The place is perfect for a long lazy weekend away, and all done up with the most impeccable taste. There are just seven double en suite rooms with exposed beams and vintage bedspreads which have views of the surrounding countryside or the courtyard full of olive trees and lavender. Each room has its own private terrace and air-conditioning and/or under-floor heating depending on the season. The beds are super-comfy emperor or king-size doubles and the bathrooms have both Moroccan plastered showers and roll-top baths.

There's not a lot to do at the hacienda itself, and that's exactly as intended, with a little pool for cooling off in, and several nooks and crannies designed for privacy and the whiling away of a lazy afternoon while the friendly staff bring round platters of tapas and more chilled sherry. At night the gardens are lit with lanterns and the food keeps coming, thanks to the catering business background of one of the owners.

If guests can gird their loins enough to venture out, the Moorish town of Vejer de la Frontera is well worth a visit and there is riding, surfing and kite-surfing nearby.