Molino La Nava - Boutique Hotel in the Olive Groves of Córdoba Province

The rather gorgeous ex-olive oil mill surrounded by olive groves and an abundance of peace called us yet again for an all-too-brief stopover. When life as an estate agent in inland Andalucia is too busy for us to take a proper break, we escape for the odd night here and there. We managed one night.

If I´ve been out on the road a lot the last thing I want to do on an escape is be in the car for too long. So a few weeks ago, just as the crazy heatwave had abated, husband and I - with him at the wheel - did a runner. Youngest son, still at home, took care of the dog, cat and my garden watering and off we went.

I did not want to go much more than an hour from home, and definitely wanted somewhere nice with a pool so I opted (yes, I´m the chooser and planner, he´s not bothered what or where!) to return to Hotel  Molino La Nava where we had been, we think, about ten years ago.

Molino La Nava Patio

It hadn´t changed. An ancient olive oil mill set in the olive groves of Córdoba province almost bordering on the Sierra Morena, home to protection and breeding programmes for lynx. It was after we´d been I saw on their Instagram feed a photo they had snapped of a Lynx in their olive grove. Had I seen it before I might have been more attentive as a great desire of mine is to see one in their habitat.

Molino La Nava Patio and Beyond

The hotel has eight rooms, seven named after varieties of olives and the other, a suite, is called Mirador de las Estrellas - literally Viewpoint of the stars. Dinner was served out in the interior patio where the olives would have been brought into for processing back in the day. Many stars were visible even with our bit light pollution. This is a star gazing area and Andaluicia is one of the 11 best places in the world for starlight zones.

Cornicabra Room, Hotel Molino La Nava

Our room, Cornicabra, on the top floor overlooking the front of the hotel was large, comfortable and very quiet. A vaulted wooden ceiling and lounging made it feel like we should be staying longer - if only.

We stopped in the town of Montoro on the way home, houses perched on cliff tops overlooking the meandering River Guadalquivir, put it on your map if you´re heading that way. 

See Hotel Molino La Nava´s website.