Chosing a self-catering holiday: Luxury vacation rentals in Andalucia, Spain

When you've been hard at work all year 'round, the boss is beginning to get on your nerves and the daily commute has already stressed you out even before you've sat down at your desk it's time again to think about planning your family holiday. This is the escape you dream about and the fantasising begins not long after the previous year's vacation has finished. Where did we store the beach towels? Are little Johnny's trunks too small for him now? Can anybody remember if Lucy's armbands were punctured or not or should we buy some more when we get there? Will the boss allow me to take off the first two weeks in August even though we have a big presentation to prepare for and Mike from accounts has already secured those weeks?

All these things go through ones mind but when everything is sorted out and your partner can get the same time off as you it's time to hit the Internet, scan the travel agent windows for last minute bargains and stock up on factor 50 for the kids.

Where to go? There are so many options for all budgets and family sizes? One of the most fantastic destinations in Europe is Andalucia, the sunniest and most stunning part of Spain. If you're not too sure about where exactly you wish to go to in this Iberian region remember that it is the largest of all the seventeen Spanish autonomous communities that make up this incredible country. It is also probably the most diverse and if you have in mind a picture of where you want to be make sure you research your location as carefully as you can.

Let's make it simple and break this down into three main categories: coastal, city and inland. If you're looking for sand, sea and sangria then the Costa del Sol is definitely for you but don't expect to experience much in the way of anything essentially authentic or Spanish. Many of the restaurants, bars and tourist attractions are owned by non-Spanish expats and it is quite possible to spend your whole vacation without having to speak any of the native language. However, this is how some people like it ( especially the young singles) and as long as there is guaranteed sun then everybody is more than content. For the more discerning, culture orientated traveller the Andalucian cities of Jerez, Sevilla, Granada, Malaga and Cordoba are the principal attractions and you'd be hard pressed to find so many architectural masterpieces within such a manageable location. Whether it's the old sherry bodegas, splendid cathedral, Alhambra, Picasso museum or Mesquita or indeed all of the above that you crave to discover and explore remember that if travelling with anybody under the age of about sixteen it is unlikely that these world famous sites and experiences will keep their attention for very long!

What is the best compromise for all...without having to actually compromise on anything? The ideal location without a shadow of doubt has to be inland and the most stunningly beautiful of all these areas has to be the Serrania de Ronda. The reasons for this are quite straight forward. If choosing a vacation in a self-catering holiday let near Ronda you will be in the best position to visit the beaches of the Costa del Sol ( one hour's drive) and all the above-mentioned cities as day trips. What better than to return to your lovely holiday villa just outside Ronda and soak away the dust of the city or sand of the beach in your own private pool before igniting the BBQ in the privacy of your own veranda surrounded by your friends and family. The fact is that not everybody wants to spend their vacation dashing around from site to site, city to city and beach to beach...especially those with youngsters in tow. In inland Andalucia you can chose to just 'chill-out' some days under the shade by the pool with a good book and a bottle of the superb, locally produced Ronda red wine ! When the mood takes you just jump into that hire car and within 1 1/2 hours you can be strolling through Seville's Alcazar or sampling sherry in one of the ancient bodegas of Jerez. Other attractions on your doorstep include the wonderful ancient Moorish town of Ronda itself. No guidebooks can do complete justice to the 'ciudad antiquo' (old town), the ancient bridges spanning the gorge and of course the gorge itself. You can happily spend a day wondering the winding cobbled streets being charmed by little picturesque gems around each bend. Whether little garden squares, impressive churches, old Moorish palaces and even a minaret there is something to delight the eye at every turn. Ronda is not one of the most visited towns in Spain without reason and ranks alongside the great cities in terms of tourism.

So you've settled on the best location and are already dreaming of practising your rusty school-room Spanish with Pepe and Vicente at the bar of a local family-run venta (bar/restaurant) whilst supping on a tumbler of the popular Cruzcampo beer. You already have a picture in mind of the sun shining through the plump vines suspended through the lattice above you; local fat, green olives await you on the table and the kids are running around with the local boys and girls under the watchful eye of 'abuela' (grandma)! You haven't a care in the world and in no time the stresses of office life, deadlines and meetings slip away.

