Arte Vida in Andalusia
Johan and Yolanda both lived and worked in Belgium until they made a radical change in 2015. They bought a naturist campsite in France, in the Lot. For nine seasons, they developed it into a place where people loved to come and return. The couple discovered how rewarding it was to welcome and pamper guests.
Too much is too much …
The campsite became such a success that the two of them could hardly manage it alone. Yolanda and Johan believe in the principle of ‘what you do yourself, you do better’. Managing staff was not their greatest talent. And as they got older, the work became physically demanding. Moreover, they yearned for more sun during winter and the shoulder seasons. The winters in the Lot were too chilly and quiet.
They wanted a different life. They wanted to experience.
ArteVida took shape during holidays
During holidays in Spain, their next place began to take shape. At campsites where they stayed, Yolanda and Johan noticed that guests often retreated into mobile homes. Rental apartments also offered privacy, but hardly any social contact.
Their greatest wish: to make people feel at home.
A resort with separate cottages or mini-villas where everyone withdraws behind their own door did not match their dream. A few times they stayed in very small-scale hotels. There, they found something much closer to what they were looking for: a personal atmosphere. A cosy place where people meet each other and where the hosts are truly present.
The thirty-fifth house was the winner
The start-up in Spain was an adventure. Yolanda and Johan visited no less than thirty-four houses – yes, you read that right – before they fell in love with the Andalusian villa that is now ArteVida. The puzzle was complete. The view over the Mediterranean Sea. The gentle breeze.
Sunlight, pleasant warmth, dining outdoors, and close contact with nature.
Relative peace around the house. The Cabo de Gata nature park starts just around the corner. While the bustling life is nearby in Mojácar Playa and Mojácar Pueblo, Garrucha and Vera. And of course, there's the climate, with about three hundred days of sun per year. This is the life they longed for.
Deliberately only three rooms
ArteVida has only three guest rooms, a conscious choice. Yolanda and Johan want to keep running their guesthouse themselves, even when they officially reach retirement age. With six guests, you can still truly talk to each other and, above all, listen to each other. Sharing a drink. Lingering at the table. Telling a story. Cracking a joke.
Couples get time for each other again here.
Perhaps even more importantly: couples get time for each other here again. To unwind from everything happening at home and not constantly have to worry about what needs to be done later or tomorrow.
Yolanda and Johan maintain the balance. Being involved without being intrusive. Creating a friendly atmosphere without anyone feeling obliged to participate. Breakfast is also at your own pace—whether with a social chat or quiet tête-à-tête.
Why ‘adults only’?
ArteVida consciously focuses on adult couples. Children, understandably, require a lot of attention. But their presence also changes the dynamics between adults. Moreover, a hotel environment must be adapted and secured for children.
Without children, conversations at the table can go any direction. People can linger after dinner and enjoy as long as they like. And parents or grandparents who usually care a lot for children and grandchildren get a chance to simply be partners for a while. That’s what ‘adults only’ at ArteVida mainly means.
Nudity is part of it
Yolanda and Johan strongly support the naturist philosophy but don’t want to complicate it more than necessary. For them, being nude is about freedom, relaxed living, and enjoying the sun, water and fresh air. At the same time, they fully understand that not everyone looks for a philosophy behind it. Some people just simply love being naked.
What Yolanda and Johan find important is being well-groomed.
Of course, there are moments when clothing is more practical, safer, or more comfortable. They don’t make a big deal about that either. What Yolanda and Johan do value is being well-groomed—not for show, but out of self-care and respect for others around you.
The spirit of ArteVida
The personalities of Yolanda and Johan are palpable throughout ArteVida. Johan enjoys serving guests a nice drink. Nothing over the top, although he enthusiastically trains himself as a cocktail maker. He also handles communications and administration, gives practical tips to guests, and happily researches information. He is also the self-appointed supplier of lame jokes.
Yolanda is empathetic, listens, and enjoys talking. She loves sharing about life in the area and keeps up with what’s going on nearby. Of course, they’re both just ordinary people. One is sometimes more of a perfectionist than the other. They are learning a lot from the Spanish lifestyle and occasionally say, ‘mañana!’.
Wellness package as an option
Yoga, sound bowls, meditation and creative activities have long been part of Yolanda’s life. She started them when Johan and she still lived in Belgium. During their years in France, massage and reiki were added. She feels good when she can help someone relax. ‘I like giving energy to others. You get so much back in return.’
Yoga, massage, reiki, sound bowls, meditation and creativity belong to ArteVida.
Walking together is also possible, not just to cover kilometers or see beautiful views, but to discover along the way what life in Andalusia really means here. Cooking and dining moments are part of it too – think barbecue and paella, toasting with cocktails, and all kinds of little get-togethers during the week.
The same philosophy applies here: nothing is compulsory. Someone who wants to spend a week mostly reading, sunbathing or just being with their partner is just as welcome.
Mojácar is alive all year round
An important reason for choosing this region was that Johan and Yolanda didn’t want to live somewhere where everything shuts down outside the summer season again. There are tourists here in winter too. Not the crowds of some big Spanish resorts – thankfully – but enough to keep the area lively.
Restaurants and bars stay open and live performances take place year-round.
Mojácar, Garrucha and Vera are close together. Restaurants and bars stay open and Spanish bands perform live throughout the year. Johan and Yolanda try to catch at least one each week.
There are flamenco shows, theme nights, markets and traditional festivities. In December, the Christmas spirit appears and even a New Year’s swim is part of it. There always seems to be something going on to draw people to the village or beach: a parade, horses, a band, or cultural event.
Winter means being outside. With a bit of luck, the sun shines every day. Often you can eat outdoors at midday. Sometimes even naked.
Cabo de Gata: nature and film nostalgia
The Cabo de Gata nature park starts nearby. It’s a special landscape with mountains, various types of coastlines, beaches, wildlife and flora, stunning views, and small villages. Johan and Yolanda themselves regularly go walking, driving around, or exploring a village.
The wider province of Almería has yet another layer of atmosphere: the dry landscape that served as the backdrop for countless westerns. In various spots in the province, the nostalgia from the spaghetti western era is still palpable.
In the end, it’s about people
During their nine years in France, Yolanda and Johan often witnessed something special. Guests sometimes arrived stressed and tired. A week later, their faces looked different. Calmer eyes. Less tension and sometimes even fewer wrinkles. A smile reappeared. The contrast with their arrival could be great. And at farewell, there was sometimes a tear.
That is one of the reasons why Yolanda and Johan chose to live with guests again here in Andalusia. To welcome, spoil, listen, create a feeling of home. And at the same time, to leave people completely free.
Some favourite spots
Mojácar is an enchanting bay, peaceful and pure. Yolanda and Johan themselves love to spend time here at the nude beach.
Sometimes a livelier vibe is preferred. Then the better-known and busier naturist beach of Vera Playa provides a nice change.
Hola Ola does not claim to be anything special, and that’s why Johan and Yolanda like it so much. This authentic chiringuito hosts atmospheric performances by Spanish groups.
The white village above the coast is called Mojácar Pueblo and deserves several visits. Walking the streets. Having a drink. Eating something. Just hanging out.
Garrucha is the larger fishing village nearby – with its harbour, restaurants, and tapas bars. Definitely worth a visit.
The hippie beach is a consistent favorite recommended by Yolanda and Johan. At the same time, they say little about it, as they don’t want to spoil the surprise. Almost everyone who goes there is touched by it in some way. Sometimes a little, sometimes deeply.
Then there are the many lively markets. Even if you’re not looking to buy anything, they brighten your day.
