15 Bedrooms
14 Bathrooms
Sleeps 30
4 Pools
Daily Housekeeping
Breakfast Service
Open-air Cinema
Travel Planning Service*
A magnificent, hilltop estate with striking views of both mountains and Mediterranean, El Mirador Estate epitomises five-star luxury. This Andalucian getaway offers five-star service and bespoke luxury, redefined, on a secluded rural hilltop in the Axarquia region to the east of Malaga.
Spectacular 10-acre estate with 4 traditional Spanish cortijo-style homes, spanning 15 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms
The newest property, ‘El Mirador Lodge’ featured in The Telegraph’s Europe’s 10 Best Luxury Villas
Second property 'El Cortijo Mirador' voted 'Best Rural Retreat in Spain 2019' by prestigious travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler.
Located on a stunning private estate in the rural Axarquia region, near Malaga
Breathtaking hilltop location with sweeping Mediterranean views - just 5 minutes to white villages and 20 minutes to the coast
4 outdoor pools with sun loungers, overlooking panoramic countryside and sea views
Designer outdoor kitchen, with tandoor, pizza oven, and al fresco dining
Open-air summer cinema terrace with daybed
Specially designated "Zen-Zone" for yoga or daily mediation sessions - plush grass screened by palm trees with views over the valley below.
Fully serviced with daily maid and breakfast service
Gourmet Options with Michelin-grade personal chefs
Pet-friendly villa offered by dog-loving owners
Old-world Spanish hospitality with a modern twist is the order of the day here. It brings a new meaning to bespoke luxury, redefining it to encompass the upscale amenities of a five-star hotel in the privacy of a magnificent estate.
Every detail has been designed to deliver a holiday away from the stresses of everyday life – a getaway where everything is arranged on your behalf, to your preference. Standard services at El Mirador Estate include complimentary luxury bath products, pre-loaded iPad for use at the estate, and daily housekeeping and breakfast, with a Michelin-grade chef a nice optional extra.
While they’re understandably very proud of the superior services and genuine Spanish hospitality, what truly distinguishes El Mirador Estate’s offerings is its approach to gastronomy. Before your arrival the kitchen can be stocked at actual cost. Upon arrival you can opt to enjoy welcome tapas* and a wine tasting*, a delicious hint at the epicurean delights that await.
Elevating the included services from gold to platinum levels, there’s a Michelin-rated personal chef available to book, so you can enjoy a luxurious evening at home, or he can escort you on culinary tours of Malaga and Andalucia*.
If your heart craves old-world Spain but your senses demand modern comforts, El Mirador Estate is Andalucia’s resounding answer. 4 luxurious yet traditional homes, perched together on a 10-acre hilltop estate, are home to whitewashed walls, beamed ceilings, ancient stone floors and hand-hewn woods. Gourmet kitchens, custom furnishings, and top-of-the-range electronics provide the necessary contemporary amenities.
The 15-bedroom estate comprises El Cortijo Mirador, El Mirador Lodge, Casa Miralago and Casa Miravista: authentic cortijos elevated above the scenic Axarquia region of Malaga and overlooking the glimmering Mediterranean and the turquoise lakes of nearby town La Viñuela. Step inside either and you step back in time, to an Andalucian wonderland of airy rooms and sun-dappled interiors where curtains billow and fires roar in the hearth.
And yet, each villa has achieved a seamless marriage between quintessential Spain and modern comforts. There are richly beamed ceilings that overlook Lacanche gourmet ranges, while whitewashed bedroom walls contrast with the warmth of hand-stitched Suzani tapestries. Spanish antiques lend authenticity to modernised rooms that house all the 21st-century trimmings.
The estate is adorned with a rainbow of colour: the reds of Spanish clay roofs, the frosty whites of Andalucian walls, the cerulean waters of fountains and swimming pools, and the bursting blooms of landscaped grounds.
The name El Mirador, or ‘The Viewpoint’, is very apt as the hilltop’s “top-of-the-world” location is absolutely breath-taking. From this elevated perch the views take in nearby ancient ruins, verdant olive and almond groves, a working vineyard, three mountain ranges and the azure Mediterranean and lakes of La Viñulea.
At El Mirador, every outdoor space takes the spectacular setting into account. Every terrace, every corner, every lounger, every table – they all sit positioned to drink in the view.
With its 4 swimming pools, mature gardens, terraced courtyards, outdoor kitchens, and a generous scattering of sun loungers, plush seating and dining areas, everything here is designed so that its guests can enjoy as much time outside as possible.
