Calahonda holiday apartment: Dona Lola

A hard decision needs to be made !

So, you've had lunch at our bistro-bar after a lazy morning around the pool, and you fancy a bit of exercise. You take the steps down from the pool-side onto the beach. Now a major decision has to be taken -which way to walk ! Well, you can walk for as long as you want from here in both directions. Walking right for thirty minutes will bring you to the attractive harbour village of Cabopino, with it's cheerful beach-bar, a few up-market restaurants, and beautiful beach. Walking left will take you to La Cala, a more typically Spanish sea-side fishing village, with another nice beach, and lots of bars and good-value restaurants. You'll pass beach-bars (or not! as the case may be) within minutes in either direction. You could jump on a bus if you don't fancy the return walk, or get a taxi. Another nice local walk is to take the 'road-train' to the top of Calahonda, (terminus just across the road) and walk down to the beach through pretty country-side and manicured golf-courses.

Time to relax......

Sooner or later you'll have to return from your wanderings, to your apartment, where we've done everything to make you comfortable and relaxed. Perhaps curl up on a lounger on the balcony, with that favourite book, with the sounds of the lapping Sea always in the background. If it's too warm out there, the air-conditioning within will keep you cool inside. Whilst relaxing on the comfortable corner settees you have a choice of admiring the shimmering Mediterranean Sea, or alternatively watching the satellite channels on the TV! You'll find the spaciousness of the apartment promotes relaxation. You won't be falling over each other, even when six are sharing. The lounge is full of character! It has been decorated with a nautical theme in mind, befitting the location. And there's a further television in the master-bedroom if Corrie is on at the same time as a football match on the Sports Channel !

Fancy a pint?

Dona Lola is most certainly not short of bars and restaurants. There is the bistro bar in the leisure centre, and the local beach bars, and within a couple of minutes walk from the apartment there are several more good-value bars & restaurants - including English, Chinese, Indian, Spanish, and a reasonably-priced 'open-all-day-buffet' restaurant. Another 5 minutes further is an incredibly cheap local's tapas-bar. (I've left there with a bill for 9 Euros for two !) There's an excellent Hong Kong restaurant just beyond, and then, yes, a MacDonald’s! Across the road you have the choice of dozens more restaurants, including Italian, Greek, Cantonese, and more Spanish Tapas bars, something to suit all pockets. Within a short driving distance there are theme restaurants at Cabopino, and upmarket restaurants towards Marbella. There is a very useful mini-market on the complex offering very reasonable prices on a large variety of produce, and a larger one just across the main road.

Anywhere to visit?

There are many fascinating places to visit close by. One of the best known resorts is Marbella with wide sandy beaches, bars, clubs, restaurants, up-market shops, and the maze of narrow shopping streets surrounding ‘Orange Square', dating back to 1848. Nearby Puerto Banus is a lively place with many restaurants, clubs and designer boutiques around a marina of luxurious yachts. Definitely not to be missed, unless you're the jealous type! Travelling inland brings you to the white villages of real Spain such as Mijas. The views from the reasonably priced restaurants of the coast-line below are stunning. You can drive up the cliff-hugging road to Ronda, straggling a massive gorge. It's a couple of hours drive, but it makes a wonderful day out. Gibralter makes an interesting day out -take a cable car for spectacular views, see the Barbary apes, the tunnels dug during the war, and finish the day off by shopping in Marks & Spencers. Wow! There's a really good zoo at Fuengirola.

How do I get there?

Normally by plane to Malaga airport. It costs about 50 Euros for a taxi from the airport to my apartment. You could do the journey by train to Fuengirola and bus from there, for well under 10 Euros. The buses are clean, fast, normally prompt, and run right along the coast from Malaga to Marbella, via Torremolinos, Banalmadena, Fuengirola, La Cala, and Calahonda. It'll only cost a couple of Euros to reach Fengirola this way, and the bus-stops are just a couple of minutes walk away from Dona Lola. I always supply my guests with full details, (and in plenty of time before their holiday), of car-hire, airport pick-up, maps, and full directions. Cars are reasonably cheap to hire here, and the taxi fares aren't bad either. It's nice to have a car at your disposal of-course, but with all the aforementioned facilities within easy reach, it is most definately not necessary to have one.

Will the kids be bored? Will I?

No! Dona Lola is very much a family resort, and as such children and teenagers are very well catered for. In the summer months there is a children's club with a really nice Spanish events organiser / entertainer. A great variety of activities are arranged for all ages throughout the day, from 5-a-side football, tennis / table-tennis competitions, French Boules games, wine-tasting and paella-making demonstrations. You can even learn how to speak Spanish...for free ! There is also free evening entertainment throughout the year, but at peak-times there's something on every night. Friday night may be 'Elvis Night’! Another may be a 'Flamenco Night'. Another night there will be a quiz. Entertainment is also provided to attract you in to local bars, including karaoke, 'race-nights', & golf competitions. In short, there's everything on Dona Lola that you could possibly want from a Spanish holiday, and at whatever time of the year.