We have just enjoyed our second stay at this lovely Villa in a very beautiful setting. There have been some changes made since our first stay, namely new windows and a modernised kitchen. The layout has also been much improved and the large flat screen tv with Netflix via the attached amazon stick was a welcome bonus for keeping the younger family members entertained. Outside, the view over the hills is wonderful and along with the peacefulness it offers a welcome escape from normality. Lovely outside seating areas offer shade and our daughters loved relaxing in the hammock. The august days were nice and hot but temperatures cooled for the evenings which made them comfortable and we didn't suffer with mosquitoes. The lovely village of Cartajima is a very short walk with a handy shop and also a pool bar slightly further, it's situated about 20kms from historic Ronda which offers plenty of restaurants, shops and supermarkets. The roads are well maintained and the drive takes about 20mins through beautiful scenery. Malaga airport is a straightforward 1 1/2 drive. We certainly recommend this as a personal favourite and the owners, Lily and Juan, are lovely and very much on hand should you need any help or advice.

This is a lovely property in an unbeatable location. The property is homely and comfortable and full of personal touches. We loved it. Lily and Juan, the owners, are very friendly and helpful. It was a pleasure to meet them and stay in their property. There are so many high points that it’s hard to mention them all, but the ever-present wildlife, eagles overhead, the view from the property and total peace and tranquillity will live long in the memory.

We stayed at the villa for just under 3 weeks . The villa was spotlessly clean and both Juan and Lily were at the villa to greet us upon our arrival . They were the perfect hosts in every way and couldn’t do enough to ensure we enjoyed our stay . Lily provided her mobile contact details and was on hand for any questions or advice and always responded immediately, which was very reassuring. The villa is well equipped and the views are amazing . The vintage / retro decor really made the place feel liked a loved home and not just a holiday let . Although we went in early June , we had fantastic weather and used the pool every day . We travelled to the quaint villages around the area as well as Seville and Ronda . We particularly liked Ronda which is about 20 minutes away . There is also a large Lidl on the outskirts of Ronda so stocking up on supplies is easy . Lily and Juan let us pick oranges from the garden which we used to make fresh juice . The villa is in a lovely valley overlooking the national park so the views are uninterrupted and beautiful . For peace , tranquility and a piece of the real Spain , it can’t be beaten . Within hours of arriving back in the Uk , Lily had already authorised a refund of our deposit , which is typical of the high standard of service we received during our stay . We send Lily and Juan our very best wishes .

What a gem of a find this villa is! If you can’t tell from the photos of course. We have just spent a peaceful 9 days here and could not have asked for more from the facilities or hosts. We had everything we needed if we wanted to dine in, beautiful Ronda and large supermarkets are 15 mins drive away or there is a local bar and a couple of restaurants you can walk to. The host Lily was super helpful and there if we needed her but not if we didn’t. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this place and can’t wait to return!

We (2) spend 8 wonderful, quite nights in Lily’s home. The view is stunning and pacifying and you hear nothing at all in the night. As I am one myself I recommend it for everyone who needs to escape work for a few days to recharge. Pool looked awesome, but April got the better of it with heavy rain the first 3 days, so it got to cold to use. Despite the weather we enjoyed our stay on the fireplace and later in the sun, finished of a few books and went to see Sevilla, Gibraltar and Ronda. All together a wonderful stay. Thank you Lily!

We absolutely loved our stay here and it was everything we wanted and more. The views are outstanding and it was extremely peaceful and quiet. The villa itself is very well equipped and beautifully furnished with lots of character. The hosts were really helpful and very quick to respond to any queries and even went so far as helped us find our next accommodation in another village. All in all we cant praise this lovely villa enough and will definitely be returning.

