Mojacar holiday villa rental, Bedar with walking, beach/lake nearby, log fire, balcony/terrace, air con, internet access, telephone

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La Meseta (villa)

Home description

This property is in one of the most sought-after locations in Bedar village, right on the lower edge of this lovely hillside village. La Meseta is a very large and totally unique Spanish villa, on a short private road shared with only 2 other owners, and in an elevated position with stunning views to the almond valley below and beyond to the beautiful Sierra Cabrera Mountains and the Mediterranean sea.

This is NOT a rural property requiring a drive to bars and restaurants. Although secluded and private, the villa is just a few hundred yards downhill from the village centre, with easy access but away from the noise during fiestas. And the 5-minute walk back from any of the five bar/restaurants in the village (after maybe a meal and several drinks...) is downhill. Bedar village has been listed in a magazine as one of the top 20 places to live in Spain, and it will appeal to those who want a taste of real Spanish life.

The accommodation features a shaded front porch, huge lounge/dining room room, large kitchen, 30 sq. metre master bedroom, Moorish-style second bedroom, open-plan study, plus a large studio with twin beds and kitchen area on the top floor. All bedrooms have en-suite facilities. This is a 289 sq. metre villa with private terracing plus a vast 750 sq. metres of landscaped shared terracing and pool. Perfect for weddings or large parties, and additional accommodation is usually available locally.

The villa has air conditioning in all rooms, for comfort during the hot summers in this area.

La Meseta - Huge villa on 3 floors	The view from the upper terrace
The lounge	Main bedroom with French doors to upper terrace

To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/78022

The Costa de Almeria region

Almeria province has warmest and driest climate in Spain, with only 200mm annual rainfall and an average of
over 300 days of sunshine each year. The fruit and vegetable industry is in the south of the province around
Roquetas, but Bedar is in Northern Almeria, one of the most picturesque parts of Andalucia. This part of Spain
was ruled by the Moors until the 15th century, and Moorish influences can be seen everywhere from the ornate
arches and windows to the domed buildings and terraced hillsides. Every village celebrates its Moors &
Christians fiesta every year, with mock battles and parades - just one of the many fiestas in this area.

The Costa Almeria is completely unspoilt. You will not find any high-rise apartments in this area, and if you're a
keen driver you will love the quiet roads and the lack of traffic lights. The beach resorts of Mojacar and
Garrucha are within a 15-minute drive, and there you will find loads of tapas bars and many kinds of restaurants
(see below).

There is a naturist beach and water park at Vera, a marina and excellent go-karting at nearby Garrucha.
The Mini Hollywood theme park and zoo, where all the famous spaghetti westerns were made, is about 45 minutes away at Tabernas, where you can visit the famous olive oil centre. Granada and the Moorish Alhambra palaces are 2 hours away via motorway, and can be easily visited in a day. The Sierra Nevada ski ranges are around 2 hours away.

The Cabo de Gata natural park is 40 minutes south, and well worth a visit for its spectacular scenery, lovely
coastal villages with boats parked up on the beaches, and its flora and fauna. And don't miss the great ceramic
shops at Nijar. Further is Almeria city with its designer shops, tapas bars and the massive Alcabaza castle
overlooking the city.

The large town of Aguilas is only half an hour away, with its marina, railway museum, tidy parks and shopping.
The ancient city of Cartagena is about an hour away to the north via an excellent scenic toll motorway. This
lovely town is Spain's main naval port, and you will find a Roman amphitheatre, stunning buildings and museums, plus ships and maybe a cruise liner in the bay.

Mojacar / Bedar area

Bedar is a real white Spanish village, and was recently voted by a magazine as one of the top 20 places to live in Spain. Its location is on the lower slopes of the Filabres mountains but it is only 15 minute drive to the coastal resorts of Garrucha & Mojacar Playa, and the white hill village of Mojacar Pueblo.The Bedar area is host to painters and musicians of all nationalities, from famous artists to boogie pianists and opera singers, and the village has a vibrant cultural and social life.

