La Cazalla de Ronda — Hotel in Ronda

They say that every picture is worth a thousand words. I think I understand the meaning, but then realise sometimes a thousand words are just not enough. I saw the pictures of La Cazella, attached to each are a thousand words, but there's so much they can never say, so much that no picture can portray.

They don't show, the warmth of the friendly welcome given, generosity shown by its owners " guardians " Mark & Lisa.

They don't show, the comfort experienced, as you pick your spot to just rest, having travelled the thousands of miles to see these pictures come to life.

They don't show, that no matter how tired, it's impossible not to ignore it, to step into the picture of the terrace, try to take in everything thats bombarding your senses.

They don't show, the scent of the trailing jasmine, the magnificent black Carpenter Bees, as they clumsily move from flower to flower, their weight occasionally dislodging their chosen bloom.

They don't show, the sound of the rutting stags, as they bellow out their challenge to all comers. It bouncing back and forth, echoing around and along the forested valley. Once again a picture you recognise, but those thousand words are so few.

They don't show, the path to the pool, which will be walked a thousand times. The laughter heard, as it brings out the child in all. The love shown and experienced by partners, parents, children, siblings etc. And not forgetting its keeping us all cool.

They don't show, the colourful butterflies, large and small, as they flit between the heavily scented Lavender bushes. The seven and two year old, who innocently chase them, and like sponges, soak up so much missed by any picture.

They don't show, Oberon in more than one spot, as he chooses his place in the shade, where to graze. Just what a lovely gentle old horse he is.

They don't show, so much that leaves you contented, happy and at peace with yourself, nature and the world. But they do show a lot, that leaves you wanting to visit, and then so grateful at how tempting they were.

They don't show, the memories you will take away of a truly special place. Of the pictures both mental and physical, now full of the experience that is La Cazella. So Thank You! Mark & Lisa, Thank You! La Cazella. We will be...

We spent a week at La Cazalla de Ronda this past summer celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary with our extended family. Everybody from our 11 month old granddaughter, to the 20 to 30- something nieces and nephews, to our 40-something year old sons, to us elders, thoroughly enjoyed it. The house and grounds are magnificent. Everything is absolutely first class. Even with a group our size and age diverse, there was plenty of space both inside in the many gorgeous bedrooms, living rooms, dining room and large kitchen, and outside with numerous outdoor patios, that we had privacy to be alone or chat in small groups or to be together when we wanted. The pool was a wonderful gathering place for the littles to swim and the grown-ups to relax and cool off. And of course all of us coming together for fabulous meals out of the local food at the large outdoor dining table in the balmy warm evenings was a highlight every day. We had several accomplished cooks in our group and the kitchen was totally outfitted with everything we possibly could have needed, including a giant paella pan. We bought a few baskets of vegetables from the neighbor farmer that had the loveliest presentation imaginable. Any CSA basket I've ever seen would be proud to be as lovingly prepared. We hiked down the old Roman road right out of our driveway, visited the dramatically beautiful town of Ronda, did a little shopping, and had some great meals in town. Hosts Lisa and Mark could not have been lovelier. They were always around if we needed anything or had a question to be answered. They even came over on our last night and volunteered to take a picture of our entire group so no one had to be left out holding the camera. That photo is now on our refrigerator door and stands out as a sweet memory of our week at La Cazalla, along with the spectacular views down the gorge from the pool, the rows of blooming lavendar plants, and the love and laughter we all shared. I cannot even express how much every one of us completely enjoyed our stay in this very...

If you’ve had the pleasure of spending time at La Cazalla, you know this place has something special to it that is hard to describe. There is an energy in the air, with the dramatic landscape and vast history; but Lisa and Mark give this place the extra magic that makes it unforgettable.

We found La Cazalla through some serendipitous searching and quickly knew this is where we wanted to have our wedding. The wedding itself was spectacular. We made our way between multiple spaces of the property throughout the event, it felt like each area had its own unique vibe. While the road to the house can be a little bumpy and long, the minute our guests arrived they understood why we chose this location. The only problem, no one wanted to leave!

The days before and after the ceremony were actually some of my favorites. We stayed with 5 other couples and never once felt too crowded. It was such a peaceful and grounding place to spend such a special time in our lives. We took daily cold dips in the natural spring, hiked on the path from the house, did yoga in the yard, and cooked easily for 12 in the fully equipped kitchen. Also, they have the most comfortable beds and luxurious bedding which can be hard to find traveling in Spain! While our stay at La Cazalla was to perfection, the experience leading up to it was also exceptional. Lisa and Mark went above and beyond for us. From the initial conversations about booking dates and weather, to helping us to find our event planner, then sending us endless recommendations and suggestions for the area. Our guests traveled from around the world for this weekend and everyone was blown away with what we had planned, much of it thanks to Lisa and Mark’s lengthy blog post that I strongly suggest reading.

Trust us when we say photos can’t truly capture the essence of this experience (and we had the very best photographer) but a stay La Cazalla is a must if you have the chance. This place will forever hold a special place in our hearts and we can’t wait to return...