La Casa Vieja

Reviewed by Michael Soffe


PEACH, PLUM AND APRICOT BLOSSOM ..............

Tucked away in the small hamlet of Rugat with its190 inhabitants the Scottish born Maris Watson found this charming village house a few years ago. The fruits of the subsequently undertaken conversion are a quaint small Hotel and Restaurant within a half hours drive of the Orange Blossom Coast and beaches of Gandia. It is a house full of character and original features – the house is 470 years old! Beams and ancient tiles fill every nook and cranny.

The traditional salon with its large original fireplace was in fact the old kitchen and it is a welcoming place to sit with a drink and a book in the winter months. There is also an interior well in the house, a sure sign of a former nobleman. The salon leads directly onto a flower filled patio courtyard with a delightful terrace and plunge pool – definitely for those languid summer days. It is a remarkably peaceful area and the fruit trees that surround the hamlet burst into blossom in the spring. A nearby valley is famous for cherries and visitors flock to see the annual blooms in March. Walking routes are everywhere and Maris and her family will gladly advise. They will also provide daily picnics. Horse-riding can be arranged locally and there are 4 golf courses within 40km.

The 6 bedrooms, whilst not the largest (obviously confined by the size of the original house) are simply, yet tastefully decorated. A couple of the rooms are a lot larger than the others (the large double and the Junior Suite). The Junior Suite boasts its own private roof-top sun terrace overlooking the hamlet and the hills. It is the most beautiful room. All are en-suite and the little touches such as green tea therapy soaps show an attention to detail. To protect the peace and calm, there are no TVs or phones in the rooms. There is Wi-Fi access and there is central heating. The two smaller bedrooms do not have air-con but do have ceiling fans, the remaining 4 are air-conditioned. Tea and coffee making facilities are provided.

Breakfasts are served at your leisure in the main restaurant – a cosy place and it is open 7 nights a week for residents of the Hotel. At the weekends in the warmer months it is also open to the public and spills out onto a terrace for alfresco dining. The menu is small, but ever changing and Maris loves her cooking – a mix of Mediterranean and international cuisine using all the best of local products. A good wine list – featuring Spanish wines from many regions and local ones too – you can even have a guided tour of one of the Bodegas about an hours drive away.


An ideal Hotel for those who want a complete getaway in a Spanish hamlet with a taste of the Real Spain. A walker’s paradise “en famille”.