My partner and I had a lovely stay here. The setting is very peaceful with lovely views. Various fruit trees within the grounds and also some incredible wildlife (saw various eagles, bats, reptiles, and even a praying mantis during our 1 week stay - may not be such a selling point for some, but personally I was amazed on a daily basis by the beautiful wildlife of the surrounding area). The villa has everything you would need for a short or long stay, and the owners were really friendly and helpful (they leave you to your holiday in peace, but we got the impression they would have been on hand straight away should we have needed anything). Plenty of seating/dining areas and you can see the amazing views from most of them. The pool is great, very deep so you can have a proper swim; was slightly colder than other outdoor pools I've been in before (probably due to the depth), but once you're in you get used to it pretty quickly, and you can still see the views from the pool which is nice. I know this is mentioned in other reviews but worth reiterating: the final driveway down to the villa is very steep and quite narrow, so you will need a fairly decent car that is not too wide to avoid the potential for any minor scrapes/difficulties ascending. There is a small shop in Cartajima but basics only and the opening hours were a little ad-hoc when we were there (Sept), so best to stock up on essentials somewhere bigger (e.g. Ronda, which is only about a 20 min drive away). Lovely place and plenty to do within a short drive from the villa. All in all a great holiday at a reasonable price - would definitely recommend!

The drive up the mountains gives you some spectacular views, the village is easy to find although the driveway to the property isn`t too obvious at first. The driveway is actually a little intimidating as the gradient is steep. However once parked up at the villa you get a wonderful sense of peace and tranquility. The view out by the pool cannot be truly appreciated with photos as it is simply stunning. The villa is probably the most well finished and maintained we have stayed at in fifteen years of renting, everything is very good quality with no expense spared by the owners. (who incidentally were there to welcome us most warmly ) once the tour of the villa was over we were left to enjoy our holiday without interruption (although Dolores was instantly on hand via whatsapp if you need her ) as a final note it was very pleasant to receive the full security deposit returned within a day or so of us being back home, Truly Perfect and I cannot think of a single thing to complain about .... Lovely Lovely Lovely :-)

This was our second time staying at Lily's house. We think it is the most magical spot. The house has everything you need, and the pool with it's stunning view are hard to beat. The sleepy village of Cartajima is beautiful and Ronda is only 15 minutes away. It's hard not to relax here, and we had some gorgeous, cheap, local food. I really highly recommend this place. And Lily is very accommodating and easy to deal with.

I stayed at this property over a long 4-day weekend with my husband, another couple and their 4-month old baby and four dogs. We planned on using the house as a base from which to go hiking and explore Ronda from. The house was absolutely perfect and we had no issues. Lily met us at the entrance of town and showed us how to get to the house. If you are driving a large vehicle, you must be careful due to a very steep decline to the carport and narrow entryway. Lily showed us all the details for the house and answered any questions we had. It was too cold to use the swimming pool, but we did enjoy the back patio at dusk with a few drinks and even played bocce ball. The dogs loved roaming down in the vineyards and hiking the area. We only live 2 hours away from this beautiful house and will be recommending all our friends visit and book a stay. With close proximity to Ronda and Juzcar, it was the ultimate weekend getaway for us. Thank you Lily!

This villa is clean well equipped and full of character. The scenery is so pleasing that we spend most of our time outside. The pool is a great size, enough for a genuine swim. There are three clearly defined outside areas each of which offer comfort , peace and views to feast the eyes on. Wild life is all around if you take the time to look. The walk into the village takes less than ten minutes up hill and is worth the effort . We found warm kind faces and were made to feel welcome. We had planned a few trips, Ronda and Jazcar were good to go, to but we so enjoyed the villa and pool that whilst out we wanted to get back. We left the villa rested, relaxed and full of desire to return.