From the white and pink almond blossom in January to the thousands of olive, pomegranate, orange and lemon groves, this is a productive and beautiful village. Paintings by local artists are for sale in the village's Miramar restaurant.

The village has excellent facilities. In Bedar there is a mini-market, with a new supermarket due soon, plus a bakery, a bank, a chemist, a hairdresser, a tobacconist and a gift shop. There is a small market on Wednesdays, and even a village band! There are 5 bar/restaurants - 3 traditional Spanish and an Argentinian steak restaurant in the village centre, all within a few hundred yards of our villa. Just up the hill from the villa is the Fuente Restaurant, near the water fountain, which is run by its New Yorker chef/owner Joseph. He grows his own fruit, vegetables and herbs in the restaurant garden, and makes everything from scratch including his great Caesar salad dressing, the dough for his pizzas and his own ice cream. His pizzas start at 5.50 euros and a bottle of wine from 6.50 euros.

All businesses except the Fuente are Spanish-run, so you won't go home hungry. At the Miramar you can enjoy a home-made 3-course meal with wine for only 10 euros most days or nights. Their whole leg of lamb cooked in local tomatoes and herbs is a must, especially when ordered with patatas a la pobre.

At the El Paso you don't get a menu or a price list, but for around 10 euros you'll get a cracking mixed salad and a huge main course - maybe a few slices of swordfish, 6 or 7 lamb chops, or a couple of chicken breasts, all grilled on the plancha and served simply with chips, so you have to come here hungry. Try their huge rib-eye steak. At El Cortijo opposite, a tapas lunch will cost a small fraction of what you'd pay in the UK. All the village restaurants serve tapas - expect to pay 1.50 euros for a drink and a tapa. Optic measures for spirits are not seen in this neck of the woods, and measures are most generous. A dollop of brandy in your coffee is usually a freebie.

There are many bars, restaurants and hotels in the area with entertainment. Sunday afternoons are a good time to check out who's on at Mojacar Playa. There is a great rural bar near the goat farm at at Los Marines village, 6 minutes' drive up the hill from Bedar village, where there are regular music acts and jam sessions at weekends, with a variety of food from Moroccan tapas to steak and ale pie, and draught Guinness. More jam sessions are held some Sunday nights further on at El Pilar. Musicians and singers are always welcome.

Around 70 species of birds have been found in the Bedar area, including storks and eaglets. The large Ibex wild
mountain goats and golden eagles can often be spotted on the mountain ridges above the villa. There is a tortoise sanctuary a couple of hundred yards' walk down from the villa (built but not yet open at time of writing).

There is a local market in every town and village, one on every day of the week. At every market, the freshest
locally-grown fruit and veg are sold at prices unimaginable in the UK - everything is sold by the kilo, including
garlic and lemons. The markets also sell clothes and shoes, and an array of other foodstuffs such as hams,
cheeses, olives, barbecued chickens, sweets, and most have a stall frying churros (doughnuts). Fish is landed at nearby Garrucha, and a huge variety is available in the local supermarkets.

There are several golf courses nearby:
The Cortijo Grande course was designed and built in the early '70s, dotted with orange and lemon groves which
are watered from an underground volcanic lake. The setting and views of this valley are simply awesome, and
the valley is a paradise for bird-watchers and walkers. The 18-hole golf courses of Marina Golf Mojacar, Valle
De Este and Desert Springs are all within a 15 to 20 minute drive.

The coastal resorts of Garrucha and Mojacar are a 15-minute drive away, where you can find all sorts of tapas
bars and restaurants including Seafood, Argentinian Steak Houses, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Belgian, French,
Mexican plus the churingitos (beach-side bars/restaurants). Andulacia has the greatest number of gypsy
flamenco performers, and the Tablao de la Chus at Vera Playa has great flamenco performances. The ancient
hilltop village of Mojacar Pueblo (seen from the villa) is a must, with its narrow streets, great shops, jazz and
classical music venues, cultural centre and Spanish restaurants. There are many other white villages to visit.

