El Peñón

The rustic house is lovely and the views are great, but summer heat is a real problem. There’s no air conditioning, and it gets so hot inside that sleeping on the terrace is the better option. There’s also just one bathroom, upstairs, which is inconvenient when you’re in the kitchen or eating and need to use it.

The strong fireplace smell was the one downside, and it can feel overwhelming. Still, the cozy rustic house has good amenities and sits in a picturesque setting. It’s a lovely choice for a quiet, relaxing break, or for taking on the 101km Legion Trail.

We spent three days at this spectacular house, partly so we could descend the Garganta Verde. Zahara de la Sierra was amazing, and I’d highly recommend the place. Heat was the one real problem. I struggled to sleep on some nights because it was so hot. Air conditioning would make it excellent value, or a second fan in each of the two main bedrooms would do the job very well.

The owner was always available during our four-day long weekend, and the place was clean and comfortable. I held back one star because the kitchenware was basic.