We loved it here, beautiful views from raised patio area (+hammock) and pool. So quiet and relaxing, the only sounds being a cockerel, a couple of dogs and sometimes some goats from the hills behind. It has all the essentials plus a dishwasher and washing machine should you need them. Two portable fans are also provided but we did not need them. Hot and sunny days (but comfortable) followed by cooler nights, we preferred this area to the costal resorts temperature wise and no mosquito bites received either !! Wi-Fi pleased the kids and allowed us to keep up to date, the en-suite shower is great and the water is always hot. The villa is plenty big enough for a family of four, there is also a large sofa bed in a side lounge which gave the kids a space of their own thus allowing us some peace. The pool is a decent size for cooling off and for having a splash but the shallow end is approx 1.2 m so be aware if you have small children. There is also a small grassed area that has four holes for a bit of putting and a there is a set of boules. The villa is situated at the end of a dirt track which has a very steep final discent so make sure your hire car is suitable as ours did struggle to get back up it. Also, don't drive through the narrow passages of the village, there is a road that goes around the edge of it and this leads directly to the dirt track. The drive from Malaga takes about 1 hour 45 minutes with the last 45 minutes being very scenic as the road takes you up towards Ronda. The route is simple and the roads are excellent. The villa is about 20 minutes from Ronda which has very historic sites. Here you will find all the supermarket's and restaurants that you need. Cuisine tends to be mainly Spanish (Andalucian) or Italian with few restaurants catering for children. A trip to Puerto Banus is worthwhile if you like flash cars and boats with a bit of TOWIE mixed in. Marbella has a nice promenade and a new shopping centre on its outskirts. Mijas has a good water park and the hillside village of Mijas is very pretty. We definitely want to return, we had a lovely time and felt totally relaxed within a day of arriving. The owners are lovely and ensure everything is as expected, they are always available should you need them. Thank you Lily and Juan, we had a fantastic holiday.

Thank you Lilly & Juan for the letting us stay at Casa Rural we have had the best holiday ever. Everyone in the village and surrounding villages was very warm and welcoming everywhere we went. We had some of the hottest days recorded for this time of the year so we spent our afternoons enjoying the well maintained pool and the fantastic views that came with it. To watch my 2 children playing in the pool and garden instead of being stuck to a tablet, mobile phone or video console was a priceless gift. The property was very well maintained and very clean and perfectly equipped. Evenings on the Terrace were spent sipping a lovely glass of Lily & Juan's own homemade white wine whilst we watched the wildlife come to life and enjoyed some of the clearest sky full of stars we had ever seen. We also managed to bring our 4 Pugs with us who had a fantastic time running up and down the property chasing each other. The ideal place to stay especially if you want a break from city life and the stress that comes with it. A day trip to Ronda is highly recommended again everyone there was fantastic and we found endless bargains shopping on the Main Street just off the Bull Ring. We also recommend a short trip to the next village along of Juzcar (Smurf Town) just make sure you visit it on a weekend or Spanish Holidays or you will find most places closed like we did. Once again thank you Lily and Juan we will be back again with you very soon Casa Rural truly was a home from home.. John, Sigita, James & Angelica

We had the greatest time ever in this superb house. The owners were very friendly and the communication was excellent as they speak very good English. We loved everything the house, the pool, the little villages around. We highly recomend this jewel as the price has not competitors. If you looking for peace and relax this is your place.

We went to Cartajima for some late summer sunshine and were not disappointed. The terrace and gardens have stunning views of the Genal valley and Los Riscos (The Crags). The location is extremely peaceful and private. It's tucked away at the end of the village. The access is down a short narrow track but is easily negotiable in a small car. The villa was well appointed, very clean and we particularly appreciated the extensive collection of international film DVDs available to visitors. Cartajima is very pretty but has limited facilities. We found an excellent traditional rural restaurant (El Anaffe) in the nearby village of Parauta. There are also a variety of good walks in the surrounding mountains, especially a circular walk in Los Riscos (signposted off the road to Juzcar).

Nous avons passé deux semaines à Cartajima avec notre fille de 14 ans. La vue est magnifique, le logement est très bien équipé . La piscine et la terrasse sont parfaites pour se reposer. Depuis Cartajima il est facile d'aller au bord de la mer, à Ronda et à Seville. Nous avons été très bien accueillis par Lilly et son mari, toujours disponibles et attentifs à leurs hôtes. Nous recommandons vivement ce logement.

