2. ALQUERÍA DE MORAYMA: ORGANIC FARMING, BIODIVERSITY,
AUTHENTIC ACCOMODATION AND RESTAURANT IN THE
HEART OF THE ALPUJARRAS
(THE LAST MOORISH REDUCT IN THE SOUTH OF SPAIN)
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
3. HISTORY AND FARM DESCRIPTION
The «Alquería»,was an ancient farm surrounded by 40 hectares of organically
cultivated vineyards and woodland; almond, fig, olive and fruit trees, providing
refreshing cool and shade in the hot summers of the south of Spain.
It is located in the Alpujarra, the (south side of Sierra Nevada, Andalusia, Spain),
the very last region occupied by the Moorish in Spain.
Within the grounds there are the home farm buildings and stables, an hermitage,
the winery / museum and a multi-use function room.
The Apart-Hotel comprises 23 units (some self-catering) . All furnishings, fabrics,
paintings and decoration are different in each one – antiques, ceramics and local
textiles predominate. All accommodation offers mountain views.
It has also a Restaurant with two dining rooms: one large with an open fireplace,
bar and sunny terrace with mountain views; the other more formal and intimate.
The menu offers traditional Spanish dishes with local specialties.
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
4. HISTORY AND FARM DESCRIPTION
History:
In the early 90’s, Mariano Cruz, decided to develop the first real agritourism project
in Granada. He acquired an abandoned farm and started his project in three
phases:
1º Stage: recuperation of the buildings for accommodation (hotel) and restaurant.
Key point: special emphasis in traditional arquitecture and furnishing, fabrics,
paintings and decoration are different in every unit – antiques, ceramics and local
textiles predominate. At the same time started the recuperation of the trees.
2º Stage: construction of complementary spaces: horse stables for people riding
their own horses, library, birds stables, multiactivity room (courses, yoga …),
swimming pool.
3º Going beyond farming: the winery and olive press. All wines produced on the
farm are organic. Olive oil and St John’s Wort (hypericum) oil are produced, figs
and almonds are also harvested annually. As well as demonstrating current
production methods there is also a museum dedicated to the conservation of
traditional methods.
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
5. DATA & FIGURES OVERVIEW
PROPERTY EXTENT
40 Hectares
10 wood
30 cultivations
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
Olive trees, figs, almond trees, vineyards and variery
of fruit trees.
FOOD PRODUCTS
Olive Oil, wine, almonds, figs and fruits.
NON-FOOD PRODUCTS
Hot water from solar panels.
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
6. 6
ACTIVITIES
Agriculture (organic CAAE certification)
Accomodation
RESTAURANT
Agritourism
Holistic courses and therapies
Trekking
Museum
ACCOMMODATIONS
4 double rooms
12 double rooms with coutryard
1 triple room
3 double with kitchen and coutryard
3 apartmentsfor 4 people with kitchen
COMMERCIALISATION
Wine
Olive oil and St John’s Wort (hypericum)
DATA & FIGURES OVERVIEW
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
8. KEY PROCESS DESCRIPTION: ACCOMODATION AND RESTAURANT
Process Description Competence Description Level
Maintainance and management of
the houses, rooms, and common
spaces (partially outsourced)
To be able to maintain and manage
the buildings
2
Maintainance and management of
gardens and swimingpool
To be able to maintain and manage
the gardens around the hotel and the
swimming pool
2
Restaurant management and
choice of traditional menus
To be able to manage the restaurant
and choose season organic
ingredients for traditional menu
3
Customer reception and needs
satisfation
To be able to receive guests and
manage their staying at agritourism
3
Management of hotel and
restaurant reservations
To be able to control and manage all
the reservations, either from
individuals, groups and touroperators
4
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
9. Process Description Competence Description Level
Knowledge on basic organic
farming laws and certification
procedures
To be able to respect the procedures
for organic farming certification
2
Seasonal works (tilling, digging,
weeding, mowing-cutting)
To be able to perform sustainable
mechanical operations according to
the organic procedures
2
Enrichment with organic fertilizers
without use of synthetic chemicals
To be able to perform a rational
fertilization for planned cultivations
2
Harvest and transportation of
olives, almonds, figs and herbs
To be able to organise and perform
harvest and transport to the farm
storage and conditioning centre
2
KEY PROCESS DESCRIPTION: FARMING, PROCESSING AND VISITS
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
10. Process Description Competence Description Level
Organisation of Holistic Activities To be able to programme different
activities and to prepare the
instalations for them.
1
Guided visits to the farm and the
museum
To be able to manage guided visits
and didactic programs of learning for
groups
2
Wine production To be able to assume all the steps in
wine production and maturation
3
Oil production by cold pressing
and bottling olive oil
To be able to perform cold pressing
and bottling olive oil
3
KEY PROCESS DESCRIPTION: FARMING, PROCESSING AND VISITS
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
11. Process Description Competence Description Level
Hotel bookkeeping and
administration
(completely outsourced)
To be able to manage bookkeeping
and hotel administration
1
Farm bookkeeping and
administration
(partially outsourced)
To be able to manage bookkeeping
and farm administration
2
Human Resources
(pay slips in outsourcing)
Selection and management of human
resources, monthly payslips, etc..
2
Restaurant management To be able to manage the stock
control, purchases, accountig, etc.
3
Organic certification procedures
(linked to external control)
To be able to manage the organic
certification procedures
3
SUPPORT PROCESS DESCRIPTION: ADMINISTRATION
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
12. SUPPORT PROCESS DESCRIPTION: MARKETING &
COMMERCIALISATION
Process Description Competence Description Level
Marketing of organic farming
products
To be able to lead the marketing of the
organic farming products
3
Management supervision and
commercial organisation of buying
goods and selling products
To be able to supervise and manage
the commercial organisation of the
establishment.
4
General marketing of restaurant,
hotel, and holistic activities
To be able to design an overall
strategy for placing in the market the
variety of things offered.
4
Commercialisation on-line (hotel) To be able to control all the on-line
commercial channels.
4
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
13. CORPORATE FLOWCHART
Owner
(Organise Holistic Activities)
Organic Certification
(outsourced)
Hotel + Restaurant
Manager
Bussiness
Consulting
(outsourced)
Farm
Manager
Winery Manager
Farming
seasonal
workers
Olive oil
Production
seasonal
workers
Reception and
bar tender
Chef and
assitants
Chambermaids
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
14. INNOVATION & SWOT ANALYSIS
KIND OF INNOVATION STRENGTHS &
OPPORTUNITIES
WEAKS &
THREATS
Alquería de Morayma
was the first
agrotoursim project in
Andaluosia.
Offering a wide range of
holistic activities and
therapies they cover the
touristic low seasons,
and maintain a good
occupatiion level for the
hotel.
Instalations adapted for
a very wide range of
demand (small and
large groups, weddings,
kids, horse riding trips,
therapies, etc.)
The accesibility is
difficult, not public
transportation available
and a long and sinuous
road.
Sinergies between the
museum and the
retailing of wine with the
hotel.
As the place is isolated,
it is difficult to find good
and qualified seasonal
workers
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CASE STUDY I – Alqueria de Morayma
