El Palacio de San Benito, a hidden gem

Hidden in Cazalla de la Sierra (Sevilla) sits what I consider one of the most special interiors in Spain. What used to be a convent is now a remarkable ‘Casa Rural’ (an upmarket Bed&Breakfast in Spanish terms) But to describe it just as a B&B wouldn’t be fair. It’s current owner, Manuel Morales Jódar refers to it as a home that opens its doors to guests who want to admire and experience the beauty and history of such a unique place.

El Palacio de San Benito was owned by Mr Morales’s family but in the 60’s it was sold by his grandmother. As a homage to his family and region, Manuel Morales de Jódar acquired the property in 1997 and together with Carlos Marañón they began the restoration and new construction of the property.

The many years of abandon and the different uses this building had, made this recovery difficult and costly. Elements of the family palace, which had been demolished years before, supplied materials to the newly-built annex, resulting in a balance between the new and the old, where original elements from different eras make up the history of a new building, The comfort and the highest technology of the 21st century joins with history and traditional craftsmanship.