A new home for Sawday's Special Self-Catering Places in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Eire, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal

Stunning olive cortijo below Ronda: floodlit pool, rustic oven, jaunty bar, free-range hens, chic décor. Book in a barman, a driver, a chef

Imagine hidden corners and shaded terraces, rustic fireplaces and windows in odd places, mahogany sleigh beds and antique mirrors, muslin curtains, fat mattresses, and fruit trees slung with hammocks. It's heaven in a valley below Ronda. At the top of a dusty lane is this white 19th-century cortijo, once owned by a Marquesa, surrounded by olives organically farmed. Peace reigns supreme: hens cluck, birds sing, a donkey brays. Pick fresh fruits and eggs for breakfast, then match them with glorious views – Arriate to one side, Ronda to the other. No need to move; stay put all day. Should it rain? You have state-of-the-art hifi and full Sky. When it shines, masses of space for an outdoor party: multi-levels of lawns and terraces, a floodlit pool with a deep-end and wooden loungers, a rustic oven for local meats and homemade pizzas, a jaunty bar with organic wines. Baths range from Philippe Starck to claw-foot to solid marble; kitchens (find two) have gleaming granite tops and harlequin tiles. Half shabby, half chic, the interiors are warm, eclectic, charming.