Rural B&B farmhouse in Lubrin, Spain

Planet

One of the challenges we have enjoyed the most about starting a new business is minimising the environmental impact it and our home had upon the area where we are based. The work we carried out to restore our ‘cortijo’ was done sympathetically, using local materials and tradesmen where possible. We have re-used and recycled materials and had fun doing so, with many quirky reuses of old items such as a donkey plough turned into a light fitting, which has all resulted in unique, creative but beautiful accommodation.

We also recycle as much of our waste as possible, and actively help guests to do so too. We have recycling bins on site, which we then take it to the local recycling points to sort.

We have installed a solar system for the hot water and heating, which is also connected to a wood burning stove to allow for use even on cloudy days. All the dirty water from the house goes into a treatment plant and is then re-used to water the olive trees. Guests are also encouraged to reduce their water usage. All toilets have a short flush and most rooms only have a shower.

The food we serve our guests, is locally sourced wherever possible. Lubrin has a wealth of food producers who are ‘famed’ for the quality of their produce, something that the local town hall is passionate about promoting and we are only to help with. Our own olives are taken each year, to the ‘Almazara’ (olive press) to be turned into the most delicious oil.

We are committed to trying to reduce the carbon emissions at Cortijo Grande. We are looking to reduce the amount of meat that is served to our guests. Many of our retreats are vegan or vegetarian based and our breakfasts are always made up from food sourced as local as possible, and you can't get much more local than orange juice made from oranges picked from our own trees.

We provide reusable shopping bags for our guests and point them in the direction of the local market and food producers.
We also continually increase the volume of trees by planting new each year.

People

We have chosen this area as our family home, and therefore we care passionately about preserving all that we love about it, so we try to ensure that the work we do here impacts only positively upon the local community. The promotion of tourism is a high priority for the local town hall, and indeed Andalusia as a whole, to bring visitors and money into the local economy. As an established and fully licensed ‘Casa Rural’, we help to achieve this, promoting the village and area and attracting extra visitors, who use the local shops, bars and restaurants. Lubrin is not a busy tourist destination, so has retained its traditional feel, so visitors can enjoy a taste of real Spanish life. By sharing our knowledge of local traditions, our guests are able to enjoy being part of this community for the duration of their stay. A highlight is to be here during one of the fiestas, as the whole village comes out to party.

As a family we are very much involved in local life, our two boys attend the local school and take part in many village activities and sports and we are always involved with the fiestas and charity events. In fact Gary, my husband, has just completed a charity cycle ride from the UK to Lubrin to raise money to create a garden space within a local hospital. We love this part of the world and look forward to sharing what it has to offer with our visitors.