Sunny private villa in Andalusia among olive trees and wild rock formations

Villa was originally listed as ‘Walk to village’ which was not really feasible. More shade was needed over the outside table for breakfasts but otherwise it was entirely satisfactory especially the pool. The arrival arrangements were tricky as no English was spoken but people were pleasant and we muddled through. Also, we had an extremely prompt response to a gas cylinder problem and an inventive warning that we’d left some earpods behind - photo of them sent to us by mobile so we were able to turn back and collect them. Lovely people make up for anything!"

Lovely villa, in beautiful surroundings, perfect for a quiet relaxing holiday. The walk into La Joya takes about 20 minutes and is a bit uphill! Friendly Spanish village, great tapas. Quiet roads to local towns. Maria (host) was very friendly, helpful and responsive. Would definitely recommend."

Prachtig, rustig gelegen huis met alle privacy. Van alle gemakken voorzien met mooi aangelegd terras en prachtig zwembad. Zoek je rust en ruimte en wil je in de buurt Andalusië verkennen dan is dit een ideale plek. Tevens zeer vriendelijke eigenaresse."

Villa was great but what would have given it 5 stars was a proper shower and new outside furniture. Fabulous setting, the views were amazing"

The property and location was fantastic and tranquil and with the pool made it amazing. As a family we spent hours in the pool and having some real quality family time. After a few days and once we got our bearings driving around became much easier and popping out for a drink or meal in the evening no problem at all. Maria was very happy and helpful (although only spoke Spanish so Google translate needed but not a problem). The only reason for not giving it 5 stars was because the villa really does need to have air conditioning (even if just in the bedrooms) that would make it outstanding. Thank you for a great holiday and would definitely go back."

Second visit and only gets better! If you are looking for a rural retreat in a peaceful setting then this is hard to beat. Host respond quickly and very friendly."

This review is based on us visiting the villa as a couple and not as a family party etc. This was our second visit to this villa, the first was in 2019. Once again it did not disappoint us. The villa is in a great countryside location for us. It was an easy drive (75 minutes or so) from Malaga, using the very good directions provided by Rustical Travel. The villa was very comfortable and clean and is set within an olive grove. All facilities were in good working order. The ceiling fans were very quiet, which is a bonus during hot nights. The villa has a well-maintained irrigated garden with a grassy area too. The pool was extremely clean and a good size. Great view from the patio over the pool to the surrounding countryside. In fact, great views all round really. There was a generous and useful welcome pack provided on arrival. Thank you Maria! The small village of La Joya is a fairly easy 20 minute walk away for anyone of average fitness. The road is quiet and there is a walking/pull over strip to the one side which makes walking extra safe. La Joya has a good bakery, small general shop, a good restaurant/bar in the square and a chemist. Special thanks to Maria, who met us and ensured we had everything we needed. We had another great holiday at AX30!! A quick thank you to Rustical Travel. All of your communications were timely, informative and helpful during and following lockdown, which ensured our 2022 holiday was successfully rescheduled from 2020 without a problem. Phil Jackie""

The Villa was fantastic Homely. Well kept, Maria was a wonderful host. We would highly recommend. Booking: very good with responding. My only critique would be that you wouldn’t put a Villa on 24hr free hold while I was waiting for you to reply questions about the property. They were straight forward questions related to that exact property that your web site did not either inform potential customers or was not clear. Improve your info about each property not sweeping statements. Would also help But: Rustical travel did, on the whole provide an excellent hassle free service"

We stayed here for February half term and had amazing weather 21 degrees every day. It was an easy drive from Malaga airport and we met Maria the housekeeper in the local village who took us to the villa and showed us around. Maria speaks no English and although we got by with my beginners Spanish there was some confusion in communication, recommend using Google translate on your phone to confirm things. The cottage is in a lovely location set in an olive grove with stunning views across the hills. The cottage and gardens wer very clean and well kept and a perfect size for 4 people. There is a lovely outside area where we ate every day and a great swimming pool. It was a bit too cold to use in February although my friend did manage one dip! It was a little chilly in the evenings but the cottage had additional heaters in every room and when you got the log fire in the lounge going it was warm and cosy , perfect for having a few drinks and playing board games in front of It is a short drive to two local villages each way you turn from the cottage both have little shops ( great selection of goods) and restaurants . We highly recommend the bakery in La Joya where we got fresh bread every morning. It is a rural location so very quiet and peaceful and lots of bird life around , we saw Eagles and Griffon Vultures on the hill behind and a host of garden birds. It is in the perfect location for touring Andalusia : we went down to the coast right down to Estapone ( beautiful town with wall art route and great restaurants), the historic towns of Antequera , bird lagoons in the North and did the scariest walk in the world the Caminito del Rey. All were easy driving from the cottage with stunning views at every turn and made great days out. Things to be aware of it is a tight turn to the villa from the road and not easy to see ,there is quite a dip as you go in and then a steep drive and electric gate to reach the villa and it took us a few days to get the perfect entry. We had a few issues with some of the kitchen equipment at the cottage and hot water for a few days ( hence why only 4 stars,although this was partly due to the communication issue at the start of the week) but this was reported to the owners and Rustica Travel who immediately started to deal with the issue , so can't fault them on that. We would still highly recommend the cottage and would be happy to return."

