La iaia Maria › Our story

The story behind La iaia Maria

A project born from love for a family home, respect for its history, and the desire to breathe life back into a place with soul.

Guillermo and his son, owners of La iaia Maria tourist apartment in the historic centre of Gandia
The owner

I'm Guillermo,
and this is our story

I've been behind this apartment from day one: from when it was just an idea and four inherited walls, to today, when every guest who walks through the door confirms it was worth it.

In 2017 I inherited my grandmother's house in the historic centre of Gandia. It was in a very dilapidated state, but instead of selling it, I decided to bring it back to life. With great enthusiasm, the help of people who believed in me, and very limited resources, I undertook a restoration that was much more than a renovation: it was a way of preserving a piece of our family history.

The house, built in the 19th century by my great-grandfather, was restored with every effort to respect its original character. Today I run it together with my son Guillermo, with the same respect, dedication and care with which it was born. For us, it's not just an apartment: it's a home restored with history, memory and heart.

Every corner holds years of effort and the desire to keep alive the character of a house with soul and the memory of my family. For us, it's not just accommodation: it's a home restored with history, memory and heart.

— Guillermo · Owner and grandson of the iaia Maria
Original 19th-century hydraulic floor mosaic restored - La iaia Maria Gandia
The floor with memory

The 19th-century hydraulic floor

What mattered most to me when restoring the house was preserving the hydraulic floor that my great-grandfather had installed in the 19th century. These handmade polychrome cement tiles covered my grandmother María's footsteps for over a century.

We preserved as many as possible, and with every piece I could restore I assembled a mosaic. It's not just decoration: it's a visible tribute to everything this place represents.

La iaia Maria

A tribute to
my grandmother María

This apartment is also a small tribute to my grandmother María — the iaia Maria — whose presence remains very much alive in this project. I cherish this photo of her with me on my fourth birthday, a symbol of where it all began and the emotional bond that gives this house its meaning.

When guests write to tell me they felt like they were at their grandmother's house, I know we've achieved what we were looking for. Not a hotel. Not just another apartment. A home with soul, restored with care, that we now share with you.

Guillermo with his grandmother María, the iaia Maria, on his fourth birthday - the story behind La iaia Maria Gandia

Guillermo and the iaia Maria · Gandia, 1974

Shall we talk and tell you more?

I respond personally every day from 9:00 to 21:00. Happy to help.

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