Leaflets and information on places to go and recommended restaurants will be left at the villa, to maximise our guests' enjoyment and make their holiday a memorable experience.

How to get there

There are excellent transport and motorway links. Bedar is about 45 minutes from Almeria Airport, and only 6 minutes' drive from Junction 520 of the major European motorway - the Autovia del Mediterraneo. Murcia San Javier airport is an hour and quarter away via the stunning new AP-7 toll motorway.

Alicante airport is just over 2 hours away via the same motorway, but has a wide range of flights.

Flights are available to Almeria Airport from Stansted, Gatwick, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham and East Midlands.

Flights are available to Murcia Airport from London Stansted, Gatwick & Luton plus Birmingham, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow Prestwick, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool and Manchester.

To search for the best flights for your needs, may we suggest www.skyscanner.net

Activities near Mojacar

Facilities

Further details indoors:
On the ground floor at La Meseta is large shaded front porch with cane furniture, leading to the hallway and the huge 8.5 x 6 metre lounge/dining room with Moorish arched cupboards built into the walls, exposed beams throughout and Moorish ceiling lanterns.

The panoramic windows have views to the almond valley below and the sea beyond. There is a 3-piece solid oak lounge suite plus a large leather sofa, seating 8 comfortably, plus additional footstools and window seats. There is a solid oak dining suite seating 6 and a large solid oak display cabinet, plus coffee tables. Log fire in the corner. Satellite 32" TV plus surround-sound Sony DVD.

The photo shows laminate flooring, but in spring 2009 we are having the lounge floor tiled in natural colour to match the main bedroom and study.

An archway leads to the traditional kitchen has a 5-ring gas hob, Bosch electric oven, an American-size fridge freezer, Smeg dishwasher, combination microwave, kettle, toaster plus loads of kitchenware.

Water filtration system. Ground floor utility toilet with washing machine and tumble dryer. There is a dining terrace with wrought iron dining suite and steps from the back door to the rear garden area and washing line.

On the first floor there is an open-plan study which includes a chaise lounge and desk plus internet connection, and French doors to the elevated front terrace. The massive 6.5 x 4.5 metre luxury master bedroom has high-quality Spanish furniture, a beautiful king-size bed and a feature fireplace. 2 sets of French doors lead to the front terrace with mountain and sea views.

There is a dressing room with wardrobe leading to the new en-suite wet room which includes a walk-in shower and bidet. The second bedroom is 5.3 x 4 metres, rear-facing to the hills behind, is in the Moorish style with hand-made furniture, marble floor, a king-size bed with antique bed rail, plus large built-in wardrobes. An archway leads to the dressing area with built-in wardrobes and a large en-suite with bath and shower and marble floor. Both rooms on the first floor have high ceilings and cornicing.

Large double doors lead to the rear bedroom and the stairway to the top floor studio, 6.4 x 5.3 metres in size with a kitchen area, ideal for teenagers or those who want their own space. In addition to the double doors, the studio is further separated from the main house by its own door. There are two 1-metre wide beds (wider than single beds), plus a storage cabinet, and seating will be provided. The studio kitchen area includes a small fridge, a 2-ring electric hob, a small sink, plus kettle and toaster. There is a white en-suite with bath and shower. There is a Juliet balcony with views to Bedar village, and windows with views to the Sierra Cabrera mountains.

The villa has air conditioning in all main rooms except the open-plan study, for comfort during the hot summers in this area. The property also has a further terrace room, but this will be used for storage by the owners during holiday lets.

Further details outdoors:
La Meseta is on a short private road, and there is a parking area for at least 6 cars. The inclined brick and stone walkway is shaded by the huge pepper tree, and leads to the covered front porch, which has a 3-piece cane suite and glass-topped coffee table plus terracotta flower pots. The villa is strictly non-smoking, so this porch is ideal for use by smokers.

