Reviews of Property: A gorgeous staffed villa close to Ronda

We've stayed at El Tejar on three occasions now and will be returning again later this year. The views from the house, which is tucked away in a pine forest at the top of the village, are sensational and there are several different terraces for drinking it all in. Sangria or a G&T as the sun sets over the Grazalema Natural Park are a must.

We were glad to find a bottle of wine awaiting as we'd forgotten to shop in Ronda before arrival (you should because the village shops aren't open on Saturday afternoon). The best supermarket inh Ronda is called Mercadona, on the west side of the town, easy to find if you follow the owners instructions in the guest information booklet.

The house is always spotless on arrival and having Francisca to help clean every morning is great. We had fun practising our Spanish with her and one night she prepared us a meal which included delicious homemade gazpacho.

The equipment at the house was all in good condition and our two boys appreciated having internet access. We particulary liked sitting out on the terrace above the pool - which was where we ate all of our meals.

The decor has a strong Moroccan influence and our favourite room is the suite Casablanca though it must be said the stairs up to it are very steep. It has a gorgeous view and we lay in bed one morning and watched an eagle circling above the village. Being tall we were glad to have such good mattresses - they're not only long but really comfortable, too.

We reckon the village is the friendliest we've come across in Spain and although nobody seemed to speak any English we were always able to make ourselves understood.

An added benefit from using the house is the opportunity to use Guy, the owner, for his extensive local knowledge of local walks and other activities. He has lived in the area for more than 20 years and has written a number of walking and guide books and there's no-one better to make your holiday enjoyable and active!

And this house is excellent value: we stayed at a place in Italy that cost almost double the amount and it wasn't nearly as nice as El Tejar. Last time we stayed a nightingale was singing every night. It made us feel like we were on a second honeymoon!

We have been back to El Tejar every year since we first found it. The house is lovely, full of character and very comfortable. The village of Montecorto is full of lovely people and has convenient shops - an opportunity to speak spanish! The location of El Tejar is fantastic, the views from the house are breath taking and the walking around the mountains with out equal. The owner, Guy, is a charming fount of knowledge about everything local and beyond. We would like El Tejar to be a best kept secret so that we can always book "our" week - but that would be selfish, so go ahead and stay, you won't be disappointed.
Ruth and Paul (Newcastle upon Tyne)

I stayed in El Tejar in Montecorto in March this year with a few friends and was delighted with the individuality of the place. Each en-suite bedroom is uniquely styled and the house is in a perfect location. Montecorto is a genuine Spanish village and the people are really friendly. We loved getting to know the little local bars and restaurants where we spent rather too much time!

We have recently returned from a break at El Tejar in the delightful village of Montecorto, outside Ronda. If you want to catch a glimpse of real Spanish village life, this is the place for you!The way of life has changed little here, slow and friendly with just a few small, local shops where people take the time to say hello. We loved to stroll down to shop for ingredients for our meals.
El Tejar is a real gem - tranquil and relaxing, tucked away high above the village with stunning views of the surrounding mountains. The rooms are charming - simply but stylishly furnished, spotlessly clean and very comfortable. Paqui was such a help to us and prepared wonderful food - her tortillas are not to be missed!
A lovely place to relax!

A fantastic location with breathtaking views accross to the mountains the first thing that greets you on opening your shutters of a morning. My favourite place to enjoy the view was from the balcony of the small living area adjacent to the first floor bedroom, preferably with a freshly brewed coffee and some fresh bread from the village - heaven. The house is perfect, terracotta tiled floors and open beamed ceilings with comfy furnishings. Nothing is pretentious or staged everything feels genuinely part of what one imagines was once a much loved home - a real home from home.
The external spaces are the real star of this property. Surrounded by mature plants, shrubs and fruit trees, they are wonderfully secluded. There are enough of them to ensure your own little corner in which to chill if the mood takes you. The pool area is lovely and I must admit to having done nothing but move between the pool and a very comfortable lounger for an entire day, except for the odd foray into the house to partake of Paqui's amazing Tortilla! The terraced areas are fantastic to sit out at night, nibbling on tapas and enjoying good wine with friends whilst the smell of honeysuckle fills the air. Gorgeous.
The village is authentic Spain, luckily, not held hostage to tourism, with trading hours to suit. It's possible to find all that you need food wise and the trip down to the bakers each morning is a great experience with the local housewives! The bar on the main square was hugely welcoming, be warned though, the local take on a measure of whiskey is rather large!! We would recommend Alora to eat in Zahara - delicious food and very welcoming. We also visited a couple of the local ventas, which were great value and served regional dishes - the fried Rosada (fish) was delicious.
The other very special thing about El Tejar is the walking, nearby is some of the most remote, dramatic and beautiful scenery, a walk is a must. Our favourite was the Walk of the Hidden Valley - as amazing as it sounds!
Paqui (the housekeeper) was very welcoming and helpful, her cooking is fantastic! The house was spotless and cleaned daily. The owner, Guy, was enthusuiastic and friendly we got the impression he really wanted us to experience the real Spain.
A brilliant holiday. I cannot recommend this place enough I fell in love with it and will definitely be going back.

I've stayed at El Tejar a few times now and each time it gets better. Clean but interesting rooms, great facilities including a really good kitchen, pool and a real no-nonsense braodband connection but above all the terraces where one can sit for hours with a glass of fino watching the view as the mountains across the valley change colour and almost, it seems, shape. The village, a walk down the hill away from this eyrie, is pretty good too, small shops stocking the essentials a couple of low key and friendly bars and some lovely people, especially the old folk who can give you a real picture of what the countryside is all about. A great place to stay for walking, relaxing and soaking up the atmosphere.