Special Places to Stay - More than a bed for the night

It's the one with the blue stable door and gorgeous views, down a maze of narrow streets where kittens play, chimneys whisper smoke and locals still lead laden mules. Like most houses in sleepy Albuñuelas, there's not a straight line in sight. But that – along with the log stove and table fashioned from a studded door – just adds to the old-world charm. Crack open wine and olives in the rustic kitchen, then scamper up to the sun-trap terrace. Gaze over the Lecrín valley's terraced fields, a deep gorge of olives and oranges leading to a Sierra Nevada-studded horizon... stunning. For shade and cosiness, cuddle up on bright purple bench seats and ethnic cushions in the little sitting room. The bedroom is cute for two with its angled beams, brass bed, stencilled walls and shuttered windows; a tiny turquoise shower room bears big old brass taps. Nothing is large or brash here (the bed is better for cuddling than stretching out) but there are walks from the door, tapas bars in the village, and the choice of Granada's Alhambra or sandy beach within a 40-minute drive. An authentic taste of Andalucian village life.