Property Description
No two houses are the same, but some are more different than others. This old village house has been restored and reformed with wonderful style, imagination and taste. Quite simply, it's beautiful!
Let's start with the location. It's in the high mountain village of Pitres, a pueblo that still retains it's old Moorish authenticity. It has a lovely central plaza where the Friday morning market takes place. Very Spanish, it was once the Moorish "capital" of the High Alpujarras and is today the administrative centre for La Taha, the local region comprising eight little villages. It has a population of about 600.
This is a very old house, formerly the village bodega where the locals came with their grapes to have them pressed to make the renowned local vino.
In more recent times the house fell into disrepair and became a ruin although most of the original equipment and machinery remained in situ and intact. It was purchased by a foreign couple (he's South African, she's Irish) who were undaunted by the enormous restoration task which lay ahead of them.
Finally, after three years of unremitting hard labour, it's finished and, well, it's a work of art! And much appreciated by clients … "we thoroughly enjoyed our stay, it's a fantastic house!" is a typical comment.
It's a very big house, on two floors with a terrace on the first floor which crosses over the little street below.
A huge wooden door opens to the wonder world inside, which starts with a wide and welcoming entrance hall. Not many hallways can be described as impressive but this one is, with it's antique stone floor and high beamed ceiling.
The ground floor was originally the practical working part of the house. From the entrance lobby a few stairs lead up to what was once the stables, now transformed into the most amazing internal patio, naturally lit from above and now home to a 'hamman' (a shallow swimming pool), with its water jets and Moorish arches giving it a wonderful feel, a beautifully cool and calm place to be after a hot day out.
The original grain storage room and the wine making rooms lead off. The bodega, with its three enormous wooden wine vats taking centre stage has been turned into a highly imaginative bar.
The living space, some 250 square metres, is upstairs. There are two lounges separated by an internal patio which cleverly floods the whole house with light. At the back of the house is the "winter" lounge, a comfy and warmly decorated area with its sofa and armchairs cosily arranged around the glass fronted wood burning stove, a satelitte TV in the corner.
The larger "summer" lounge, where the stairs from below emerge, is equally comfortable, but with a more airy, lighter ambience. Double doors open to the large (45 square metres) furnished terrace. It's a very relaxing spot, with views to either side of the village. Full of hanging flower baskets and pot plants, it is an ideal place for sun bathing, barbecues, eating and drinking.
The kitchen / dining room leads off from the passageway which links the two lounges. Another wonderful room and, like everywhere else in the house, very tastefully furnished and decorated. It is fully equipped to cater for ten or more people, a delightful blend of kitchen comfort, socialising and special occasion.
There are five bedrooms which all lead off from one or other of the two lounges. They are all neatly and attractively furnished, and each has twin beds which can be joined together, if preferred. One has a french door to the terrace, another has a small balcony overlooking the street, and one has a door which leads out to the little lane at the back of the house.
Finally, there is the unique and interesting bathroom arrangement, which comprises three seperate cubicles separated by curved walls, each one made private by a beautiful tapestry which pulls across to make a "door". One has a bath/shower and basin; the other two have large round showers and a basin. In addition, there are two completely private toilets and another double basin. Unusual to say the least, but attractive and imaginative too. There is a third toilet downstairs.
Pitres has several bars and restuarants, a small hotel, a decent supermarket and a good health food shop. There is a bank, a clinic and a pharmacy along with a few other shops. Friday morning is market day in the plaza where fresh produce, clothes and crafts can be bought. Just outside the village there is a small camping site with a gorgeous public swimming pool, a fun place to be in the summer.
Pitres has avoided becoming a tourist mecca. Life goes on in an unhurried and peaceful way here. If you prefer a little more night time action, more touristy villages such as Bubión and Capileira are just a short drive away. Flamenco and live music concerts (jazz, world music and classical) are regular events in the summer. Pitres itself one night had the Nottingham Symphony Orchestra playing in the plaza.
All around, there are the spectacular mountains, valleys and gorges of La Alpujarra to explore, as well as its many charming little villages. A great advantage of being in Pitres is that it is right in the centre of the High Alpujarras and many of the best walks pass through or near by. There are lots of locally run courses and activities, too, from painting and pottery to flamenco and horse riding.
Further afield, the city of Granada with the Alhambra Palace and its old Moorish streets is little more than an hour away by car. It takes a little less to get to the Costa Tropical with its beaches, bars and seafood restuarants.
Contact Us
Would you like to book this property? Any questions? We are here to help
00 34 958 763 381
Property Details
Ground Floor :
Large entrance hallway
Steps up to internal patio area, with hamman pool
Bodega bar
Cloakroom W/C
First Floor :
Two lounge areas (the winter lounge & the summer lounge
Fully equipped kitchen / dining room
5 double bedrooms (twin bedded but beds can be pushed together if preferred)
Shower / bathroom area (bath/shower and basin; two large round showers with basins; two private toilets and a double basin)
Furnished terrace
Facilities
26" Satellite TV (BBC free-to-air) • DVD • HiFi / CD player • WiFi Internet (bring your own laptop)
Glass fronted fireplace in the winter lounge • Electric radiators in all bedrooms • Portable gas heater
Electric Oven • Gas hob (8 rings) • Microwave • Fridge / freezer • Dishwasher • Toaster • Food processor • Kettle • Coffee machine • Cooking utensils • Cutlery • Crockery
Washing machine • Iron & board
All linen is provided • Cot
Hamman style internal pool (5 m x 2 m, 0.70m deep)
Terrace furniture including seating, 2 sunloungers, a sunshade and a portable barbecue
Notes
The pool is open throughout the year
Prices are inclusive of electricity heating costs.
Maid and cooking services can be arranged, if required, for a supplement. Advance notice will be required
Care should be taken with very young children. As you can see from the photos, the hamman pool is not gated off from the tiled floor surround
Rentals for this property normally run from Saturday to Saturday
Location
In the village of Pitres (simple shopping, restaurants, weekly market, bars)
25 km from Órgiva (most facilities); Costa Tropical 1 hr; Granada 1½ hrs; Málaga 2¾ hrs
See the location map above
Airports
Granada 1½ hrs; Málaga 2¾ hrs
See our Links Page for web sites of airlines traveling to Andalucia from the UK.
Car Hire
We offer competitive rates for car hire from Málaga and other airports in Andalucia. Click here for full details
Find Out More
About Las Alpujarras
You may find it useful to view our frequently asked questions