Secluded house well maintained by Ms. Maria. Internet speed was just enough to stream video media from our home country. We have been warned up front regarding the cold water temperature of the pool. Guess we were lucky with the weather as it was refreshing and clean. If we would own the house the only change to make is to add (solar) heating for the pool. Well done and thank you for a lovely stay."

We had a lovely stay in this villa! Comfy beds, amazing view and lovely pool. Malaga close enough to get some beach action, plenty to do in the surrounding area and lovely local village restaurant. Turn left as you come out the villa and keep going for 5 minutes to get to a small local shop with lots in it! Watch out for the slightly dangerous toaster and the sun lounger cushions are very thin so not particularly comfortable, but good enough! Maria who is there to check you in doesn't speak any English but was helpful and was there very soon to sort out a quick water problem and an accidental lock out of the villa!! We would definitely revisit this villa and Carlos and the rustical travel team have been super. Thank you"

We loved our holiday. The location was just what we needed. Quiet. Remote but without feeling cut off. The house was great and the ceiling fans in each room was a real bonus as it was very hot while we were there. We really cannot fault that part. Maria was wonderful. The BBQ was a great feature and we used it a lot. There was plenty of linen and towels. The beds are very comfortable. We took advantage of the location to go on day trips to various places in the area. The pool was kept really clean. As you know, we did let you know that the dishwasher was not working properly and that was a little annoying. And this will be the only complaint that we have. Some of the basic details could have been better. The oven was disappointing in that the dials that turn the plates on and off were faulty, even broken. It is a home designed for self catering and having an oven that was difficult to turn off was not ideal. The equipment for cooking for 5 adults was also not quite good enough. We actually went out and bought a few things so that we could cook as we did not use the BBQ every day. Chipped plates, cutlery of a rather poor quality. But these are minor details that could be fixed really easily. None of these would put us off using the house again. If need be, we would simply go and buy a few things like we did this time. We bought plates, a stove top coffee maker, a good knife, glasses. The other little thing that could be worth thinking about is creating a little more shade outside. For example, we used the outdoor seating area all the time. We had all our meals out there. But in the mornings, the sun beats into it making it really hot. Having a screen that could roll down on the side where the BBQ is would be a great addition. And the same with the parasols. Because they cannot move, we had to keep moving the loungers. Having parasols that can me moved would also be a great addition. But these are such minor things. None of these would put us off. We are already looking at when we can visit the area next year. We might try closer to a beach this time. But we wold absolutely recommend Maria's house to anyone who asked."

This was our first move away from using Owners Direct and we were not disappointed. The pre-holiday emails from Rustical Travel were always on time and contained all of the information and instructions we needed. The villa was in a great countryside location for us. It was an easy drive (75 minutes or so) from Malaga, using the very good directions provided by Rustical Travel. The villa was very comfortable and clean and is set within an olive grove. It has a well maintained garden area. The pool was extremely clean and a good size. Great view from the patio over the pool to the surrounding countryside. In fact, great views all round really. There was a generous and useful welcome pack too on arrival. Thank you! The small village of La Joya is a fairly easy 20 minute walk away. It has a good bakery, small general shop, restaurant/bar and a chemist. Special thanks to Maria, who met us and ensured we had everything we needed. We had a great holiday!! Phil Jackie"