Set across 4 homes, El Mirador Estate offers several living spaces. At Cortijo el Mirador, there are four living spaces split between the main living room (with large fireplace), drawing room, library and all-year-round terraces. At El Mirador Lodge, living spaces include a cosy living room with deep sofas and a fireplace, plus a spacious outdoor lounge with built-in sofas.
A short stroll up the lane to Casa Miravista and you will find a bright, open-plan living room with woodburner fire and mountain views, plus and an expansive patio complete with sunken seating area piled with cushions and an oversize hammock.
In the neighbouring property, Casa Miralago, there is a huge outdoor living space ranged with comfy day beds, sunken sofas piled with cushions low-slung hammocks and sunloungers next to the glittering blue pool. The house also offers a compact and cosy lounge with an open fireplace, large sofa and TV.
At Cortijo el Mirador, the indoor kitchen sits in the original centre of the villa. Its cottage-style seating leads to the modern cook’s kitchen, outfitted with top-of-the-range appliances and a roaring fire, weather permitting.
In summer, an outdoor kitchen and dining area accommodates 8. Situated poolside, the summer kitchen has a wood-fired grill and large dining table beneath a shaded terrace.
At El Mirador Lodge, the kitchen is the true heart of the home. Spacious and airy, it offers an American-style refrigerator and gourmet oven, as well as other luxurious touches. A breezy dining area seats 8, and the outdoor kitchen offers a tandoor and pizza oven.
At Casa Miravista, the kitchen embodies stylish, rustic-chic, with sandalwood cabinets, smooth white granite work-tops and gleaming appliances, such as a 4 ring electric hotplate, Nespresso machine, juicer and kettle. This open-plan space also contains a table with 8 chairs, positioned beneath the room’s most striking feature – a huge plate glass window with views of the mountains framed within it.
Outside the property on the terrace, there is an outdoor dining table seating 8 and a top-of-the-range, egg-shaped BBQ for poolside grilling.
At nearby Cara Miralago there is a large shaded area for outdoor dining, complete with 8-seater table, pizza oven and BBQ grill. Inside, the property offers a compact kitchen with cream wooden cupboards, 3 ring electric hotplate, oven and Nespresso machine,
The estate offers many chill-out spots and terraces, scattered throughout the gardens (including a meditation garden) and pool areas. A shaded and intimate courtyard functions as an outdoor living room, leading to the pool terrace.
4 pools, complete with a generous assortment of sun loungers, provide a refreshing respite from warm Spanish rays. You can enjoy magnificent sea and mountain views from almost every spot on the property. The glittering azure lakes of La Viñuela are also visible from the terraces of Casa Miralago and Casa Miravista.
In the evening, make use of the enclosed top terrace with its cushion-heaped day bed to indulge in a spot of star-gazing or to watch a film on the fold-down projector screen. There’s even a fridge at hand to ensure your refreshments are kept perfectly chilled.
Bedroom 1: The master suite in Cortijo el Mirador. Located in the villa’s centre, with a 180cm (king) bed and hand-stitched Suzani tapestry headboard. The en-suite, hammam-style bathroom has French doors to the terrace, where you’ll enjoy the outdoor summer shower and magnificent sea views.
Bedroom 2: Cortijo el Mirador’s second bedroom, with a 140cm (full) bed, hand-stitched Suzani tapestry headboard, and local antique Spanish chest of drawers. The en-suite bathroom offers a shower.
Bedroom 3: Cortijo el Mirador’s third bedroom, this room has a 180cm (king) bed (which may be converted to two singles) flanked by a hand-stitched Suzani tapestry headboard, built-in dressing table, and wardrobe. A separate bathroom, with large tub, bidet and shower, is shared with Bedroom 4. A second bath is located further down the corridor.
Bedroom 4: Cortijo el Mirador’s fourth bedroom, with a 180cm bed that can be made up as two singles. A separate bathroom, large tub, bidet and shower, is shared with Bedroom 4. A second bathroom is located further down the corridor.
Bedroom 5: The master bedroom at El Mirador Lodge, and the perfect bridal or anniversary suite. Plush furnishings and en-suite bath with shower room and soaking tub, king size bed in addition to a private lounge, terrace and garden.
Bedroom 6: El Mirador Lodge’s second bedroom, with double bed and en-suite bathroom.
Bedroom 7: El Mirador Lodge’s third bedroom, with twin beds and en-suite bathroom.
Bedroom 8: Casa Miravista’s master bedroom, located in a poolside annexe separate from the main house. Contains double bed with french windows opening out onto the terrace. En-suite bathroom with walk-in shower.