The next step requires converting your daydreams into concrete plans and actions. The dreaming and procrastinations are over. Inform the boss of your holiday dates, agree you destination with your family or travelling companions and get searching for that perfect slice of Inland Andalucian life. You've typed in self-catering vacation or holiday let near Ronda, Andalucia and up come pages of results and a vast selection from which to chose. There are villas and apartments, farms and cottages, cortijos and townhouses and pretty much anything for anybody. Obviously your budget will narrow this down but remember that you get what you pay for as with everything in life.

As there is quite a bit of competition amongst the owners of vacation rentals in the Serrania de Ronda rates are set with care. If you can't or don't want to drive you have to rule out all the locations in the countryside. This will mean you almost certainly won't get a pool as most villa rentals just won't have the space for one. If you do decide to hire a car you probably don't want to base yourself in an urban setting either as parking and driving in the streets can be more than a bit daunting as you negotiate your way through ever narrowing cobbled streets, tucking in the mirrors and worrying about the small print in your rental contract! Also, finding a parking space each and every day of your holiday can be a nightmare as most urban villas and hotels don't have private parking. So you can deduce from this that it is far better to be in the 'campo' (countryside) with a car but not far from, say, Ronda itself.

You then have two more important choices to make and they are as follows: is it desirable to have to share the pool and do I want the proprietors to be nearby in case anything goes pear-shaped? Well there are pros and cons to both choices with each being subject to your own particular set of circumstances. If you want a quiet, romantic 'couples' break then a private pool in a place without any discernible neighbours is what you should be looking for. If this is a family holiday then we all know that children are easily bored. The last thing a stressed out parent needs is moaning children tugging at their arms (just when you've sat down with that glass of red and holiday potboiler) whingeing that they don't know what to do. This is exactly where a shared-pool and the family hiring the other self-catering holiday-let nearby can be a huge advantage!

It won't be long before all the kids of differing ages will be splashing and sploshing around in the pool, laughing and shouting at each other and generally getting along like a house on fire. Unlike us fussy adults kids are pretty undiscerning regarding whom they befriend and by the end of the vacation and it's time to fly home little Jack from San Diego and Michelle from Aix-en-Provance will be exchanging e-mail addresses and accepting each other as friends on Facebook and Myspace! So the problem of childhood boredom is no longer and the parents can enjoy the peace and quiet they've been clamouring after ever since the last time they managed a romantic week-end in Rome four months earlier.

But this leads us neatly on to the adults themselves. After a few days of settling in and getting their bearings the novelty of being away on vacation has already begun to subside. They've seen a few attractions and had a couple of family evenings out but in secret they wouldn't mind hunting down a bit of new company. The owners living across the courtyard become a curiosity as do the parents from Aix in the other rental. It's not long before conversations are struck up and the excitement of meeting new people sparks life into your stay. It can be really enjoyable dipping into other peoples' lives...especially when they are from other parts of the world. You'd probably never really have the opportunity to do this too often back at home. Also,the owner being on hand is vital for other reasons. Not only is he an invaluable source of local information but he is there to remedy any little thing that may go wrong. It's true that if you've booked your accommodation through an agency they will have a maintenance man at the end of a phone should you need him but it's just not the same and you lose the personal touch. It could take quite a long time for him to come to you as well! Remember too that if you do decide to go the agency route you'll be paying up to 30% more for your week(s) as they are there to make money however nice they may be. Most local owners, however, do it for the fun as well as to earn a bit of extra money during the summer.

One common mistake made by the majority of enthusiastic vacationers is to try to do too much in too short a space of time. The most people book is two weeks and if coming from afar at least a day each end is spent in the air or re-cooperating from jet-lag. If you booked to see the Alhambra (which you have to do...you can't just show up) on the Monday, Tuesday's activities is a tour around the Mesquita of Cordoba, Wednesday you thought you'd get in the hire car and motor around the famous white villages of Andalucia, Thursday visit the cathedral and Picasso museum in Malaga etc...etc...by the time you've reached Sunday and it is time to head back home you've left no time for rest and relaxation and the spontaneity of just getting up early one morning and deciding to go for a lovely walk in the countryside. So excellent advice would be to plan to do something every other day with a day pottering around and lazing by the pool in between. Please remember that you can always return. Most holiday-makers do!