We had a relaxing 2 week holiday in a really tranquil setting. We loved the spectacular views from the villa, with complete privacy & felt totally chilled out by the end of our stay. Cartajema is a very underated village & although small it was beautiful with the church at the centre. We much preferred it to Juczar & we even had tapas at the local bar going out of the village. The amenities in the villa were as described & we loved the choice of where to have our meals, by the pool or on the terrace. It was a great location for Ronda which was convenient for food shopping & sight seeing. It was also really handy that a torch was supplied when we walked down the track at night. We would definitely think about booking here again when we come back to the area. Lily & Juan were really helpful with advising us how to get to places & were always available with any queries. High recommended.

This villa is perfect for anyone wanting a quiet get away. Correspondence from Lily was faultless all the way through and we were met at the airport even though it was a ridiculously late arrival (01.00) and then we were delayed! Lily and her husband stayed until we had found our luggage in case we needed some help which was very sweet. We were given brilliant directions to the villa and it was spotless on arrival. We had one problem with the hot water (the gas ran out) and Lily was always on the end of the phone so was sorted that day. We were also told about the local village festivities which we went to and wine was on tap! We weren't disturbed at all during the stay and it was lovely sitting down by the pool eating our dinner with the sun setting as well as the visiting swallows diving to drink from the pool each evening. We had a car so were able to travel but it was so serene we didn't go anywhere apart from to the smurf village which was quaint but not much to do. If you want an active holiday then this isn't for you but if you want to stay by the pool and spend some quality time with each other then this is perfect. The villa had everything we needed - the pool is cool and inviting and not overlooked at all. We had complete privacy the entire time. It's only a short walk from the village but up a track and up hill so make sure you take a torch as trying to negotiate it after a few wines is more difficult than we thought! If you want a holiday away from everything and everyone then this is perfect. I'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone - I'm looking at booking somewhere for this summer in another country and I realize just how spoiled we were. Hoping to come back soon. Thank you so much!

My wife and I booked to stay the last week in October. The booking process was easy and the owners were quick to respond to all my e-mails. You will need to do your homework, we did for the location as we were looking for a quiet location but not too far away from a town. You will need a car to get to and from this villa. From the information provided by the owner and looking closely at google map we were able to follow the directions to the villa without any problems. We phoned the owner when we were passing Rhonda, which is about 15 minutes away to arrange pick-up of the keys and had a nice surprise to be meet in the village of Cartajima by Lily and her husband who escorted us the last part of the journey to the villa. Once the formalities and handover had taken place, the villa was ours and we did not see anyone for the remainder of our stay until the agreed time of hand back and departure. The Villa was very clean and well presented. The kitchen was equipped with all we required and we dined in every evening. The swimming pool area is well presented and we appreciated the better quality of sun loungers. The views down the valley from the terrace and pool are stunning.. A high boundary fence surrounds the villa which sit on a very large plot of land with varied fruit trees in abundance. The ground around the Villa lawn and pool area is on a slope and this will need to be considered if you have very young children or have difficulty walking. Please see the photos which are available as they provide a clear perspective, this did not cause either of us an issue. The large Iron gates provide a very secure area with Parking for a maximum of 2 cars. If you wish to have a quiet and relaxing Villa holiday this is the place for you. Lilly and her husband continue to improve their Villa with alterations planned for this winter to enhance the holiday experience. I Highly recommended this villa.

Lovely week spent at this remote villa located at the foot of a pretty whitewash Andalucian village (Cartajima). It was everything we expected it to be, as we were looking for a quiet break from the hustle and bustle of city life. We especially enjoyed the refreshing pool and the great views from the 2 outdoor dining areas, and the variety of fruit growing on the property (grapes, oranges, pears). Ideal for a family of 4. Easy access to Ronda and the Sea. 5 minute walk to the quiet village. The villa location allows for the flexibility of visiting the busier parts of Andalucia and the Coast, or simply staying put and enjoying the quiet surroundings. Owners are friendly and have shown care for the property.