Myself and my partner had a wonderfully peaceful 9 days at El Arpa finca. Situated in the mountains just outside Malaga with private access to a lake, it is the ideal location for a quiet getaway. We felt well looked after both before and during our visit - the hosts were always easily contactable and went as far as to suggest activities and local restaurants that we may like to book before our holiday. The apartment itself was neat and tidy. It was clean and had everything we would need, and included a welcome bottle of wine and tostadas (thank you!).
We were impressed with the effort the hosts are making to offer environmentally friendly accommodation, and think the store room is a great idea as it is not easy to quickly nip to the local shops. The room was homely and in keeping with Spanish tradition. It is not a “new build” type of accommodation, which is perfect for us as we like to stay places that have a bit of character. For those seeking a 5* luxury hotel this probably isn’t the right place to stay, but be assured it was certainly beautiful, charming and kept very clean.
The location of El Arpa is very tranquil. The other people staying in the apartments were respectful of each other and as the apartments are for 2 people maximum the atmosphere during our stay was calm and relaxing.
The apartment had a fan, which was much needed in the Spanish summer heat! And mosquito repellent. But no air conditioning, which was ok as the evenings were quite cool. There was a book filled with lots of information and suggestions on places to go during our stay and we did visit several places based on these suggestions.
The surrounding area is perfect for people who like exploring; although having a hire car is a must. We were busy most days and would still come back to explore more. There are several national parks within an hour or so driving. We also went rock climbing, visited the local wolf sanctuary, went quad biking and of course visited the caminito del ray - so there is plenty to do! But El Arpa is also a perfect place to stay and relax during the day for those wanting to wind down.
All in all, we can't speak highly enough of El Arpa, we had an amazing holiday and would happily come back in the future. We also felt the price was very reasonable, hence why we were able to stay for 9 days instead of a week.
Thank you to Rikke and Michael for being so accommodating and kind and providing such a lovely place for people like us to enjoy :).