An Essex Wedding - Nov/Dec 2019 (Issue 89)

118 HIDEAWAY IN Sarah Reeve enjoys a taste of five-star luxury at a romantic Spanish retreat in the heart of Andalucia A ndalucia, just the way it rolls off the tongue when you say it out loud, has a wonderfully lyrical, languid tone to it. Even though I’d never been to the region before, I was already excited after doing some pre-trip research. The forecast for the long weekend in June was hot, hot, hot and I was ready for some serious down time. Nestled in a breathtakingly beautiful corner of the Loja mountain range in Spain’s Granada province, about an hour’s drive from Malaga Airport, the five-star La Bobadilla Royal Hideaway Hotel is a shining example of the slow travel concept. Things run at a different pace here and from the moment we arrived, my body clock switched to La Bobadilla time. Like a white-washed beacon, the resort nestles in the heart of the remote rural landscape with no other sign of human habitation in sight. Built to look like a traditional Andalucian village, enter here and be prepared to not want to leave. The rooms are all individually styled and scream luxury, there’s even a pillow menu, so you can choose the right one to suit you for a perfect night’s sleep. With a wide choice of restaurants to suite all tastes from fine dining, to poolside snacks, an amazing pool area with ample comfy loungers, a spa and gym, you never have to leave the confines of the resort if you don’t want to. Ideal for a relaxing mini-moon, you can lay back in the sun, switch off your phones and enjoy a romantic stress-free getaway. the sun