Beautiful clean villa with amazing views and very peaceful. Air conditioning would have been a bonus due to the extreme heat!. The outside pool furniture was a little bit worn and could possibly be replaced. An information booklet about the area might have been helpful in the property and communication with Maria was a little difficult as she did not speak English and we did not speak Spanish!. Otherwise a fabulous villa and holiday again with Rustical Travel. Thank you"

this was a beautiful location, and we were very touched by the supply of food which we had not anticipated and so had done a shop before hand. thus we didn't use everything, but would've have had we stayed longer. we dont speak much spanish, but we just about managed to communicate with Maria and we thank her for being able to come early on our departure morning. Thanks and hope to visit again in the future"

Lovely villa, spotlessly clean, remote with fantastic views. Car a must, and some lovely towns nearby to visit. Multiple towels provided, thank you. Beds comfortable. Kitchen had some herbs, oil, tea, coffee, sugar, cleaning products and refuge bags to get us started. Also a lovely welcome pack- bread, milk, fruit, yogurts, cakes and water, very appreciated as we arrived late. Only one negative - ceramic hob and was a bit tired, knobs not working properly. I would definitely recommend."

What an amazing holiday. The Villa and pool were every bit as lovely as it looks in the photos. The setting is beautiful if you like a quiet get away. Antequera is well worth visiting on several occasions as it has so much to offer. If you are wanting to walk to the local village, I would not recommend, as although it is not far, the road is not safe to walk on ( this didn't matter to us). A very efficient and well communicated service from Carlos and his team at Rustical travel. Although Maria (housekeeper) did not speak English, we managed with my poor spanish and google translate! Many thanks"

We spent twelve wonderful nights in this property, beautiful villa, fantastic views of the surrounding countryside. The road to the villa is an experience!! We ate in both local restaurants, both very good and reasonably priced. Antequerra is the nearest big town, well worth spending a few days exploring. Thanks to Maria and Juan for looking after us."

We spent a fabulous week at the villa in August. The only criticism we had was about the toaster!!! Having two teenagers who wanted toast most mornings it Became somewhat of a trial to use the toaster provided! The villa is perfect, outside area exceptional. The rooms were very comfortable and both bathrooms perfect. Pool fabulous, used everyday! Would certainly return and also recommend to others. Remember to have basic Spanish phrases on arrival as the property manager has no English whatsoever. Luckily our daughter is studying Spanish at school and was able to translate. All in all a fabulous, relaxing time had by all. Thank you."

We had a very nice stay at the home. Great pool and garden with a nice view! Its very quiet and private. The house is well equipped and clean. It is really a good place to stay. There is a lot to visit in the area. At night it was a bit difficult to sleep because of the heat! Maybe airco in the room?"

This is the second time we have used Rustical Travel and their customer service is first class. We were running a little late for our arrival time so phoned the number given for the owner but found she didn’t speak English and our Spanish is very limited. We called Rustical Travel who kindly acted as intermediary to pass the message on. The villa is in a beautiful quiet rural setting. If you’re looking for a secluded away from it all setting this is just perfect. The landscaped garden is lovely. 
We spent most of the time relaxing in glorious sunshine by the pool, which is a good size for a swim. No one to overlook us. The villa itself has everything needed for a comfortable stay including washing machine and dishwasher. 
 The welcome pack is very generous with milk, cheese, eggs, butter, jam, bread, cold meat, yogurt and fruit. The beds are also very comfortable and there is a good supply of towels and bedding which other villas tend to skimp on.
 The decor inside is a little tired looking, more old fashioned than rustic but acceptable. 
One thing I felt lacking was a welcome guest booklet giving some information on the villa and local area. 
 Rustical Travel do provide information on the surrounding area and directions but it’s nice to read a more personal welcome from an owner’s guidebook detailing recommended restaurants, shops, doctors, dentists and some general info on the villa such as where and when bins are emptied, WiFi password etc. 
 Out and about I’d recommend a visit to Villanueva de la Concepción not far from La Joya and the historic town of Antequera."

A truly secluded and private location. The villa is well equipped and offers excellent uninterrupted views of the surrounding countryside. An ideal romantic getaway for a couple or for a party of 4. Remember this is in rural Spain so you will need some language skills (even for the owner/key holder) to get the most out of your experience."

The property was very clean and in a beautiful position. The only drawback was that when we arrived it was really cold and we were told we could make a fire which we did but the house then smelt terribly from the fire. The only other disadvantage was that the dishwasher did not seem to work in the sense that the filter seemed to be broken and the dishes came out dirtier than they went in. Other than that it was fine and would recommend this secluded position."