Finca Las Encinas

This was a wonderful mini break, cooking in the kitchen with Chef Clive and enjoying staying in a traditional farmhouse in the mountains above Córdoba. Great location, charming hosts and beautiful food!

We booked a four-day long weekend combined with a fish cooking class in Finca Las Encinas. Maki and Clive were wonderful hosts making our stay a really relaxing and enjoyable experience. The quiet and rural environment added to this. The cooking class was an absolute highlight and we were amazed by how easy it is to prepare a fantastic Spanish dish. Thanks a lot and see you soon!

We stayed last October when we were needing a break. This is an ideal spot. Comfortable without complication and delightfully relaxed. We lay back and enjoyed the food which is hard to beat anywhere around and the calm atmosphere. Clive mapped out a great walk for us through the olive groves that was brilliant and full of archaeological surprises. Great base from which to explore Andalusia. We had history and horse riding, swimming and sightseeing through the local villages and towns. Proper lovely. Highly Recommended by both of us.

The hosts Maki and Clive were very welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable about the local area. Our room was immaculate, spacious, cool and tastefully rustic, during the couple of days with bad weather the underfloor heating was fab, and when it was hot there was plenty of space around the pool with comfortable beds. The views from the pool and patio where meals were served are stunning. What makes this place special is the food, absolutely faultless, Clive is an excellent chef, mealtimes are a real joy. The area is very rural and quiet, there are some pretty rural towns nearby, I think a car is essential to explore this area.

My friend and I had a great time with Clive and Maki. The Finca was gorgeous and it was delightful to learn to cook Spanish cuisine using produce from the gardens! It was unseasonably cold and rainy for early May so we weren't able to use the pool but we did explore the surrounding towns (Priego de Cordoba was a highlight) and Clive gave us a tour of the farm on our last morning. Both Clive and Maki were incredibly friendly and made us feel very welcome. Highly suggested.

It truly felt like mum and I had lived with a family for a week. Clive and Maki were so accessible for advice, for stories, recommendations and just sharing their day with us. We tended to head off after breakfast (I think I was early to bed so I could wake up for this!) after taking direction and then return for a late afternoon laze in the hammock by the pool with a book and beverage. Location is removed from all you go on holiday to escape. Instead, star gazing, sunrises, sunsets, peace, tranquility, community abound.

I stayed at Finca Las Encinas at the end of March as part of a horse-riding holiday - I was a solo traveller and I couldn't have asked for a warmer welcome and happier stay. The hosts, Clive and Maki and their son are so relaxed, friendly and keen to see guests enjoy their time. For me, it felt like a home from home. The food is exceptional - like visiting a fantastic restaurant each night. Clive is clearly a master chef and the two guests doing the cookery class were rightly proud of their creations! Dinners were a very jolly and celebratory affair and I was very touched that they made me a special paella and cake on my birthday. The rooms are cosy and comfortable, the views are beautiful and the pool is lovely. Although you are right in the countryside (part of the charm) it doesn't take long to get to other places in a car. I would thoroughly recommend Finca Las Encinas and hope to go back sometime!

I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants the food experience of a lifetime. You don't have to be an experienced cook to enjoy all that Finca Las Encinas has to offer. Even if all you're looking for is a place to find beauty and peace, I would book a trip here and enjoy all that Clive, Maki, and Cei have to offer.

It was an absolutely fantastic experience. The food was the best we have ever ever tasted. Combined with the glorious setting, the charm of your finca, the pleasure of the cooking lessons, the superb organisation of our sightseeing and your thoughtful care of us made for an unforgettable, magical experience that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for giving us the chance to be part of the Andalusian way of life and taste the delights of Andalusian cuisine.

It was like staying with friends who knew a lot about cooking, and who were willing to share their knowledge with you. Thanks for the holiday, it has given me more confidence in my cooking, and inspired me to try new things.

This place is absolute heaven and the hosts Clive and Maki (not forgetting the gorgeous Cei, cheeky Lassie and Smokey) could not have been better. The rooms are beautifully decorated with all amenities you could want in such a getaway from it all place. The cookery course was second to none, Clive is extremely experienced and professional and made us feel very welcome and was also encouraging. The menu he picked was absolute perfection, even to the point where we had to question if we had actually cooked it ourselves! It was definitely fine dining Andalucian style.The breakfast was awesome and typical for this area which we loved, they were always great hosts, offering drinks at all times. We had such a great time that we would love to come back. We also attended a superb olive oil tasting that Maki organized and their knowledge of where to go was brilliant, along with their directions. Iznajar was stunning especially my swim in the lake. This was our third cookery course and without a doubt the best! You guys have hit the jackpot where you live and how you run your beautiful business. I hope to see you again as soon as I possibly can! Brilliant!

We stayed in the suite at Las Encinas for a couple of nights in September and were very well looked after. The room was spotless, spacious, and had everything you could need. The house is stunning and around the pool was very well styled and cared for. Clive's food was spectacular - tasty, fresh, and presented beautifully. Maki was delightful, very welcoming, and helpful with suggesting places to visit. Their 2 dogs were also welcoming and very willing to join us on a walk around the village. The local towns were charming and elegant. We enjoyed our stay very much.

Maki and Clive are perfect hosts! Clive: My wife and I took 3 cooking classes with Clive whose way of teaching techniques and food and meal preparation and presentation is superb. He taught us to relax and how to cook simply and locally. Clive's recipes are now part of our at-home meals. Maki: She drove us around and organized our tours. She took us to places we would not have known about and that enriched our trip. Her knowledge of the area is fantastic.