El Granero

A great place to unwind and enjoy yourself!

Breakfast is generous and served over extended hours, and the view is beautiful. The owners are always friendly and helpful. It's a tastefully decorated country hotel, full of little design touches. The rooms all have a refrigerator, electric oven, and basic tableware. It seems best suited to adults, since it isn't appropriate for families with small children.

I booked after seeing an IG ad that described a country hotel in a recycled barn with all the amenities. What we found was nothing like that. The place looked run-down and half-abandoned, and was pretty messy. We tried to overlook that at first, as long as we had somewhere clean and safe to rest. The room was said to include a kitchen and utensils, but it had only a refrigerator, a small wooden counter, a sink, and an electric oven. There was nothing to cook or heat food with, no basic pots or pans, chopping board, stovetop, burner, or even a microwave tray. We ended up looking around for something to eat because we couldn't use the microwave. At night, the taps would suddenly turn on and water would run strongly for a long time. The pipes squeaked and banged so loudly that sleep was difficult. It happened every night for hours, and we eventually passed out from exhaustion. We thought it might be temporary, but it kept happening. One night there was a very heavy downpour. We were completely alone in the complex, with no security or even a fence. The only employee, Cinthia, was on duty from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The power went out, there was no generator, it was pitch dark, and the whole area flooded. It was still raining the next morning, though less heavily. The breakfast room was locked, so I messaged the owner on WhatsApp. He said the roads were impassable, meaning they couldn't bring breakfast and we would have to travel more than 1.5 to 2 kilometers to a bar for a basic breakfast, not the one we'd paid for. If their 4x4s couldn't get through, we certainly couldn't get out on our own. We went without food and only had mate until the area became a little more accessible by car that afternoon. I complained to the owner by text, since he never showed up and could take more than a day to answer. I also raised it with the woman serving breakfast, and she managed to get us a small pot, a heater, and an electric kettle. AMAZING!! Later, I found out the members were estranged and took turns every two weeks, so apparently nobody was doing much to improve the place or serve customers. If something happened to you, it was your problem. When we left, I thanked Cinthia for being cool and doing her best on her own. After I got home, I realized I'd forgotten a pair of glasses. The owner's only gesture was to WhatsApp me asking whether the red-framed glasses were mine. This was in November, and I'm still waiting for them to ship them. I've written a thousand times and offered to transfer the shipping cost because I need them for reading, but nothing has happened. A month ago I learned they finally closed the place. Too late for us, since this was our worst experience in Sierra de los Padres, but at least they won't fool anyone else.

You sleep really well here, and breakfast is the best part. Cintia looks after you personally, and the food is delicious. It's a lovely, peaceful place to unwind. Their excellent restaurant is about six blocks away. Prices are affordable, the food is delicious, and I fell in love with the homemade cakes and jams. Daniel and Ana María, the owners, provide outstanding service. Couldn't ask for more.