we really enjoyed our week stay at Alora, lovely appartment, all facilities, beautiful views. Lots to see in the local area. Excellent train services, but would recommend you hire a car to visit... more

We had a terrific week an Alora at the Penthouse. The apartment was excellently equipped with everything you could wish for and the owners, Helen and Steve, provided us with a more than ample welcome pack - and even took the trouble to check with us for likes and dislikes before we arrived. Lots of personal touches like this made it feel a more than a notch above your typical holiday rental.

Gorgeous views from both terraces meant we spent most of our time out there but the apartment itself was very comfortable. Alora itself is a delightful town - big enough to have all the facilties you want but still with a distinctly Andalucian village feel. it's also really well placed for trips out - El Chorro is only just up the road and El Torcal and Antequera are relatively short drives. The direct train into Malaga is quick and cheap, too, whcih allowed for a leisurely tapas lunch and a few finos at the Antigua Casa La Guardia without having to worry about getting in the car.

We really can't recommend the Penthouse highly enough - definitely one to return to.

This was our second visit from 29 December 2011 until 6 January 2012. We came here in August 2009 and were very impressed with the apartment and the area. We never hire a car because we want to relax and do a of of driving at home. We took the train from the airport this time. Helen sent over the timetable as soon as we booked and it was really easy and only cost just over 2 euros one way.

The weather was hot during the day and so we were able to relax on the terrace and sunbathe when we weren't out. The apartment is in just as good order with once again everything one could need. There is no need to buy things like olive oil and other basic cooking items as one does in most holiday lets. We love going to the supermarket and seeing and buying all the lovely fish, seafood, meats, cheeses etc. The wine is really good quality and good value. We still needed our winter clothes in the evenings.
Malaga at new year is still very festive as the Spanish celebrate what they call the "Three Kings" on 6th January so if you go into Malaga in the evening the families are all out with the children beautifully dressed. Helen and Steve are really good at giving advice about how to find places in malaga like the wonderful food market, sherry bar, tapas bars, shoe shops etc. The good thing about going at this time of year is that the weather is not too hot to go walking and for the first time we walked a great deal around the area for sightseeing.
I would not usually go to the same place for holiday but this apartment, town and area are so wonderful and you can do different things every time. We have stayed at Helen and Steve's villa some years ago and that was just a dream as they have a pool and it is not far to walk to town, three bedroom all ensuite and fantastic gardens and again everything you could need.

I would highly recommend the properties of these hosts. Thanks very much for making our stay so easy and relaxed. Carmel and Mark, Devon.

We first stayed at the Penthouse in December 2010 to escape a Northern British winter. We had a fabulous stay in Alora and returned in August 2011 to escape a Northern British summer! The owners, Helen & Steve, met us at the apartment on both occasions and with a generous welcome hamper ensured that we were settled in and had everything we needed. As detailed in the other reviews above Alora is a typical Andalusian village and the Penthouse is situated in the historic part of town accessed by narrow winding streets. We travelled by car from Malaga but if you are not looking to travel far afield from Alora there actually is no need for one. There is a direct train from Malaga to Alora which is extremely cheap compared to UK fares. We chose to leave the car in the municipal car park which is only a 10 minute walk through the village centre. There is a garage and we did use it - once! Access is tight and we found we enjoyed the walk through the village anyway. Parking is free and vehicle security does not appear to be an issue in Alora.
There are a number of features of the Penthouse which make for a truly great holiday. The first impression from stepping out of the lift is that of a clean and well cared for property. Helen & Steve clearly take pride in the Penthouse and from our experiences and the comments in the guest book they making sure that every visitor is comfortable and content. I mean 'every visitor' - I didn't find any adverse comments in the guest book. The real wow factor of the Penthouse however are the views. In the winter the Moorish Castle is illuminated at night and in the summer the views just go on and on. Sitting on the balcony in the evening it is wonderful to sip a beer and listen to the chatter of children below in the traffic -less street. I hadn't a clue what they were chattering about but I didn't care - they were clearly happy which for us reflected the mood of the village as a whole. This is a true Spanish hillside village where commercial tourism has somehow been avoided despite its charm and its ideal location for exploring Andalucia. If you do opt for a hire car then Ronda, Granada and the Sierra Nevada, Cordoba and even Seville are easy day trips. More local attractions such as El Chorro and the strange landscape of El Torcal Natural Park should not be missed. There are a variety of Restaurants and bars in the village but if eating in at the Penthouse seems more attractive there are a number of mini supermarkets in the village and a very good supermarket further out which has excellent fresh fish at amazing prices compared to the UK and the Penthouse kitchen has everything you need to get cooking. Elaine and I don't do return visits to the same places and certainly do not return to the same hotels and apartments - that's boring! Well that was before we visited the Penthouse! We are returning again simply because our experiences of Alora have been exceptional and there is so much / too much to see and do. If you look across the valley from the rear balcony of the Penthouse there is a viaduct in the distance which carries a 200mph train which runs from Malaga to Madrid. Madrid can be a day visit from Alora and it will be for us in May 2012 together with all the other things that we just didn't get done last time. We would not hesitate to recommend the Penthouse to our friends and family but there is something inside us that is also telling us to keep it quiet - a secret from everyone else! Many thanks to Helen and Steve - keep up the good work. we look forward to seeing you both in May. Best wishes Mike & Elaine, Cumbria, UK.

