Terry Venables opens hotel in Spain
Former England football manager Terry Venables and his wife Yvette have opened a 12-bedroom hotel near Alicante in Spain.
La Escondia hotel and restaurant is a one-time hunting lodge dating from 1881, set in 500 acres of olive and almond groves in the centre of the Font Roja National Park.
The Venables first fell in love with Spain during Terry's tenure as manager of Barcelona FC, from 1984 to 1987. More recently they stumbled across La Esconida, which Terry describes as being in a "breath-taking" location.
"We are always in search of places that are off the beaten track and La Escondia was certainly that, yet such a short distance from the coast," he added.
The restaurant's menu is centred around vegetables grown in the hotel's garden. "We've eaten some exceptional food in our lives, but the best I always simple cooking beautifully presented using the freshest ingredients," said Terry. "Most of the herbs and vegetables are grown on our land by our gardener and the breads and pastries freshly baked in our kitchen. We plan to have a bee hive so guests have fresh honeycomb for breakfast."
The hotel also has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa and a jogging track around the grounds. Bedrooms start from £140 per night and include local taxes and breakfast.
General manager is Cheila Reais, previously operations director at the Sanderson hotel in London.
