Lanjaron is an attractive small town set high on the mountainside on the edge of the Sierra Nevada. The Hotel Alcadima is set down a narrow road below the main street and has great character.
It is a bit of a rabbit warren inside with long corridors and lots of staircases, as well as rooms in several buildings scattered around the grounds. It is quite easy to get lost until you have learnt your way around. Any negatives are more than made up for by its setting and wonderful gardens with fountains and water features.
I had a room in the main house overlooking the swimming pool with the restaurant beyond and a glimpse of the Sierra Nevada. It was a very comfortable room with a private balcony with small table and two chairs – a lovely place to sit and enjoy the view. I had plenty of space with a large bed and a spare bed providing extra seating. There were a couple of small armchairs and a table as well as a desk. There was flat screen Tv and the usual hospitality tray. The small wardrobe had a safe. Talking to others, this could be quite temperamental and didn’t bother with it.
The shower room had a large walk in shower with a very effective jet of water. Towels however were only average – the bath towel wasn’t very big and not particularly fluffy. But they were changed daily. Liquid soap and shampoo were provided.
Facing south the room could get quite hot in the day, so I kept the curtains closed while I was out. Opening the window and balcony door in the late afternoon soon cooled the room down again. There was air conditioning, but I never bothered to work out how to use it. Lighting in the room wasn’t brilliant, particularly if you wanted to read in bed.
Breakfast was self service and provided in the bar. The first morning was a bit chaotic as we tried to find where everything was, but the following days were a lot slicker. There was the usual selection of cereals and orange juice. Apart from slices of melon, pineapple, grapes and sometimes Kiwi, there was no fresh fruit. There was a good choice of cold meats and cheese. The hot breakfast was bacon, small continental sausage which had been cooked in water, fried eggs and Spanish omelette. The selection of breads and pastries was excellent, with the Mediterranean and gingerbread being particularly good. Eating a big breakfast, you didn’t need to worry about lunch…
Dinner was taken in the restaurant and was a very leisurely meal, particularly with a large group eating together. It could often be 20 minutes before orders were taken and another 30 minute wait for food to appear. There was a choice of four different starters and main meals, always with two fish dishes. The dessert choice was the same each night.
The starters differed each night and were always an interesting selection. Portion sizes were big and would easily have done as a main meal. The mains choice varied and could be quite exotic with things like squid cooked in ink and rabbit. They were let down by lack of fresh vegetables and nearly always came out with a small helping of frozen carrots and beans. The main course was slow to be served and was nearly always only luke warm. The only time I had a HOT main course was when I ate early by myself one evening.
I enjoyed my stay. The hotel was just a short walk from the main street and the gardens were a lovely place to sit and relax. I have no hesitation in grading it 5*. I was a bit disappointed by the meals and these come in at 3/4*.
I stopped here on a “Flavours of Spain”:http://www.solosholidays.co.uk/spain/discovery-tours/flavours-of-spain holiday arranged through “Solos Holidays.”:http://www.solosholidays.co.uk/ My detailed report of the holiday with all my pictures is “here.”:http://wasleys.org.uk/eleanor/otherholidays/spain/index.html
