In my line of work, it’s easy to become desensitised to luxury houses; modern homes may be architecturally impressive, but they can lose the 'soul' of Spain. What Casa Zaraida lacks in conventional luxury, it more than makes up for in character and charm. From the open-air Andalucian courtyard, to the original Ronda doors, stone floors and beamed ceilings, the house feels deeply rooted in its setting. And then there’s the cave room carved into the ancient city walls - I’ve seen a lot of beautiful homes over the years but never anything quite like that!
Casa Zaraida is a house full of stories and the owner is passionate about the history of the town and its people; She told us of an old, blind woman who had lived in the house as a child and later returned, running her hands along the walls and smiling as memories came back to her; We heard how noblemen once walked the cobbled streets outside, how donkeys were housed in what is now the dining room, and how three families once lived together here, gathering in the courtyard to cook and swap stories at the end of the day.
Casa Zaraida holds all of this history within its walls, and it's precisely this which makes it such a unique place to stay.
