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Small is beautiful: 20 delightful guest houses we love to share
Picos de Europa, Spain. Views of high mountains unfolding from the terrace; the sound of cowbells echoing around the valleys; pink geraniums spilling over dark wooden balconies. Rural inns don't get much more idyllic. Stay in a few gems on a walk across the Picos de Europa.
Catalonia, Spain. Inside, Albert and Christine’s old 'mas' farmhouse is full of their quirky character. Outside, the garden is a wonderful place to rest up with a drink and listen to the birds singing and the waterfall rushing. Visit on a driving vacation or on a walk from Girona to the Costa Brava.
Ebro Valley, Castile. Valvanera and Javier's converted watermill on the edge of a medieval stone town takes everything great about a rural B&B and adds an extra 'B'. Bed, breakfast... and birds. Spend a day birdwatching in the canyon as part of a walking vacation along the Ebro River.
Andalucía, Spain. It might be run by Brits Tim and Claire, but everything about this idyllic guest house is rooted in Andalucía, from the food to the wine to the sea of centuries-old olive trees which surround it. Visit on a road trip or on a relaxed hiking vacation from Córdoba to Granada.
Andalucía, Spain. Run by direct descendants of William Wordsworth, the setting for this delightful guest house would bring out the poet in any of us, tucked away as it is in the rolling forests near the Portuguese border. Visit on a road journey or on a walk through the hills of Aracena.
Alentejo, Portugal. With warm sea breezes, a picture-perfect pool and tempting cocktails and gins chalked up on the board, Angela and Luis' farmhouse is the ideal place to relax after a day exploring the Costa Vicentina. Visit on a drive from Porto to Lisbon, or on a walk across Alentejo.
Minho, Portugal. Sistelo's great terraces might look more Asian than Iberian, but the vines, the people and beautiful granite farmhouses like this one firmly root them in Portugal. Wake up to breakfast delivered fresh to your front door. Stay here on a scenic walk in northern Portugal.
Atacama, Chile. Built for the filming of Los 33 - the story of Chile's rescued miners from the nearby San José mine, this beautiful 7-room guest house sits at the foot of the extraordinary Sea of Dunes. Visit on an off the beaten track journey to Atacama and Patagonia.
Patagonia, Chile. Beautiful scenery, delicious local food and the warmest welcome you could hope for - Stefan and Carolina's lakeside cabins are typical of the hospitality you find in remotest Patagonia. Experience it all as you drive down the Carretera Austral.
Patagonia, Argentina. Over the border, this 100-year-old estancia is the perfect base from which to visit the famous Perito Moreno Glacier out of peak hours and truly soak up the rhythms of rural Patagonia life. Visit on a guided journey across Argentine Patagonia.
Iberá, Argentina. Nestled in the wetlands, this characterful inn is run by Rewilding Argentina - the team responsible for the recent reintroduction of jaguars and red-and-green macaws to Iberá. Stay here as part of a specialist Argentina wildlife vacation.
Sacred Valley, Peru. Tucked away in a sweet little village on the slow road to Cusco, this gorgeous old colonial manor house was formerly the home of Cusco's Treasurer of the Mint. Stay for a few days as part of a trip combining Machu Picchu and the Amazon.
Colca Canyon, Peru. With a pisco sour in hand, gorgerous views off to the mountains and natural hot springs bubbling away, this lodge is the perfect place to relax after a day exploring the wide and wonderful canyon. Visit as part of our ultimate Peru vacation.
Amazon, Ecuador. 100% owned by the Kichwa community, this small lodge is a lakeside wildlife haven. Giant otters live in the lake, oropendala birds build nests in one tree, a sloth often sleeps in another. Visit on a wildlife trip to Ecuador and the Galápagos.
Mindo, Ecuador. No need for plastic bird feeders at Mariela and Tom's wonderfully relaxed cloud forest ecolodge - the fig trees attract dozen of hummingbirds just metres from the open terrace. A true gem that you can visit on an Ecuador wildlife vacation.
Chapada Diamantina, Brazil. Amid the sweeping savannas and ancient tabletop mountains are some of the continent's most isolated homesteads. Even so, their owners welcome you with open arms, bountiful food and cold beer on a multi-day hike in Bahia.
Amazon, Brazil. Hundreds of miles away from the ever-brighter city lights of Manaus, this brilliant ecolodge in a vast private reserve is where you want to experience Brazil's Amazon Rainforest. You can do just that on our Brazil wildlife tour.
Ostional, Costa Rica. There are few better places we know to watch the sun go down with a drink from your terrace and then fall asleep to the sound of gentle waves than Andreas and Rolf's elevated ecolodge. Stay here as part of our ultimate Costa Rica vacation.
Pacific coast, Costa Rica. Pablo's ultra-eco friendly lodge has helped restore the forests of an important wildlife corridor and sustain a rare Scarlet macaw stronghold. As a bonus, it also has its own cacao plantation. Visit on ourultimate Costa Rica vacation.
Northern highlands, Nicaragua. You get a lovely place to stay in the bird-rich cloud forests. Young students are empowered to build a better future for themselves through employment. Everyone wins. Stay here on a lovely vacation through Nicaragua's natural treasures.
