Review: Alcuzcuz

An antidote to the hectic and brash flashiness of nearby Marbella, this 19th-century, red-ochre hillside farmhouse close to the Serranía de Ronda is special indeed. It has belonged to the aristocratic Parladé family for six generations, the most recent inhabitants being the interior designer Jaime Parladé and his wife Janetta, a watercolor artist from the U.K. A dreamy combination of his extravagant collectibles and her touches of elegance have resulted in the kind of tasteful, layered styling that can’t be faked—tapestries as wall hangings, eclectic paintings, ancient suzani textiles. The finca is now a boutique hotel, run by Parladé’s nephew, Andrés, where pan con tomate, jamón Ibérico, and freshly squeezed orange juice are served at breakfast on a traditional terracotta-tiled terrace, thick overhanging wisteria vines shading the tables and framing views of the Costa del Sol in the distance. A hidden, green-hued saltwater swimming pool surrounded by carob and olive trees overlooks the landscape that inspired Hemingway and Rilke during their stay in Ronda. The library has shelves stacked with well-thumbed novels and art books whose spines have started to crack. Before Moroccan-influenced Mediterranean meals at the next-door Alcuzcuz Gallery restaurant, guests can browse its gorgeous antique shop for custom wicker trunks, dhurries made in India, and jewel-colored lamps, all designed by Parladé. The six bedrooms in the main finca are equally striking, but the one that was formerly a chapel, La Capilla, with its domed ceiling and Moorish aesthetic, is particularly pretty. This is a place where interior designers vacation, scribbling and snapping away—just check out the guest book. Doubles from about $234; alcuzcuz.es