Trasierra...

It’s January, yuk. So feast your eyes on some lush, relaxing surroundings and turn off that SAD lamp you bought via mail order.

Nestled in the hills north of Seville it's the most amazing place to spend some time. It is owned by the wonderful Charlotte Scott, a Brit who arrived in Andalucía in the 1970s and spent several decades turning a crumbling old Manse into a very special boutique hotel.

Her daughter, Gioconda Scott, is the chef at Trasierra and creates food to die for. Charlotte says she has tried to create a hotel for people who don’t like hotels and a stay there is certainly like being welcomed into her family environment.

A little while ago I was asked to shoot a portfolio of material capturing the hotel’s essence. To date, images from the shoot have appeared in Harper's Bazaar and South African Home & Garden and I must admit to often looking at some of them when it's cold and grey. Not quite as good as a raw chocolate boost, but close.

Click on the thumbnails to enlarge...