Who says that time always moves inexorably onwards? Sometimes it just seems to stand still, set in stone as it were. A case in point is the lovely El Raco de Madremanya, a place you will surely want to return to. Firstly, it is situated in the beautiful, and wonderfully kept medieval village of Madremanya, a place built entirely out of luminous stone. It seems to have come directly from Planet Past, so to speak, and an area where history has pride of place.

As is often the case in things yester century, the focus at the El Racó  is directed on making you, the guest, feel right at home and to enjoy the special things on offer here, not on the superfluous. El Raco itself is made up of two buildings: one a glorious 17th century stone farmhouse and a second, less ancient but still beautiful, house made largely from stone and wood that we are glad to say integrates perfectly with surroundings. All in all, the older house contains seven ample rooms with terraces, fireplaces and several lounges with pleasant nooks and crannies. The more contemporary house takes in three rooms and dining room and boasts fabulous panoramic views of one of the swimming pools and garden.

Talking about the garden, it is definitely on the large side - all 3000 plus square meters of it and easily large enough to get lost in covered as it is in lush vegetation. It’s large enough to hold 2 beautiful swimming pools (one is salt water and the other is heated) for balmy day swims. It all goes to show that boutique style and old world charm are not mutually exclusive. The historic village, perfect setting and style on offer make this ten room accommodation a place simply oozing that intangible thing we call style.