Hostal El Pozo

Five rooms in the family home

El Pozo is a very small hostal at Calle Arrabal 7, in the old Arrabal quarter, just behind Plaza de la Baronía, which is the centre of Chulilla. It is run by Violeta and Carlos, the second generation of the family, who came back to the village to carry on the business. It is open all year. There is no lounge or communal area: it is five rooms and, downstairs, the restaurant.

Each room is decorated in its own way, with new furniture and pieces restored from the old house, and all have a private bathroom, wifi, television and air conditioning. Three doubles face outwards, with views of the village and the castle, a 180 cm bed or two beds, and room for an extra bed. The fourth double is on the inside, with no views, and a 150 cm bed. The family room, for three or four, has an inner terrace and double or single beds.

What a night costs

Rates include breakfast. The outward-facing double costs €68 (€50 for single use, €93 with an extra bed), the inside one €63 (€45 for one person) and the family room €98 for three and €118 for four. With half board, the outward-facing double goes up to €111, the inside one to €101 and the family room to €155 or €175. The half-board dinner is a menu of two starters, a main and a dessert, without drinks.

Children under 6 sleep free in the existing beds; their breakfast, if you want it, costs €5. The extra bed is €20. Pets are not allowed.

Bowl breakfast and a village sweet

Breakfast is homemade: milky coffee in a big bowl (or herbal tea, Cola Cao or juice), toast, pastries, a typical Chulilla sweet or the house sponge cake, tomato, cold cuts and orange marmalade they make themselves. During the week the restaurant is closed to the public, but they cook dinners for guests who book half board in advance; they close two nights a week, which change according to bookings. At weekends and public holidays the El Pozo restaurant opens to everyone, so book a table even if you are sleeping upstairs.

Getting here, checking in and out

Don't take the car into the hostal's street: it is narrow and a dead end. Leave the car in one of the car parks at the entrance or exit of the village and walk down the steps beside the town hall. Check-in is from 13:00 to 20:00; if you arrive later, let them know or they will treat the booking as lost. Check-out is until 12:00, and for €15 you can keep the room until 18:00 if available, handy if you come back from a walk and want a shower.

You can book by phone, email or the form on their website. They ask for 25% in advance (50% on bank holiday weekends, Easter and Christmas) and refund it if you cancel up to seven days before. You can pay by card, but bring cash for the rest of the village: there is no bank or cash machine, and the nearest is 12 km away.

From the door, the Pantaneros route and its suspension bridges start a few minutes away on foot, and the castle takes less than an hour up and back.