Hotel La Viñuela
La Viñuela
When we drove up to this hotel for our visit our jaws dropped, what a location!!
Hotel La Viñuela lies on the banks of a turquoise lake, which serves as a water reservoir, and looks so beautiful, it is almost unbelievable! Certainly when you dine on the patio in the evening with a view of the water and when all the lights are on, it is close to paradise. Their credo here is: "Our hotel is more than just a room" and they mean it. The hotel is set up as if it were a small town. One can choose between 37 beautiful, large rooms in different styles. Some of the rooms have a view of the lake, the rest look out at the mountains around the hotel. In addition, there are loads of things to do, as a couple or with the whole family. There are various outstanding restaurants, including one where you can eat outside during the summer months, and an unbelievably beautifully situated and huge swimming pool. Numerous activities are organised as well, such as canoeing on the lake. There is also the possibility to enjoy different sports, including tennis, and when you are exhausted from all of this you can kick back and get pampered in the spa of this great hotel.
Cons:
• Only daredevils can swim in the lake. Therefore it is not really suitable for children, but there are 2 swimming pools at the hotel with a special section for the little ones
Pros:
• The location is extraordinary
• Many activities in the hotel
• Various restaurants; the garden restaurant in the evening is like a fairy tale
• Large rooms
• Recently renovated
• Friendly staff
Hotel La Viñuela
facilities
Hotel
- There is a restaurant where you can have lunch or dinner.
- Bar. In the summer also a snack bar.
- Two swimming pools and a child’s pool.
- Garden.
- Library.
- Salon.
- Internet connection (Wi-Fi) in every room (free).
- Children are welcome.
- Miniclub.
- One room with wheelchair access.
- Lift.
- Pets are not welcome.
- The hotel offers a range of different excursions/activities.
- Hotel has its own parking facilities (free of charge).
- The hotel is situated on the Embalse (reservoir) of Viñuela, 15 minutes drive from the coast and bigger towns.
Rooms
Every room has air conditioning, heating, TV, telephone, mini-bar, safe and its own balcony or terrace.
Fully-equipped bathrooms with washbasin, bathtub, toilet and hairdryer.
Some of the bathrooms only have a shower (no bath).
Hotel has a total of 37 rooms, made up of 2 single rooms, 11 tradición double rooms, 10 confort double rooms, 10 selección double rooms, 2 junior suites and 1 suite.
Hotel La Viñuela
surrounding area
La Viñuela
A small village located along the Embalse (lake) of La Viñuela.
The most nearby larger city is Vélez-Málaga (15 km).
Active
All sorts of active sports can be done in the neighbourhood of Vinuela, such as walking, biking, 4x4 Jeep safaris, excursions on quad, canoeing and cave exploration.
And naturally you can make use of a golf course.
Family
In Torre del Mar there is a water park with various slides and swimming pools.
You can also pay a visit to the grottoes in Nerja.
Nature
Car trips through the beautiful hills of Montes de Málaga, a vast area with lots of wildlife, such as wild cats, beech martens, wild boars and birds of prey.
Also a visit to El Torcal near Antequera is worth the trouble (see below).
Beach
The closest beach is in Torre del Mar. The quiet family beach of Rincón de la Victoria lies between Vélez-Málaga and Málaga.
The following villages/towns in the area are definitely worth a visit:
Vélez-Málaga (15km; 20min)
Some 5 kilometres inland from Torre del Mar you will find this market town in the fertile valley of the Vélez. It’s an area that is characterised by greenhouses used for agriculture. The old Moorish city is dominated by the Fortaleza de Vélez, a fortress with a restored tower that sticks up into the air from a rock point. Directly beneath lies the neighbourhood Barrio de San Sebastián with its small cobblestone streets and white houses.
