Beyond these new offerings, it’s an area steeped in history – an afternoon wandering the cobbled streets will lead you down a Google rabbit hole of discoveries.

Dotted about are intriguing statues and paintings of the cobijada, women cloaked head-to-toe in a black veil revealing just the right eye, which was the traditional dress of women in the area for centuries until it was deemed as a weapon-smuggling risk and banned during the civil war. Today, it’s celebrated during local festivities. Iglesia del Divino Salvador, the main church and a former mosque, is mesmerising.

I’m staying at Stuart’s latest addition to his hotel roster: Plaza 18. With just six rooms, a grand chequered-tiled entrance leading to a tasteful, cosy lounge, it feels more like a Parisian home than a hotel. Its interiors are the work of British designer Nicky Dobree, who is best known for her luxury ski chalets, and it’s filled with her personal collection of art: Picasso lithographs in the lounge and a cheery dog in my room by collagist Peter Clark. If you’re staying here, you get access to a private terrace which overlooks the village (and its incredible sunsets) and the lounge which comes equipped with teas, coffee and a well-stocked bar.

If you’d prefer to stay somewhere more infused with the local style, then I’d recommend La Casa del Califa, which is just next door. The 20 rooms vary from a small double to a sprawling loft and are similarly art-filled and enchanting, only here the influence is very much North African: golden lanterns, intricate rugs, pearl-encrusted chest of drawers. Morocco, after all, is just a short ferry ride away from Gibraltar, which is also the closest airport.

Travel 2022: why Andalucia is Spain’s best kept secret destination