The Hotel El Curro offers a familiar and relaxing atmosphere close to nature

The Mountain Range of Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas is a beautiful area that we have long wanted to visit. Taking advantage of the Long Memorial Weekend, we decided to get away, relax and enjoy nature. In searching for a hotel, we decided to go out a little bit from the town and to go into the mountains. The Hotel El Curro, located in Burunchel, offered what we were looking for: a familiar and relaxing atmosphere close to nature.

After going into the hotel we observed that there is a very rustic atmosphere. In the reception we met Maria del Mar and her mother, who from the very first moment made us feel part of the house and their family. You could tell they wanted us to feel like we were staying in their home. First of all, they took us on a tour of the hotel, so we would feel comfortable and at ease in every corner.

The hotel is the perfect size – not overwhelming at all. Our favorite corner was the living room with the chimney, perfect for having a siesta, reading a book or quiet conversation. The hallways reminded me of my grandparent’s home, with the personal home touches. However, unlike my grandparent’s home, here at the hotel I could enjoy free Wi-Fi wherever I went!

The trip had been a little bit long from Madrid, but we re-energized with good rural food. The big dining-room was not open because it was the slow season, so we ate in the other small dining-room. We wanted to unwind from the hectic pace of the city and take time to enjoy the authentic home-made dishes cooked with honey which are typical of the area.

They gave us different dishes to taste. The appetizers were the typical extra virgin olive oil and a very delicious duck pate, both made there. The first dish was loin preserved in “orza”. The fresh loin is fried in its own lard and spices and then introduced into a clay pot. The pot is covered and left in a clean, cold, dark space for several months.

After that, the starter dish came: “salmorejo” (like a thicker gazpacho) with a ball of basil oil flavored ice cream. It was possibly one of the best combinations that I had ever tried, and I have tasted the “salmorejo” from Córdoba with my family, where it is a typical food. For the last dish, they brought us a stag stew which was very tender and soft. Finally we tried the desserts which were a bread roll made by Maria del Mar’s grandmother and a home-made brownie with ice cream of “orujo” cream (the “orujo” is a strong alcoholic liquor distilled from grape or herbs pressings). It was without a doubt a succulent meal which gave us energy for the entire day. After eating we had time to rest and enjoy our room.

The rooms are all different from one another and each one has a different theme, always classic and rural. They have homey details like rocking chairs, round tables or sofas that reminded me my grandparents’ house, creating a positive nostalgic atmosphere. On the highest floor there is an attic with a terrace, ideal for viewing a romantic sunset.

Our room surprised us with its decor, its spaciousness and the views from the terrace. It was divided in three parts, a small “living room” with a rocking chair, one round table and one sofa, the bed (very comfortable and just the right size for two people) and Abi’s favorite part: ¡a locker room! My favorite part was the Jacuzzi in the bathroom where you could relax to the maximum.

After resting a bit, María del Mar, who knows her village very well, suggested things to do, and people to contact who could give advice about places we wanted to visit. She does that with each client, preparing a tailor made list with the most interesting activities for each person. As you can imagine and as you will see in upcoming articles, the quantity of things to do in the Mountains are many – active tourism, visiting towns or nature walks.

Apart from the lunch, we had the opportunity to try the breakfast at the hotel. We like the traditional Mediterranean breakfast, so we ordered toasted farmers bread with tomato and extra virgin olive oil produced by them. Everything accompanied by a coffee and an orange juice. Breakfast lived up to the high quality of everything else at the hotel. The slices of toasted bread are big, so if you don’t eat a lot, order a half one.

Our stay was perfect overall. We could tell that all the people in the hotel genuinely wanted us to enjoy our stay. They made us feel at home, were friendly and put us at ease. The price of each room per night was 81€, a price that we think is well worth it and is an average price for the area. For all these reasons and our wonderful experience, we ruskommend the Hotel El Curro with 5 boquerones.