Nerja (37km; 40min):
This town with over 500 years of history has retained its character, with its whitewashed houses, narrow streets and squares. Tourists crowd the Balcón de Europa, a sprawling rock that spectacularly protrudes into the sea and offers a view of the magnificent coastline. This natural balcony is in the centre of Nerja. Various staircases lead down to the beaches and bays.
The nicest beach is Playa Burriana, on the eastern side of Nerja.
Further east you will find the Cuevas de Nerja, a string of caverns of great archaeological importance. Only a few of these colossal caverns are open to the public, and there you will be lead past the world’s thickest stalactite, which even made it into the Guinness Book of Records in 1989.
Málaga (48km; 50min)
The bustling port city of Málaga is Andalucía’s biggest city after Seville. It used to be an important trading port, because in the 19th century Málaga wine was exported all over Europe, until Phylloxera, the pest that had already destroyed grapevines all over Europe, reached Málaga and put an end to its wealth.
Málaga old town is the area around the cathedral. The Museo Picasso is also near the cathedral, and exhibits many of the works of this famous artist, who was born in Málaga. Further sights include the Alcazaba, one of the prime Moorish fortresses in Andalucía, and the Castillo de Gibralfaro, a 14th-century Moorish castle, which you can access through its beautiful gardens.
Other museums that can be visited are the Casa Natal de Picasso, the birthplace of the painter; Centro de Arte Contemporaneo, where an overview of 20th-century art is shown; Museo Unicaja de Artes y Costumbres Populares: here life in the area as it was in the past is shown.
And don't forget to sample the wines of Malaga in a bodega. Some bodegas also serve tapas.
To the east of Málaga, in the direction of Vélez Málaga, lies the quiet family beach of Rincón de la Victoria.
Antequera / Parque Natural El Torcal (63km; 1h5min)
Torcal means karst formation. These are limestone mountains of 1000 to 1200 m high, bizarrely sculpted by wind and rain, looking like stacked rocks, pancakes, columns, huge stone mushrooms, plateaus and crevices.
Footpaths start at the visitor centre, and you go on long or short walks.
And you can, of course, head for one of these world famous cities for a day trip:
Granada (92km; 1h30min):
The Alhambra was the part of town where princes, nobility and court staff dwelled, on the hill right in the middle of Granada. The Alhambra is a huge complex, 720m in length and 220m wide. Clever use of space, light, water and decorative features are the Alhambra’s defining features.
On the hill opposite the Alhambra, the Albayzín quarter, is where Granada’s Moorish past is still most tangible. Stroll through its narrow streets, past villas with Moorish decoration and gardens, up to the Mirador de San Nicolás. This is where you will have the best views, of the roofs of Granada, with the Alhambra behind them, which makes for a stunning view, especially at sunset!
Córdoba (170km; 2h10min):
Visit the Mezquita, Córdoba's huge mosque, which has seen various different developments throughout the years to become a fascinating blend of styles and religions. And you can also go for a stroll through the districts of San Lorenzo, Judería and San Basilio, where you will encounter the most beautiful Moorish patios. Other sights include the palace/fortress Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos with magnificent gardens and fountains; various museums, such as the Museo Arqueológico, Museo Taurino, Museo de Bellas Artes; a string of great squares, such as the Plaza de la Corredera, Plaza del Potro.
Seville (220km; 2h40min):
The capital of Andalucía is a compact city with a rich past. Most of its major sights are in or near the city centre on the Guadalquivir river’s left bank. And they also know how to party and have a good time in this city of flamenco and tapas.
As you wander through the old Jewish quarter, the Barrio Santa Cruz, through a maze of white streets and patios, you should not forget to take in the imposing cathedral, the Moorish bell tower, La Giralda, and the royal palace Real Alcázar.
You can unwind in the María Luisa park, where you can spend the hottest part of the day under orange trees and palm trees.
The museum Museo de Bellas Artes, one of Spain’s best museums of art, is a real must. And then there are its magnificent palaces and other sights, such as the Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza (bull ring); Casa de Pilatos and the Torre del Oro.