Our front garden area comprises raised shrub and tree terraces, including a lemon tree and hibiscus, all shaded by the pepper tree. There are succulents and cacti on the walled bedding leading up to the house, plus various terracotta pots.

There are two private terraces at La Meseta, plus a smaller garden terrace. The smaller terrace on the ground floor has a wrought iron dining suite seating 4, with views to the almond valley below and the Sierra Cabrera mountains. The large terrace on the first floor has a gas barbecue, dining suite for 6 and four sun-loungers with views to the valley, mountains and sea. There is also a small private garden terrace accessed from a door leading off at mezzanine level from the stairway to the first floor, and the shade of the pepper tree makes this a good place to chill out during hot summer days.

In addition there are around 750 square metres (not a misprint !) of shared terracing (shared with only two other properties when these are occupied). This is beautifully landscaped, with raised flower beds, terracotta flower pots, hibiscus, palm trees, plus an orange grove, all set in local stone and brick, with stunning views to the sea - see our photo gallery. There is an 8 x 4 metre pool with more sun-loungers. This property is renowned locally for its legendary parties with up to 80 people (including a wedding with music by the Blues Brothers Band) on the terracing.

Bedar is a hilly village, and there are some steps up to our pool, so this property would not be ideal for the infirm or eldery. Young children love this place, but are best supervised for safety reasons, as the terracing around the front garden is not fenced. The villa is directly across the side road from the huge village pool. The main road through Bedar village is 80 yards away, and the local Spanish bars and restaurants are a short walk from there. Our local, the international Fuente bar/restaurant, is just over a hundred yards up the main road from the villa.

Conditions

Strictly NO SMOKING at this property, except on the front porch, terraces and Juliet balcony.

All prices are quoted in UK sterling. We need a 25% deposit to confirm your booking, with the balance payable 6 weeks prior to your rental.

Linen and towels (except beach towels) are included in the price. Weekly cleaning and change of linen and towels is included, plus management service for maintenance issues or emergencies.

Young children must be supervised on the terraces and around the pool..

Rental rates

Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
March & April 2010	1 Mar 10	1 May 10	585£ 585	0-	0-	1 Week
May 2010	1 May 10	1 Jun 10	615£ 615	0-	0-	1 Week
June 2010	1 Jun 10	1 Jul 10	645£ 645	0-	0-	1 Week
PEAK - July & August 2010	1 Jul 10	1 Sep 10	745£ 745	0-	0-	1 Week
September 2010	1 Sep 10	1 Oct 10	645£ 645	0-	0-	1 Week
October 2010	1 Oct 10	1 Nov 10	585£ 585	0-	0-	1 Week

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

We require a security deposit of £100 against breakages, not required until the start of the rental.

We will be happy to discuss a special price for lets of 3 weeks or more during the summer.

Guestbook for La Meseta

Our only regret about our holiday is that we don't own your house. Bill says you really are jammy beggars to have found this place !! Mrs P, Watford

Fantastic house in a fantastic location with fantastic views. We loved our wee walk up to the village of an evening for a drink or a meal, and we made several English and Spanish friends in our two weeks. Mr L,, Edinburgh

Back home in cold and wet Staffordshire, we just wanted to say what a wonderful time we had at your house in Bedar. The kids loved being up in the studio (away from mum and dad) and in the pool every day. Mr & Mrs S, Lancashire

Lovely house (and incredibly spacious), great garden and pool, fantastic views, wonderful village. And eating out was SOOOOOOO cheap ! We took your advice on bars and restaurants, and came back home with nearly half our spending money. Can we come back please? Mrs E, Strathaven

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here

Send Enquiry

To contact this advertiser please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/78022

Contact details for the advertiser of home 78022
Name:	James Mackie
Tel:	+34 950 459481
Be aware of time-zones Please mention Holiday Lettings when contacting this advertiser
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Advertiser joined: Jan 2009

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