Hotel Casa la Siesta
Vejer de la Frontera
Lee and Amelia are 2 young Brits who are both recovering from a serious illness, fall in love with each other and with an old country house just outside Vejer de la Frontera. They buy the country house and spend 2 years renovating it. The result is a dream come true for them, a gorgeous small-scale and luxury boutique hotel set in fabulous surroundings. How about that for a hotel with a story!
Covered in warm earthy colours, this hotel accommodates 7 spacious and attractive suites where plenty of old decorative building materials have been used throughout, such as doors and door and window frames. All suites have air conditioning, underfloor heating for those colder times of the year and a private terrace. The large bathrooms offer you a bathing experience the way it should always be: large walk-in rain showers, wonderfully soft towels, fresh robes, fine bath products and all of this with panoramic views over the valley.
Breakfast really is amazing: freshly squeezed juice, fruit salads, toast with homemade jam and eggs cooked to your choice. And, of course, all of this is served in an area where you would like to enjoy it.
The hotel has its own excellent restaurant where Amelia rules supreme and it quickly becomes clear that she has more than earned her culinary spurs. A light lunch is prepared at your request, dinner consists of a 3 course menu which can be taken at the long guest table accompanied by a nice house wine. This is a lovely opportunity to get to know other people but if you would rather dine alone with your partner, that certainly is not a problem.
If you would like to dine out in the town of Vejer de la Frontera, you can make use of the free drop-off and collection service so you do not have to drive.
And lying by the pool afterwards while you let your food go down is not exactly a horrible punishment either. Lee and Amelia have created something wonderful and put their heart and soul into their hotel. If you are looking for rural tranquillity and luxury, then this is the place to be! To guarantee this peaceful atmosphere, the hotel adopts a no children policy for children under 15.
Cons:
• There is not that much to do in the direct surroundings of the hotel, so you do really need to take a ride out for this.
Pros:
• Plenty of personal attention from Lee and Amelia
• Space and tranquillity
• Free drop-off and collection service to local restaurants
• Beauty treatments and massages available
Hotel Casa la Siesta
facilities
Hotel
- There is a restaurant where you can have both lunch and dinner. Price for lunch or dinner € 30 pp.
- Bar.
- Swimming pool.
- Garden.
- Massages, yoga and beauty treatments available.
- Hotel has an internet connection.
- Hotel has a no-children policy.
- One room with wheelchair access.
- No 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 in the countryside, at about 10 minutes by car from Vejer de la Frontera.
Rooms
Every room has air conditioning, (floor)heating, safe, i-pod docking station, king-size beds and its own terrace.
Fully-equiped bathrooms with high pressure rain shower, hairdryer and wardrobes.
Hotel has 7 rooms: double rooms, Suites and a Suite Superior.
Hotel Casa la Siesta
surrounding area
Vejer de la Frontera
A lovely white village that is 10 km inland, sitting dominantly on top of a hill above the main road between Gibraltar and Cádiz. Vejer has a medieval centre, with very steep streets and alleys, beautiful whitewashed houses, ramparts and a Moorish fortress.
Active
There are plenty of options in the area if you want to be active, such as playing a round of golf, walking, surfing, kayaking and mountain biking.
Culinary
Pay a visit to a bodega in nearby Jerez de la Frontera, the global capital of sherry production.
Family
Go down to Tarifa to catch a boat that will take you whale and dolphin spotting. In August and September you can even spot orcas here.
You can also head for the zoo in Jerez de la Frontera, or check out that city's horse riding school.
In Cádiz you could explore the tourist centre in a horse-drawn carriage.
Nature
From Sanlúcar de Barrameda you can also go on an excursion to the Parque Nacional de Coto Doñana on the other side of the water. This park is one of Europe’s largest swamp lands. This area is especially important for birds. Over 250 bird species have been spotted here, half of which come here to over-winter, such as the spoonbill, stork and the particular favourite of most visitors, the flamingo.