If you'd like a taste of the real Spain in excellent accommodation look no further than this penthouse. Everything you require is provided plus the owners live nearby which can be a real bonus... more

A wonderful immaculate apartment with stunning views of Alora, a typical Andalucian pueblo. The owners Helen and Steve are attentive, helpful, and available when needed. A very generous welcome... more

Right from initial enquiry, through to checking out of the Penthouse, Helen and Steve showed unrivalled passion and professionalism.
The attention to detail in the property is second to... more

From the moment we made our first enquiry to our last goodbyes, our experience of this rental was just perfect.
The owners, Helen and Steve, know exactly how to make your time extra special. We have been to many many holiday rentals but have never experienced anything as fantastic as this penthouse.
Helen and Steve picked us up from Alora train station and we were instantly at ease with them (like meeting up with old friends, although we had never met them before in our lives - they are just lovely)
They took us to the penthouse and showed us around. It is absolutely immaculate and stocked with everything you could possibly need (no rush to the supermarket required before you can settle and start to relax - you're holiday starts the minute you walk through the door). This leeds me to 'The Food Hamper'. You've heard the saying about Christmas coming early. Again we have never experienced any welcome pack with so much thought put into it. How perfect is it when you can kick your shoes off, open the balcony doors, pour an ice cold cava and a beer and drink in the breathtaking views that surround this penthouse. Helen and Steve are the perfect hosts. They are just magic at what they do. Whilst looking for anything at all, you just open a cupboard or a drawer and it's there. They have thought of absolutely everything. When they took us back to the station they said they are only treating their guests the way they would like to be treated themselves. They are such a caring and thoughtful couple. They assured us that they were only a phone call away if we needed them (which we didn't as they had thought of everything) but they never intruded. Now if you can tear yourself away from the penthouse. Alora is so friendly too. The bars and restaurants offer lovely tapas, menu del dias and meals for special occasions. There is something to suit all tastes and pockets. If you overindulge in the eating and drinking department then Alora is quite hilly and therefore you also have the opportunity to walk off those extra indulgences. We will certainly recommend Helen and Steve's penthouse far and wide. We ourselves hope to be back one day along with our children. Our ambition is to visit many 'Pueblos Blancos'. However, we will struggle to find any accomodation to match this. Not only is it stunning, it is outstanding value for money. Thank you Helen and Steve for making our stay so perfect. We will never forget it. Good Luck for the future.

My wife and I had a lovely stay in the penthouse during the summer of 2010. The apartment was sparkling clean, well fitted out and comfortable. The air con worked well. We didn´t use the second bedroom but it would not have good to use it as it did not have air con and without it it would have been uncomfortable.
The owners were both friendly and helpful, without being intrusive. We particularly liked the private terrace, from which the views were splendid. It was possible to sit on it and take in the view while retaining perfect privacy.
The apartment was far enough away from the centre to be away from any noise, but near enough to walk to it in a couple of minutes.
There was only one difficulty and that was the garage. Driving to it in our small hire car was so difficult that we gave up after a couple of attempts and left the car in the public car park about 10 minutes' walk away. It was impossible to get the car round the bend just before the garage without grounding it. That was the only difficulty in an otherwise totally impeccable stay and there is a very good possibility that we will be returning to this property some time in the future.