El Cancho, Tarifa, Andalucia

Two wonderfully secluded beach houses (each sleeps 2-6) on a hillside in a Natural Park, with views across the straits to Morocco

Just 3km north of Tarifa, and a short stroll from the windswept beaches of the Atlantic, lies El Cancho – 2 contemporary pre-fab beach houses, staggered down a grassy hillside and surrounded by rocky outcrops and pine forest.

The larger was originally designed for Milan’s Salon del Mobile (1998) by Swedish architect Thomas Sandell and Wallpaper*, and is a feat in compact living, although it sleeps 4-6 people.

The smaller house – a wooden box-like build with glass front and wide decked terrace – sleeps 2-4. The simple, open-plan settings suit young couples looking for a romantic hideaway, or groups of kitesurfing friends, thanks to the strong winds the area is famous for.

While the houses may be new builds, this is a real back-to-nature experience: you occasionally get woken by the snuffling of naughty pigs beneath the floorboards of the raised house, or by the enchanting jingle of goat’s bells as the herd passes by on their daily grazing circuit.

Fresh drinking water comes straight from the springs and the setting is beautifully isolated. El Cancho in Tarifa consists of two secluded, self-catering beach houses, costing from €120 per night.

To book boutique hotels in the Costa de la Luz of Andalucia and to read i-escape's full hotel review, click here