Rural Hotel
Rooms
El Geco Verde
ROOMS at El Geco Verde are stylish and spacious, and all have private bathrooms. Each of the nine rooms available have double beds, plus space for at least one (and in most cases two or three) additional single beds. Five of our rooms are accessed via a first-floor veranda offering splendid views.
Two of the largest rooms on the first floor share a private exterior door and a TV room on the ground floor. Two families travelling together (or a small group of friends) might consider booking these two rooms together (max capacity 10 people) for extra space and privacy. We also offer a spacious room on the ground floor which is accessed via a shallow ramp and has a bathroom specially adapted for people with reduced mobility. We strive to allocate the most suitable rooms, so please provide any information you think we may need, such as relevant disabilities or the ages of any children.
Feel free to suggest a room preference, but please note that room assignments are ultimately determined by the size of each family, arrival/departure dates and the time of year. Thanks for your understanding!
Prices
In the months between November and March we work exclusively with large groups and do not rent rooms individually, while in July and August nos concentramos en paquetes de actividades de media pensión.
in April /May/ June and September/October we operate on a more conventional hotel basis, primarily offering bed and breakfast accommodation, but always with the possibility of booking dinner in advance.
In all eventualities, we pride ourselves on helping our guests to get the kind of holiday they are looking for, putting at their disposal the wealth of knowledge we have built up about our area since first opening our doors in 2010.
Bed and Breakfast Accommodation
April /May/ June and September/October
2 people sharing: €72/night
3 people sharing: €92/night
4 people sharing: €112/night
5 people sharing: €132/night
Breakfast consists of: hot drink (tea, coffee, hot chocolate) glass of juice, selection of cereals, toast with butter, jam, tomato olive oil, local honey…
Dinning: Fixed menu 3-course home-made meal; starter, main, dessert: €20pp. Drinks not included. It is necessary to make dinner reservations in the morning, making sure any special dietary requirements are flagged up in advance.
Rural Hotel
El Geco Verde
This small, family-run rural hotel is the perfect base for adventures in the sensational Altiplano de Granada where you can explore inspiring mountain trails, access unique and exciting activities or simply rest, enjoying the peaceful surroundings and stunning views.
The personalised service we offer is geared towards making your stay as comfortable as possible while ensuring you get the best of this wonderful undiscovered region.
Restaurant
For the exclusive use of staying guests. Our simple restaurant offers the opportunity to dine on-site for those guests who do not want to go out at night.
here at El Geco Verde provides a counterpoint to the Spanish cuisine available locally.
Being Italian, Ilaria often prepares classic Italian dishes such as lasagne and panna cotta. She also incorporates Moroccan and middle eastern influences into many dishes, spicy chickpeas and yoghurt sauces, for example. That said, we still find room for Spanish favourites such as tortilla and gazpacho!
Desserts are always eagerly awaited; our most popular puddings include orange and chocolate natillas (a popular Spanish custard-style dessert), pancakes and crostata (a kind of jam tart which originally hails from northern Italy, the birthplace of Ilaria´s grandmother). Our free-range chickens weigh in with a dozen eggs a day, so we also have plenty of ammunition for baking delicacies such as banana cake.
Wonderful weekly markets in nearby Castril and Pozo Alcon supply us with fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, and we are sometimes gifted produce from the “huertas” (allotments) of friends in the Castril area.
What are you in the mood for today?
- Vegetarian options: Spain can be tricky for vegetarians. For this reason, we will always prepare a vegetarian or vegan alternative for our diners on request. However, we do require advance notice for this, or for any other special dietary requirements you may have.
- Lunch: We do not provide lunches.
