Alora holiday apartment: Alora, Malaga

4 of us stayed in this amazing property in February. We chose Alora because the location suited us as being reasonably driveable for day-trips to Granada and Gibraltar (long but do-able) while also being in an area with mountains, national parks, and near Malaga. Alora turned out tobe much nicer than I expected. Excellent bars and restaurants and many local sights. Just walking around town was delightful.

The apratment was staggeringly nice. All of us said "wow" several times as we looked around. Two nice bedrooms (master with individual climate control), nice sized kitchen area, comfortable furniture, huge TV for unwinding after long days in the sun, and a spectacular balcony with beautiful views. We also loved the dining area which can be opened up to the outside air or closed off as needed.

For us, the best single feature was the lift that goes directly into the apartment. (Don't worry; it's only if you have the key!) My parents are getting on but didn't have to deal with stairs at the end of the day. The only drawback is the parking. It has parking, which is a huge plus, but driving in the "pubela blancas" is mildly terrifying and backing out was interesting. Fortuantely, there is free public parking a short walk away. I would drop people off and then zip back and park. Painless! If you do want to park a car in the garage, make sure it's a small one. However, if you're a motorcyclist, this would be perfect as there are amazing roads in the area to ride during the day and locking up the bikes at night would be trivial.

I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for a 2BR property (and it is surprisingly suitable for people with limited mobility). I would, however, strongly suggest you let the owners meet you at the airport so you can follow them from Malaga. It's a bit tricky to find the first time if you don't know the area. After that, getting around is very easy. (There's also limited train service to Alora from Malaga if you don't want to drive at all.)