Obviously any trip to El Chorro is going to be great but staying at the Olive Branch makes it fantastic. The Nottingham University Climbing Club has been using the OB for a few years now and they have consistently given us exactly what we’ve needed.
This year we took 32 members out to Malaga and we had arranged a pick up from the airport for only 12.50 euros so we were in Chorro within an hour of landing. We had a couple of rooms, the bunkhouse and 10 members camping. The rooms were newly decorated and the tents all had mattresses so we could all recover from the climbing in comfort.
Our club usually cooks for ourselves but we were persuaded to take advantage of the food cooked in house. God it was good! The meals catered for our veggies, vegans and meat eaters. They were absolutely delicious and at breakfast, lunch and dinner for 10 euros a day we were blown away.
The new sectors opened near the Olive Branch provided some fantastic climbs so many thanks to the El Chorro Bolt Fund. (They are also close enough to get a lunch time swim in when it gets a bit too hot.)
Again massive thanks to Mel and Gary for making everything so easy for us, the cooks for the incredible food and the El Chorro Bolt Fund for their work. The week was amazing as were the Olive Branch team.
Got back just over a week ago, and missing it big time. Our only issue was an unseasonably hot start to our week, which made climbing an early morning and evening adventure.
Hope to get back in the near future, a great place for a first foreign climbing trip.
We stayed there on our visit to El Chorro and thought it was fantastic. There's rooms (or tent space) for all budgets from lovely En Suite's to camping. Highly recommend it.
5*!! Was a brilliant place to stay with amazing climbing a 5 minute walk away. Mel and Gary are exceptional hosts and its a friendly environment with heaps of other climbers. Internet, cold beer, pool table, swimming pool, log burner all make the apres climb at the Olive Branch pretty wicked. Will be back soon!.... x
We had an awesome stay in the Olive Branch! Would definitely recommend staying here! The owners are extremely warm and welcoming, the accommodation itself if first class and within walking distance from all the best crags!
Perfect climbers location, just below Los Enchantades(spl)Lovely spot, great facilities,nice people... and you can walk to the majority of the crags.. brilliant for self catering
Great place to stop. Climbing very near by, great facilities and friendly people, and very good value.
Great place to stay! Great facilities, homely environment and good people. Will definitely be returning soon!
***** 5 stars for the Olive Branch
I can't recommend the Olive Branch strongly enough!!! It had great facilities and is perfectly situated for most of the climbing in the area. A huge amount of routes within a walkable distance! Mel and Gary who run the Olive branch were lovely and looked after us reallywell. If you need anything they really will go out of their way to help you if they can! Aswell as the facilities the in house climber/guide Martin Heywood is so knowledgable about the area you might never have to climb a crappy route that for some reason has a good write up in the guidebook! All in all it was a top place to stay and I will definitely be going back sometime soon!
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THE BEST BUNK HOUSE I HAVE EVER STAYED IN.
Stayed at 'The Olive Branch' Feb-March 2010. The accomodation was spot on. Clean. Tidy. Organised. Friendly. Mel & Gary can't do enough for you and will do what they can to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Martin is a font of local knowledge and will tell you pretty much anything you want to know about the area ... and the rest of Spain's best climbing destinations for that matter. It's EXTREMELY CHEAP and the facilities are top notch. Big kitchens, clean toilets, pool, lounge area ... the lot. Top that off with being right underneath Las Encatadas (which is an awesome crag) and you have what I would say (and many others for that matter) a brilliant base for a climbing trip. 10/10.
Top place! This is, without a doubt, the best place to stay in El Chorro.
laura easson
26 Jun, 2009
perfect! dont bother with anywhere else in el chorro! you get way more for your money and hosts that are second to none!
Our stay with the Byrnes was excelent. The hosts were very helpful. The accomodation was bright and airy and the location was superb! We highly recommend this place to stay!