- Dinner: Every morning we decide on a three-course menu for our evening meal, factoring in the availability of fresh ingredients. At breakfast we ask any guests who are not already signed up for half board to let us know if they would like to dine with us in the evening and at what time. This is a very efficient system which enables us to reduce food waste and keep prices competitive. A three-course meal here at El Geco Verde costs €20.00 a head. For a sample selection of menu items click here
Dining Out: There are some wonderful bars and restaurants in our region, and we like to recommend places we know will fit nicely with your itinerary during your stay. In the summer the hotel restaurant closes one night a week, so this is the ideal opportunity for our guests to sample the local gastronomy. As a general rule food is great value and portions are generous, so try to resist over-ordering. If Spanish/Andalucian cuisine is what interests you most, there is no shortage of great places to dine. Many have charming or scenic locations and offer traditional dishes of the region, such as Cordero Segureño (mountain-reared lamb) or Potaje de La Semana Santa (an Easter-time feast of fish dumplings in broth). We are happy to make recommendations and we´ll phone ahead to make reservations for you it helps. NB: We don´t receive any kind of commission or “kick-backs” from bar and restaurant owners; we simply recommend places we like or that hotel guests have recently recommended. We like to stay up to date, so please don´t hesitate to tell us about your experiences!
Starters
Mixed salad
Rich salad (ham, cheese, lettuce, blue cheese, nuts)
Moorish Fingers (puff pastry filled with chicken, sprinkled with sugar)
Dish of local cold meats and cheeses
Spicy carrots and organic red split lentils soup
Spicy parsnip soup
Caprese (tomatoes, mozzarella and basil)
Hummus and raw vegetable dippers (carrot, cucumber, celery)
Spanish tortilla with olives
Courgette omelette
Courgette flowers stuffed with goat cheese
Spinach and pumpkin pie
Gazpacho (cold tomato and cucumber soup)
Bruschetta
Courgette soup
Ham and Melon
Suppli (Italian riceballs stuffed with mozzarella)
Russian salad (potatoes, carrots, peas and mayonnaise)
Pipirrana, A succulent salad of tomato salad sweet onions, cucumbers, green peppers
Queso con membrillo
Mains
Grilled aubergines with spicy chickpeas and Yoghurt sauce
Vegetable pasta bake
Aubergine lasagne
Ham and cheese crepes
Pasta with fresh tomatoes
Rice salad
Cous cous with pisto (Spanish version of a ratatouille) and chicken
Home-made burgers (beef and apple)
Curry chicken and apple soup
Egg tagliatelle with creamy prawn sauce or
sundried tomatoes sauce
Hake with fresh tomatoes and capers
Hake baked in milk on a med of potatoes and tomatoes
Desserts
Natilla (cream custard)
Arroz con leche (cold cinnamon milk and rice pudding)
Bizcocho de yogurt con curd de limon
Crepes
Ensalada de frutas
Cheesecake
Crumble de manzana
Banana bread
Carrot cake
Crostata
Panna cotta
Peaches in wine
Bizcocho de naranja
Tarta 3 chocolates
Banoffee pie
Conócenos
The owners of El Geco Verde are Ilaria and Des, who met while working in London in the late 1990s.
Born in Rome and brought up in Liguria, Ilaria couldn´t get on with the dismal English weather, so with a little one in tow, the couple upped-sticks and moved to Spain in 2006, to concentrate on developing the old run-down farmhouse they´d bought two years earlier.
Spain´s notoriously beaurocratic planning system meant permissions took ages to acquire, but building finally started in earnest in 2008. The hotel opened its doors for the first time in 2010.
To boost tourism in this relatively unknown area, the couple sought out unique and exciting experiences like Guided Stargazing, and Farm Visits to supplement the many simple pleasures of the region, such as the magnificent walking, amazing views and traditional gastronomy.
The hotel now promotes a wide range of activities and has expanded in size from six rooms to nine, without sacrificing its trademark warm and informal atmosphere. El Geco Verde is a family-run business with strong ties to the local community.
Local comunity
Des and Ila´s sons, Ludo and Fede, grew up on site, went to school in Castril, and continue to help out at the hotel during university holidays, sous cheffing and waiting on tables, amongst other things. The family-friendly ethos, home cooking, personalised and multi-lingual assistance are just a few of the things which guests highlight in their reviews.
From the moment Des and Ila set eyes on the old farmhouse in 2004, marvelling at the panoramic views and sense of serenity, they knew this was a special place to be. Building the hotel has enabled them to share this sensation with many guests over the years, and they hope to welcome many more in the years to come. With a bit of luck, you´ll be among them!
Contact: elgecoverde@hotmail.com (0034) 647136120 (Ilaria)
