Hostal Vista a la Sierra

I've stayed here twice. It's a really cute hotel, and the owner at reception is nice. Caminito canyon is 15 minutes away.

I was here for three days on a climbing trip, and the room worked really well. The bed was comfy, the room was clean, and the shower was excellent. There are lovely views across the valley, and it's a good room for the price. The manager was very helpful with things we needed in town. He pointed us to El Pino for homemade tapas, which we loved so much we went every night. Good quality at local prices. All the major crags are 10-20 minutes away. Displomandia is closer than El Chorro, which was handy since it's the only premier crag that gets consistent shade. I'd definitely stay here again on my next visit to El Chorro.

On our 10 day road trip around Andalucía, this was the worst place we stayed. The hostel is in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere, with nothing there. But it wasn't peaceful either. The paper-thin walls let us hear people talking and walking inside, while the neighbours' dogs barked constantly outside. Some of that may be outside the host's control, but other parts of the stay were poor too. Our room cost over €50, yet there was no kitchen, fridge or access to drinking water. We arrived late, couldn't find anywhere to eat in the village, and ended up eating crackers on the apartment floor. I had brought meat to cook, so I asked reception to store it in the staff fridge. The woman behind the counter kept interrupting and only half listened, so I had to explain three times before she put it away. She also said the Airbnb listing didn't mention a kitchen and we'd have to pay more for a room with one, even though the listing photos showed a kitchen. With the language barrier, and the fact the place was already 3 times the price it should have been, we gave up, went to bed and left as soon as we could. The shower was tiny, with room for only one person, and its head wouldn't stay on the wall, so we had to hold it. Airbnb listed checkout as 11AM, but the woman insisted we leave by 10AM. To the owner's reply: the sarcastic, rage-filled response, even in ALL CAPS, only hurts your argument and makes you look foolish.

The rooms were clean and comfortable, but the owner deserves a special mention for being kind and full of useful information. If you're going to Caminito Del Rey, stay here and ask whatever you need to know. Super!