms without air conditioning because they are naturally cooler). These are slightly smaller but closer to the pool, and can be set up as twins. The massage studio can be set up as the 8th bedroom (a twin) on request, and beds can be added to the yoga studio to sleep a total of 26 people (this is only used for kids, and it doesn't have its own bathroom).
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Central heating
- Coffee / tea making
- Cots available
- Fan
- Fireplace
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- Iron
- Minibar
- Toiletries
- Tumble dryer
- Washing machine
- WiFi
Eating
Some guests choose to self cater here, in which case you get use of a big snazzy kitchen. But most guests opt for serviced rental, in which meals are very much a part of the whole spoiling experience.
There are 3 packages, and you can choose a different one on different days:
All breakfasts are buffet style and are laid up at whatever time you choose. You get such a big spread - local breads, freshly squeezed juices, cereals, cheeses, cold cuts, fruit salad, yoghurt and so on - that you could treat this meal as brunch and forgo the tapas lunch.
However, both lunches and dinners are picture perfect: Christina is big on the visuals of fine dining. Many of the ingredients come fresh from the Lodge's organic veggie and herb garden whilst meat is organically sourced and fish brought in fresh from the slab. And with a choice of 3 different dining areas, all meals can be moveable feasts.
When it comes to drinks, you help yourself from the wine rack or from the fridges in the kitchen or poolside barbecue area (honesty bar set-up). The selection of vino isn't vast but is extremely good: new Ronda wines are given pride of place alongside a couple of better-known reds and whites.
Staff can recommend local tapas bars and restaurants if you want a change of scene. In Ronda, Tragabuches, Carmen la de Ronda and Almocábar are all excellent.
Features include:
- Barbecue
- Breakfast
- Communal dining
- Dinner by arrangement
- Dishwasher
- Fridge
- Full kitchen
- Honesty bar
- In-house cook
- Kids' meals
- Lunch by arrangement
- Microwave
- Organic produce
- Oven
- Room service
- Toaster
Activities
- Check out a few of the award-winning local bodegas: Conrad, Schatz, Los Aguilares and Descalzos Viejos all get our thumbs up
- Chill by the pool, jog through the forest then head for the massage studio and treat yourself to an aromatherapy or hot-stone massage (book in advance). There are various beauty treatments on offer, too
- Join in the culinary preparations with the Lodge's chef and learn a few secrets of Spanish cuisine
- Wander the labyrinthine streets of Ronda's Moorish quarter and marvel at its bridge and gorge
- Play boules on the lawn, slump in your hammock, listen to the birds: staying at the Lodge is about total R&R
- Hike in Grazalema or Sierra de las Nieves Parks: the trails are stunning and guides can be arranged
- Staff can organise a range of other activities, too: private yoga classes, horse riding, hot-air ballooning, kayaking, guided mountain bike tours
- Head off to Granada and the Alhambra for a day: timings work out perfectly with the train
- Seville, Cordoba and Málaga are all 2 hours’ drive away - or head for the beach at Marbella
- Go underground at the Pileta Cave and check out some of Europe's best preserved troglodyte art
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Birdwatching
- Cooking classes
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Hot air ballooning
- Kayaking
- Kitesurfing
- Language courses
- Mountain biking
- Museums / galleries
- Shopping / markets
- Snorkelling
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Well being
- Wildlife
- Wine tasting
- Yoga
Kids
Bambinos are not only allowed but celebrated here and will get masses of TLC from the doting staff. With chickens to feed, woods to explore and a big expanse of lawn to play on, this is the stuff of which kiddie dreams are made, especially if you hire the whole property for a big family reunion.
Best for:
All ages
Family friendly accommodation:
Baby cots and extra beds are available (1 per room in #1, 2 and 5). All rooms have a bathtub.
On top of the rollaway beds and cots in the main house, there's also the option to put 7 rollaway beds in the yoga studio, so enquire when booking if you'd like to do this. Older kids would probably love the dorm-style independence.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
Babysitting:
Can be arranged with an English-speaking sitter
Baby equipment:
- Cots
- High chair
- Baby bedding
- Night light
- Food blender
- Microwave
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
Children's meals:
If you book meal plans, the chef is happy to cater for your little ones' needs, including making organic baby food on request. The unique set-up means that you can choose how, when, how much and what your family eats - it's not like a hotel. See Eating. Or you can self cater
Kids Activities on site:
- Unfenced outdoor pool
- Large gardens with chickens, woods and a great expanse of lawn
- DVD library
Kids Activities nearby:
- Marbella beach (50km away)
- Ronda playground
- 'Indiana Jones' ballpool/soft play area nearby
- Guided mountain biking, kayaking, hot air ballooning and horse riding (arrange with management)
Families Should Know:
It hasn't been childproofed to death: there are steps, a pond and an unfenced pool, so you need to keep an eye on errant children
Distances:
- Airport: 90 minutes
- Doctors: 10 minutes
- Nearest shop: 5 minutes
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
The Lodge Ronda is set in the countryside near Arriate, 6km from Ronda. It's 90 minutes from Jerez, Gibraltar and Malaga airports. It's about 90 minutes from Seville, two hours from Granada and Cordoba, all of them easily accessible by car or train for daytrips.
By Air
Malaga is the closest, and most popular, airport, but Seville and Jerez are also close. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
The Lodge can arrange a transfer - enquire when booking - but most guests hire a car. See our car rental recommendations. There's plenty of parking space at the Lodge.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Andalucia and getting around
Airports:
- Malaga Pablo Ruiz Picasso 110.0 km AGP
- Seville San Pablo 120.0 km SVQ
Other:
- Beach 50.0 km
- Shops 6.0 km
- Restaurant 6.0 km