The best time of year to visit this park is winter or spring. In the summer and autumn the swamps are dry, although that is when visitors get excited about spotting deer, boar, buffalos and otters. With a good guide and some luck, you might even spot a lynx.
Between Arcos de la Frontera and Tarifa you will find the nature reserve Los Alcornocales. This area is made up by cork tree forests, easily recognized by the painted trees.
Beach
At only 15 minutes from Vejer de la Frontera by car, you will find the stunning beach of Caños de Meca, right in the middle of nowhere (only surrounded by a few small holiday homes. This beach is also very popular with keen windsurfers, and has that typical beach bum atmosphere.
There are also some fine beaches between Caños de Meca and Barbate, which are connected by a coastal road that meanders through the Pinal de Barbate nature reserve, a wide row of dunes filled with pine trees.
The following villages/towns in the area are definitely worth a visit:
Medina Sidonia (29km; 32min)
The white village of Medina Sidonia (between Vejer de la Frontera and Jerez de la Frontera) is imposingly nestled on a hill surrounded by grain fields. The village’s most striking monument is the Santa María la Coronada church in the higher part of the village. This village is known for its traditional sweet biscuits with honey and almond, alfajores. You can purchase these delights from the bakery on the Plaza de España, among other places.
Tarifa (50km; 45min):
The Moorish town of Tarifa is on the eastern edge of the Costa de la Luz. This area is dominated by the many wind turbines lining the hill tops. It is a windy place, and hence also a great place for windsurfing. Tarifa is the Mecca of windsurfing! Windsurf and kitesurf fanatics are drawn to Tarifa and give the place an informal, alternative flair and atmosphere with their hippy-like attitudes and style.
Surfers dominate the flat beach of the Valle de Vaqueros, just north of Tarifa. This is where they flock to try out new techniques and materials, and is where new trends are born. It all makes for a fascinating spectacle, even if you are not into surfing.
Cádiz (58km; 55min):
The modern part of Cádiz is a busy port. A visit to this city would not be complete without a walk along the quays. The old town is contained by fortifications that rise up from the sea. Within the ring of walls and fortresses there are houses and palaces from the 18th and 19th century, side by side with run-down quarters and squares with plenty of bar and cafes.
The city’s sights include the Castillo de Santa Catalina, a bulwark right on the tip of the small peninsula. In the centre you will find the cathedral, Catedral Nueva, and the Museo de Cádiz on one of the city’s nicest squares, the Plaza de Mina. And then there are a number of interesting churches, the baroque church Oratorio de San Felipe Neri and the Oratorio de la Santa Cueva.
Jerez de la Frontera (70km; 1h):
Jerez is the sherry capital of the world. A tour of one of its bodegas (Sandeman, Pedro Domecq, Gonzalez Byass) is not only good fun, but you will also learn something. How to distinguish fino from amontillado or oloroso sherry, for example.
Jerez is also famous for its horse riding school, the Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Escuestre. Apart from visiting a show here, visitors can also attend lessons and tour the stables.
Other sights include the inviting cafes on the Plaza Asunción and the old town hall from 1575, Casa de Cabildo Viejo. The San Mateo quarter is famous for its flamenco bars, and is also where you will find the official flamenco centre: Centro Andaluz de Flamenco.
Arcos de la Frontera (68km; 1h10min):
Arcos is one of Andalucía’s finest little towns; it often serves as a base from which to explore the pueblos blancos (white villages); its entire medieval centre has been declared a Historic Monument. In Arcos you should just stroll around its cobblestone streets, past small whitewashed houses, its many squares and its patios. Arcos’ oldest building is the Castillo, a dilapidated castle that is strategically situated on top of the hill. From the town walls you have a great view of the Guadalete valley. The town hall, the ayuntamiento on the Plaza de Cabildo, is also worth a visit because of its fine mudejar-style ceilings.
And Arcos is also well-known for its hand-woven tapestry.
And you can, of course, head for one of these world famous cities for a day trip:
Seville (180km; 2h15min):
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.