Casa Santa Mónica. Designer beach house, 500m to sea

This recently refurbished Roche beach house is not your ordinary Andalusian rental home. It is, as the name suggests, something you would perhaps be more likely to find on the west coast of the US. Weathered wood, lots of pale blues, modern clean-lined kitchen, generous spaces, and the sound of surf; yet all this nestled into the pines on the Costa-de-la-Luz, with chiringuitos on the beach, the fish market and tapas bars of Conil-de-la-Frontera just a 15-minute drive away, and Cadiz, Jerez, Tarifa, and Seville all within easy reach.

The minimalist entrance gives little inkling of the warmth and homely feel you will find in the house. Enter through the front door and you come straight into the incredibly spacious open-plan living area with its high ceilings and full-length windows. It is one big space, all the way from the bedroom wing on the left through to the sitting room and kitchen/dining area on the right. At the far end of the latter, large sliding glass doors open on to a deep covered terrace and the pool beyond.

Before buying this house, the owners had rented on umpteen occasions, making note of all the do’s and don’ts of rentals properties; and they have put their research to good use! The kitchen has everything you will need for cooking up the local produce; the bathrooms are large, bright, and tastefully finished; the beds are comfortable; the barbecue is top-of-the-range; and there is underfloor heating throughout the house. What is more, there is room for everyone to have their own space, whether it be in the sitting room, on the covered terrace, on a lounger by the pool, or even in the equally spacious bedrooms.

Built on a single floor, Casa Santa Monica’s bedrooms are all up one end. There are four large bedrooms (two doubles, one twin, and a kid’s room with two bunk beds), each with their own bathroom (3 en suite), and all have direct access to the garden through sliding glass doors. All the bathrooms have large modern walk-in showers.

The location, tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac in the northwest corner of the Roche estate, means that at night you will hear owls, nightingales, and the waves, but not much else! A walk of about 500m will take us to the local shop, pharmacy, a couple of bars and restaurants, and childrens’ playground. Roche also has its own tennis and padel courts and five-a-side football pitches. In the summer months, there are several beach bars/restaurants to choose from within walking distance, some of which are now staying open all year. A 5-minute drive will then provide you with a far larger selection of both bars and restaurants. The area offers an endless list of activities and if you book with us, we provide you with detailed information on all our recommendations, details on local amenities, and our up-to-date guide to the best of everything! You could spend a wonderful holiday here without a car, and just hire bikes; but, assuming you will have a car, it’s 15 minutes to Conil, 20 minutes to the hill-top village of Vejer-de-la-Frontera, 30 minutes to Cadiz, 40 minutes to Tarifa and Jerez, and 90 minutes to Seville, all of which are well worth visiting.