We have recently returned from a 20 day self-catering holiday at Casa Brazos Abiertos late May/early June. As a T10 paraplegic and wheelchair user I can highly recommend the villa, which doubles as a 4 bedroom hotel for part of the year. The villa has a fantastic setting overlooking the mountains, all of which are covered by olive groves. The massive balcony area is ideal for alfresco dining, although we found it a bit chilly first thing in the morning and late evening when we first arrived, with a constant breeze. However, by the end of our holiday we were eating breakfast and evening meals outside as it became really warm and the breeze became a welcoming relief. In July/August I expect visitors will welcome the sun screen that is erected over part of the balcony.
For a wheelchair user the villa is ideal, level surfaces, large doors and 4 good sized double bedrooms which all have twin beds that can be moved together to provide a large double. All bedrooms have en-suite wet rooms designed specifically for persons with a disability. The one we used had a wheeled shower seat, which Julie and Sheelagh the owners made sure was available when we arrived. We used the white and blue tiled "winter" bedroom, as the toilet in the shower room was slightly easier to transfer onto than the other 3 bathrooms. My only criticism as a wheelchair user is that the drop down handrails adjacent to each toilet are really on the wrong side, architects never get this right! The wall fixed handrails were also a little far away to be useful for transferring. However, in the blue tiled bathroom it is possible to position the wheelchair at right angles to the front of the toilet and use the handrail to help transfer. Anyone used to transferring themselves would not really have any difficulty. There were also wall fixed handrails in the shower area, ideal for those who need added support when standing.
The pool area is also fantastic, with 8 metal framed sunbeds, which for a wheelchair user are far better than the plastic ones normally provided. They are at normal height, but the armrests provide good support when transferring. The pool is a good size, although the depth is slightly less than normal at the deep end, about 4ft, which Julie explained was a requirement to obtain the necessary permit. The pool also has an electric hoist, which I did use a number of times to get out of the pool (mainly to try it out!). I didn't venture into the pool using the hoist, I'm not one for slow torture being lowered into cold water an inch at a time, even though I can only feel from the chest upwards! The water was quite cold when we first arrived, but by the second week had noticeably got warmer. The view from the pool was again stunning. There is also a sun screened area by the pool, which we found really pleasant when we found the sun was getting too hot for us. The temperature got up to 38 degrees the last few days we were there.
The first couple of weeks we were joined by my two daughters, their partners and our three grandchildren. When booking, you must accept that the location really is rural Spain. Locally it is ideal for walking, cycling and if you enjoy architecture, visiting the local towns. Unfortunately most are built on hills, so wheelchair access is quite challenging. The views of the lake are fantastic from the approach roads, but whilst we were there the water level was high and covered the beach. Also it was quite quiet, I suspect many of the activities at the lake are planned during July and August. It takes just over an hour to drive down to the beaches at Malaga and Torremolinos even using the motorways. We found the 46-M toll motorway the best and didn't mind the €4.90 fee at weekends (cheaper midweek), reduced to €1.50 on the return trip if done on the same day. We enjoy strolling along the beach fronts and the promenades are ideal for this for a wheelchair user. All beaches have wheelchair access and timber wheelchair paths onto the beach. Weekends at the beaches were really busy and near impossible to find parking spaces unless you arrived really early. Midweek is the best time to go, much quieter and parking less of a problem. Our preferred beach was at Torre Del Mar near Velez-Malaga, which takes slightly longer to drive to via the A341. The drive is stunning with a variety of different scenery, a welcome relief from olive trees! We also enjoyed the drives around the Parque Natural Sierras Subbeticas to the north of the villa and The Torcal, near Antequera, an unbelievable area of natural beauty. One of my daughters and her partner went on one of the longer walks at The Torcal and said it was really enjoyable, they came across numerous Iberian Ibex and saw the Griffon vultures flying. My other daughter's family visited the Wolf Park, also near Antequera and the Crocodile Park in Torremolinos, the children loved both. They also went to Aqualand Water Park for a day and had a fantastic time.
Our visit to Alhambra Palace was also an unbelievable experience, although also a bit of a disappointment. My daughter and partner took her children during the day and had a really great time walking through the gardens and visiting the palace. My other daughter and partner decided to go for the night visit and also bought us tickets. We arrived a couple of hours early so we could take our time waking through the gardens, only to find that we were denied access until the time shown on the evening ticket. There was really nothing to do or see outside of the Palace grounds, so to kill time we went to a local hotel for a meal, which wasn't very good and quite expensive. When we arrived at the entrance just before the time on the ticket, we were told the ticket was only to visit the Palace itself and the gardens were closed. The night time entrance was down a hill closer to the Palace, a walk of about a quarter of a mile or more. The staff at the Alhambra were excellent and provided ramps allowing me to see most of the areas visitors can access. There were a couple of detours, but we were able to see most of the rooms, which were unbelievable and the lighting at night was fantastic. The tickets are cheaper for the night session, but they do not explain the visit excludes the garden areas. We would have liked to return in the day to see the gardens, but decided against a return trip. Whilst visiting the Alhambra, it is worth making a day of it and driving up to the Sierra Nevada mountains beforehand. We did a fleeting trip up to the skiing resort, which was closed off, but the views are wonderful and if you enjoy walking there are hundreds of trails.
A special thanks to Julie and Sheelagh, who visited regularly to ensure everything was perfect for us at the villa. Everything was provided, even plenty of beach towels for the pool area. We would recommend Casa Brazos Abiertos to anyone wanting a quiet, peaceful and unforgettable holiday in a rural setting.
Steve and Barbara
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