Previously, the area around Ojén was a prosperous wine region, but at the end of the nineteenth century, that came to an end. Nowadays, in nearby Monda, there are two enthusiastic Dutch people who restarted that business. Now that the bodega is ready, they can receive guests for a tour and for tasting at the vineyard.
La Posada del Ángel has been awarded by our clients at Venere.com as one of the most welcoming and clean accomodations of 2013. We have been selected from a range of 135,000 establishments based on the opinion of all of the clients around the world. And for that reason, it is a pleasure for us to post this two awards in our website as a way to say thank you to all of you who have voted for us!
Saturday December 14th. We can sleep as long as we want: coffee and leftovers of “Sinterklaas” biscuits in bed . With the four of us watching the repeat of ‘Christmas with Linus’ on the traditional television.
This has not happened in months . Always one of us had to get up to start preparations for the breakfast for our guests, but today we have no guests. For the first time in months
The next few days a single room will be occupied and then, from the 19th, we close until the 23rd January. Although there have been requests for rooms during Christmas and on New Year’s Eve, we have chosen to go with the boys on a two-weeks journey.
Weekend in Malaga
The constructor will use the closing weeks to make a few adjustments to the pool for us to obtaining a license. And we can also do whatever maintenance is needed. There will also be time to look for new markets, for which we have received many tips in the course of the year from our guests. And we continue our searching for extensions of fun activities and we will regularly post them on Facebook (La Posada del Angel) and on the website .
It’s nice to leave on vacation after a super hectic year, where the sales had a growth of 400% . Business began in the Semana Santa, the Holy Week before Easter, and after that it hasn’t actually been quiet. And from mid-July to mid-September, night after night “full house”. We thought it would be quiet after the Autumn, but luckily it was a miscalculation. In November we also had a very busy month, with a lot of days where all rooms were occupied.
The guests came as usual from all over the world. This year more guests from the Netherlands through contacts with the Dutch tour operator “Eliza was here”. These were also the guests who stayed often for a week or more. A great way of getting to know people a little bit better.
With the help of Juan, our permanent employee, and the internship ladies Chrissie, Shivane and Alicia during the summer months, we managed well.
Siebe’s birthday. Searching treasures.
The boys have become quite established in Ojén . They have their friends, their occupations, and by now, they speak Spanish fluently, of course. Siebe is interested in everything, except his homework. And that is exactly what he gets every day in large amounts, but with a “tight ” guidance we help him through it. And with success: the results at school are fine . In between, we also try to keep up with Dutch and especially with the reading.
Jochem found that the school in Ojen wasn’t challenging anymore, therefore, in November he started at the Language School of the English International College in Elviria. We hope that somewhere in March he will have the right level of English to move to the normal school. He’s really enjoying it but is completely worn out at the weekend . After all it’s not easy, within two years: again a new school, again making new friends and again in a new language.
We will use the holiday to determine how we will go on in the next year and in the near future. The bookings for 2014, both for La Posada del Ángel and for the Finca, are already quite good. It promises to be another fantastic busy year.
But with the staff we have we cannot do everything we want. For example to use our beautiful new kitchen, which were intended to be used to cook for our guests several days a week.
Furthermore, we have so many plans: to make more organized excursions for our guests, to do weeks with special themes, to develop an Andalusia trip with our Posada as start and finish point and to build up more local contacts to organize activities. We would also like to be an intermediary for the guests who are looking for Spanish property, to explore Spain itself much more, to bring down our golf handicaps and, from time to time, to have a day off…
Made at school by Siebe
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Semana Santa is the week before Easter. In Spain it is also called Holy Week. In many Spanish towns there are processions during the week. A week with incense, ringing bells, often melancholic music and passion. Semana Santa will leave a deep impression when you’ve once experienced.
Ojén has its own program, with small processions. This begins on Domingo de Ramos (March 24) with a holy mass. On Thursday (Jueves Santo), there is a procession at 19.30. On Friday (Viernes Santo) at 12.00 the ‘Via Crucis’ starts, with a procession at 20.00. On Sunday, the week ends with the ‘Misa de Resurreccion’ at 13.00 followed by the procession at 13.30. After the processions it is cozy at the square and in the cafes.
In Marbella, the program is much more extensive. It is wonderful to see how the thrones are maneuvered through the narrow streets. For the program of Semana Santa in Marbella, click on the link.
In Malaga, as well as in Seville during Semana Santa, processions are many and especially large. There are various processions during the year in Malaga but the holy week is the most impressive week in Malaga you can experience. It is almost impossible to imagine how intense the Malagueños undergo this experience
This processions are commemorating the suffering of Jesus. Each procession is formed by members of a fraternity. They carry a “Trono” through the streets of Malaga with an image of Jesus or Mária (La Virgen). The program of Semana Santa in Malaga.
The new swimming pool for hotel guests, warm water in winter, cool in summer.
Once the patio furniture has arrived, we can further organize the terraces. The final step is the completion of the new outdoor kitchen and bar.