Cortijo Balzain

The hosts are amazingly friendly, and the countryside setting is great if you want to stay near Granada in a secluded spot. The location is a real strength. I did feel some of the room basics were too basic for the price, including the TV and cutlery. And I don’t think “rural” or “rustic” should mean no internet anymore. Whether to disconnect should be up to the guest.

A quiet, lovely cottage in the Sierra Nevada park, with beautiful views and friendly staff. The airport is a short drive away, around 30-45 minutes.

A magical outdoor wedding setting, with wonderful views and accommodation for guests.

The heating became a real problem during our stay. We were there in terrible weather, with rain and temperatures around 3°C, but we couldn't control the heat ourselves. Staff managed it, and we spent the weekend cold under a blanket. Before noon on departure day the house was freezing after the heating had been switched off. They turned it back on when I complained, but kept it so low that we were still cold until we left at 6:00 p.m. There were other surprises too. We had booked a room with two single beds, one 90 cm wide and the other 1.35 m, since there were no double beds and we planned to share the wider one. Instead, we were put in a different house with two 90 cm beds. We were also told on arrival that using the fireplace was prohibited, though the listing hadn't said that. If I had known, I wouldn't have booked. I sent the person in charge another audio message about it, and five days later they still hadn't even listened. The check-out time was another hassle. Booking.com showed 6:00 p.m., and I'd paid extra for that, but on the way there they messaged us on WhatsApp insisting it was 2:00 p.m. They only agreed to the time on my booking after I sent proof and firmly demanded a refund for the difference in hours. The person who checked us in at the Cortijo was very friendly, I will say that. But the management was terrible. I wouldn't book with them again or recommend them.