The Olive Branch El Chorro

My second visit here after a wonderful trip in the spring just before covid. We stayed over Xmas and Newyear in the bunkhouse. Most of the staff - who are largely volunteers i believe we're very friendly. Having stayed before I don't expect the world regarding service but upon our arrival we were left wandering between the communal area and the kitchen looking for whoever was supposed to be manning the reception. Having finally getting the attention of the young chap who was i assume the "receptionist" we were quickly shown to our room and told that our beds hadn't been chamber from the last guests yet but that we were free to situated ourselves as we saw fit. After a wander up for a few pitches of climbing above the Olive branch we returned to our room where the same receptionist caught us and told us that he'd placed the clean bedding on the beds but hadn't had chance to change it yet.... The other guests in the bunkhouse told us the previous occupants of our bunk had been ill before they left so you'd think that the staff would've changed the bedding as a priority. But no. After having some food and realising no one was coming to service the bunks we changed the bedding ourselves and put the old bedding in the corner by the bunk - where it stayed for our full 10 day trip... On my first trip to Olive branch i had been impressed with the portion sizes and the amount of vegetables that came with every meal we ate on site. I have to say the potions have shrunk enormously since then and we were hard pressed to find anything beyond meat and carbs on our plates for any of our meals this time. I will say that all of the meals were well cooked and tasty though. While we were blessed with some sunshine days it was very cold on a night as to be expected in winter. Our room was furnished with a heater for this which was a godsend. However the bunkhouse kitchen/lounge was heated by a wood burner and we struggled to source kindling for it onsite - until Mel the owner asked us why it wasn't being used . She immediately sorted us out with firelighters and coals to get the fire going which was a godsend on the day that a storm blew through. We kept the fire going through the following days and it was lovely to sit beside and read a book as it rained. However the fire stopped working correctly after a few days - despite my cleaning it out etc ( I have a woodburned myself so I know what im doing ) wood would only smoulder and smoke would blow back into the room. We tried to report this to one of the volunteers. A lady with thick framed glasses who appeared slightly older than the other volunteers response was " if it's smoking don't put wood on it" "don't use it then" . Hang on. We were actively encouraged by Mel the owner to use the wood burner... and why wouldn't we put wood on a wood burner? We wanted it fixing not to be made to feel like we'd done something wrong. Alas we left the next day so we grinned and bared it in the cold. In general the vibe was as lovely as my first stay but these few incidents did put a downer on the trip. Those incidents of poor service refect my low rating of it and the consequence of that service meant that the accommodation wasn't scored as good as it should have been. Shame.

We are a couple in our mid 50s. We have been to El Chorro five times in the last 12 years for climbing, both as a couple, and with our children. This place never disappoints, the vibe, the food, the view, the climbing, the new friends we meet, the facilities! Mel and Gary run a great ship and the volunteers are lovely. What a great place!

What an absolute joy to host my Pilates Retreat at The Olive Branch for the second year running – and once again, it was a complete triumph! Mel and Gary have created such a warm, welcoming, and homely haven that both myself and my clients instantly feel at ease. The atmosphere, the hospitality, and the charm of the place keep everyone coming back – in fact, many of my guests have already booked for next year before this one even ended! It’s become a yearly highlight that I wouldn’t miss for the world. The beautiful rooms, thoughtful décor, and excellent facilities make for the perfect retreat setting. Plus, the location is unbeatable – just a stone’s throw from incredible sites, with the breathtaking Caminito del Rey right on the doorstep. I’ll be returning year after year, and I can’t recommend it highly enough!