B&B la Rectoria de Sant Miquel de Pineda

La Rectoria is one of the happiest places I've stayed. In my top 10 for sure. It felt like staying with favourite relatives without having to help with washing up. It's a guest house, not a 5 star hotel and has a rustic feel to it. We arrived by bike, looking like drowned rats, having been drenched in a huge thunderstorm. The welcome we got was just lovely. Goretti made us tea and put our clothes through the laundry and would not accept payment for this extra work. We were very comfortable and the evening meals were superb. Chef Roy cooks for one sitting and guests can gather to chat over pre-dinner drinks and can then eat at individual tables if they want. Evenings were fun. From the restaurant window, we watched a deer feeding on wild flowers just a few metres away. Roy and Goretti are big hearted, open and genuine people. I don't write reviews. I simply had to this time. Thank you.

All the rave reviews posted here are well-deserved. This is a wonderful place to relax and chill for a few days. I was there to hike the paths around the volcanoes, and this is a perfect location. The building itself is really nice, bedrooms large and very comfortable, and the food is excellent. I particularly recommend Roy's apricot jam. Both Roy and Goretti are very knowledgeable about the area and provide great advice on where to go and what to see. Best of all, though, is just getting to know and converse with Goretti and Roy. Some of the nicest and most welcoming people I've ever met. I can't wait to return.

My wife and I had the best stay in La Rectoria. We lolled about in our very comfortable bedroom (great sheets). Drank some cooling vermouth in the shade of the garden. Ate delicious food cooked by Roy. Swam in the cool of the pool following a very hot walk to the nearby village. It was all perfect! The hosts are super welcoming and generously share their stories of finding this delightful spot. They are also full of knowledge about the local area and enthusiastically support and promote the excellent local food and wine. Just wonderful.

What a magical place. La Rectoria is beautiful, and has been so lovingly and sensitively restored since its days as the priest's house. The pool is secluded and perfect for cooling off in, and I particularly liked the fact that it being salt water instead of chlorinated meant that birds, butterflies and dragonflies could dip down and drink – important when the weather is hot. In terms of nature, La Rectoria is surrounded by birds that are rare or non-existent in the UK, such as hoopoes, serins and golden orioles, and I loved sitting on the terrace with a G&T before dinner, looking out at the distant volcanic slopes and listening to them sing. The food was absolutely delicious – Roy is an incredibly talented chef, so make sure you book in for dinner! Goretti really went out of her way to make me feel welcome and looked-after, which I especially appreciated as a solo traveller. You can walk along a shared foot/cycle path into the village where there are some shops and cafes, and if you don't drive there's a regular bus service into Olot and to other places like Besalú. I loved my four nights at La Rectoria and hope to return.

I absolutely loved my four-night stay at La Rectoria recently. My room was extremely comfortable and quiet, the location was ideal for several days of cycling (which was why I was there), and the food was outstanding each evening. I'm vegetarian, so I'm quite used to being served very similar food night after night, but Roy's cooking was first-class and I enjoyed something different every evening. Both Roy and Goretti made me feel totally at home. I highly recommend staying here. It is within reach of Girona but a very peaceful and relaxing alternative to a city.

There are not enough kind words to express our gratitude for the care we received at La Rectoria. The scenery was magnificent, the food was delicious, and our hosts, Roy and Goretti, were exceptional. It was an absolute pleasure staying at their home.