In October 2020, Tom and Danielle van Leeuwen purchased a beautiful, dilapidated old mansion with two bodegas and a large garden in Rodriguelo, Benoso, Alicante. A 3-year renovation has transformed the 250-year-old building into a successful property. Bed and breakfast in BenosoAlicante. Follow this couple’s adventures in their Spanish life.
Have you ever had that? You see, hear, smell or taste something and you’re instantly transported back to an event in the past. Funny how that works. During our first vacation together, Danielle brought melon tea, and as soon as we smelled it, we saw ourselves as two little guppies sitting in front of our tent in Luxembourg. Hearing the same sound of the waves crashing in the CenterParcs swimming pool instantly transports us back to a weekend with the family. Both eras have passed, of course, but then the memory suddenly feels so fresh.
We recently sat on the terrace and also had a taste of it. Near the bar, a house similar to ours is being renovated and they are now working on the roof there. Then of course we are thinking again about replacing our roof. Three years ago in the heat… phew, what the construction guys had to endure. We cooled them with litres of water and took them upstairs, so they wouldn’t fall off the roof from dehydration. Usually, the Spanish don’t like to use sunscreen, but they also used it generously.
There were no manual elevators to lift all the construction materials. No, everything here still works as it probably did 100 years ago. So everything was lifted by hand and that stuff was heavy… Hundreds of buckets of concrete and cement and lots of tiles and roof tiles went up. It took a total of two months to replace the roof. The construction guys were happy that the job was done and they could get in and start working on it.
Our B&B guests often make us think about the whole renovation process. Most of our guests find our house very special and are interested in how we managed everything. When you talk about it, you realize that what we have achieved is actually very special. During the renovation process, we were less aware of this and just kept going. We really had no choice, and giving up was not an option. Now we are happy with our perseverance and also proud of what we have achieved. // Have a nice weekend, Tom and Danielle.
Since 2018, Tom, Daniel and Doña have converted an old mansion with a bodega in the province of Alicante into a bed and breakfast with antiques shop and tell their adventures here every week, but also on their own website. Casa Rodriguelo There is a lot of information to be found while there. YouTube channel Dozens of fun and informative videos can be watched or the website can be visited. Antique and antique store If you are in the area.
