Cal Arnau, 9 bedrooms and 17 rooms, 14 baths, with pool, sleeps up to 35 or more guests, near Banyoles, Costa Brava

Another huge property, this one just 8 kms north of Girona city center, with 6 hectaires of private land and a house measuring about 2500m2, of which 1200m2 has just been renovated to a good standard of comfort. The most striking features of this house are the very generous proportions of all the living space here. The sheer scale of the place is very large, and even the bathrooms here are as big or bigger than the living rooms at many of the other houses in our listings. The English-Catalan owners have also done a good job decorating, leaving the house remarkably free of clutter and allowing the house itself - its ancient walls, terra cotta floors, arched ceilings, and huge rooms! - be the main protagonist.

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up to about 20 guests in 9 bedrooms, and 6 bathrooms
1200m2 house on a 6 hectaire private property, with lawnspace and woods and only meters from the path along the Ter river
a huge walled in private patio for outdoor meals
private fenced-in 6x10 meter pool surrounded by wide 100 meter lawn
central heating, so available year-round
Altitude: 200mtrs, 25kms to sea, 2km to town
current rates:
high-season: 6000 Euros per week
mid-season: 5000 Euros/week
low-season: 4000 Euros/week
off-season weekends: 2000 Euros (+ 775 Euros per extra night)
off-season bookings can start any day of the week

the huge patio is behind the house, a wide protect expanse between house and hillside I saw this newest house to our listings on a sunny day in February (2008) and I was immediately taken with it. It is precisely the sort of well-restored old house with lots of character I seek out for my listings, but nothing prepared me for the massive scale of the place. I´m going to have to come up with a proper and more opinioned write-up on the place, but for now, I will send you this factual description of Cal Arnau sent to me by the owners.

Terrace outside the house.
This is a large enclosed space(35m x 25m) suitable for entertaining anything up to 100 people.Under the barn(10m x 8m) there is a table that seats in excess of 20 people.Most of our time is spent outside in the summer as this space is suitable for dining/barbecues and a great area for kids to play and run around-there are 2 gates which can be locked for child security.

the outdoor covered sitting area under beautiful wide stone arches Kitchen
A spacious room(10m x 9m) with seating around a breakfast table for 8 people.There is a large open fireplace that we tend to keep permanently lit outside of summer.There is a doorway leading to an outside veranda with a staircase leading up to another terrace so there is room outside to eat if you wish.

Dining room
This is a more formal room(9m x 5m) with seating for 12 people and a huge olive press that was salvaged from the ground floor.

kitchen Sitting room
Space for 8/10 to recline in comfort in front of a wood burning stove and to watch TV/DVD’s if so desired.Very much a room to relax in(9m x 8m) -there is a snug with a recliner where guests can read/snooze.

Downstairs bedrooms
There are 3 main bedrooms with double beds and en suite bathroom(5m x 5m).Off the main bedroom’s ensuite is a children’s room with 2 single child’s beds-all bedrooms have electric fans in them.(bedroom 1: 7m x 3m 2 children’s beds)(bedroom 2: 11m x 4 m 1 double bed)(bedroom 3: 7m x 6m ensuite 6m x 4m)

kitchen 2 Upstairs bedrooms:
There are 3 individual double bedrooms sharing one bathroom and 2/3 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms(bedroom 4: 8m x 5m 1 double bed)(bedroom 5: 8m x 4m 1 double bed)(bedroom 6: 5m x 4m 1 double bed).One of these is a room that can take 5/6 beds and we tend to use as a dormitory for up to 6 children-the bathroom attached has 2 showers and a loo and is great for organising bathtime if multiple children are involved(7m x 6 m).Can be hectic but we have found children really enjoy the dormitory feel-a couple using the double bed next door though may find it a bit noisy and not too private.(bedroom 7: 9m x 5m bedroom 8:interconnected 8m x 5m 1 double bed and 5/6 single beds as required). Bedroom 9 10m x 7m with ensuite 5m x 5m.1 double bed.

the dining room

The house itself is hard to age but believed to have been built on the foundations of a Roman villa(there are Roman ruins a mile away)-the early building is rumoured to be 16th century but the bulk of the building as it stands is early 19th Century.We have renovated 1,000 sq metres of a total of 2,500 sq metres so a lot of the building is left empty(and locked.)This process has taken 5 years and this is the first year we have rented out the masia.We have had as many as 30 people staying but we would recommend 12-18 is the perfect number.

The masia feels a bit remote as the nearest shops are a 5 minute drive away-but civilisation (roads etc.) can be seen from the house and the nearest neighbours are a few minutes away.The masia borders a river (200 yards from the house) so care must be taken, especially with young children, but fishing is possible and there are great walks around the house (it backs onto a mountain with remnants of a castle on top.) While only 10 minutes from the centre of Girona and surrounded by forest and greenery you would not describe it as being remote or isolated - sounds of the town (traffic/railway) can be heard in the distance.