Bedroom 9: Casa Miarvista’s second bedroom. Features double bed with bespoke, wood-carved bedside tables. En-suite bathroom with tub and rain shower and colourful Andalucian floor tiling.
Bedroom 10: Third bedroom at Casa Miravista. Twin beds pushed together and large french windows with views over the valley and vineyards. Bathroom next door with walk-in shower and colourful Andalucian tiling.
Bedroom 11: Fourth bedroom at Casa Miravista. Double bed made in white linen with blue and gold throw cushions. En-suite bathroom with walk-in shower.
Bedroom 12: Master suite at Casa Miralago. Accessed via entrance hall with bathroom and dressing room leading off it. Bedroom features double bed and dressing table and brightly patterned wall-hanging tapestry. En-suite bathroom with walk.in shower and double sinks.
Bedroom 13: Second bedroom at Casa Miralago. Features double bed with yellow throw cushions and high ceilings with exposed beams. En-suite bathroom with walk-in shower.
Bedroom 14: Third bedroom at Casa Miralago. Twin beds pushed together – an ideal room for 2 children sharing. Private bathroom located in hallway next door featuring walk-in shower.
Bedroom 15: Fourth bedroom at Casa Miralago. Features double bed and quirky bespoke hanging rack made from intertwined branches. En-suite bathroom with walk-in shower.
El Mirador Estate operates as a personal boutique hotel. Your rental includes a daily visit from the housekeeper to include lay-out and clearing away after breakfast, plus a linen and towel change twice a week. Additional housekeeping hours can be booked and paid for directly to cover things like after-meal clearing up, nightly turn-down, or personal laundry.
Your breakfast is included in the price of the rental and will be prepared and laid out each morning, with assistance from your housekeeper to serve and clear away. Breakfast will be continental-style, based on local seasonal produce, with new items introduced by your housekeeper through the week.
You have the option to have a top chef on hand during your stay. Gourmet menus, tasting menus, wine-pairing with your meals, and a poolside waiter service can all also be provided on request, please ask us for a quotation.
All of our villas have a convenient stock-cupboard, with a starter supply of the essential household items you might need for a comfortable stay.
A pre-arrival shopping service is available to cover essentials for the first 2 days. Our Guest Experience Team will assist with making your order before you travel.
All stays with The Luxury Villa Collection include a personal meet and greet with an English-speaking Villa Manager for peace of mind, and they are then available during your stay to assist you with any villa queries.
In addition, from the moment you book, our Guest Experience Team will help with all your travel arrangements to ensure a smooth stay. Our Spain-based local experts have a well-honed ‘Little Black Book’ of hand-picked experiences at their disposal, ready to help you create lasting memories.
Every booking includes around 3 hours of itinerary planning before you travel (more complex itineraries can be organised for a fee to cover extended hours). As a guide, 3 hours is usually enough to help with your airport transfers and car hire, a chef service for a special meal, and to help you plan and book one day out.
Once you arrive at El Mirador Estate, our Guest Experience Team will be on hand via email, SMS or WhatsApp with further ideas and recommendations. If you think you might need a more personalised service, we can arrange for you to have a Personal Concierge* for the duration of your stay.
At El Mirador Estate there is also a dedicated villa manager who can assist with extra services such pre-arrival shopping, wine orders, chefs, transfers, masseurs, nannies, etc.
The villa concierge and chef offer a range of local trips, excursions and visits to get the most out of your stay. Ideas include visiting the local vineyards and olive farm, hiking in the mountains, or a Spanish food experience with a visit to a local fresh food market with your chef.
El Mirador Estate offers private bespoke tours to the cities of Andalucia for up to 8 passengers in air-conditioned Mercedes vehicles, and would highly recommend Granada and the Alhambra, or the Malaga Art and tapas tour.
Your Owner-Concierges will be happy to do your itinerary planning for a small fee based on their own personal expertise of the Axarquia region.
GETTING AROUND
Due to the location of El Mirador Estate a hire car is essential, our Guest Experience Team would be happy to organise hire cars and transfers when booked in advance.
This villa operates as a fully serviced private hotel with everything arranged for you.
We’re proud to offer El Mirador Estate as part of our Character Collection. With 15 bedrooms and 10 acres, the estate is ideal for extended families and larger groups seeking togetherness and privacy.
El Mirador Estate, when booked as a whole complete with its sister properties Casa Miravista and Casa Miralago, offers the perfect backdrop for a special wedding or celebration, adding Andalucian charm, style and sophistication to your special day.
Ask us about hosting your celebration in Casa Miralago which has views over the lake and mountains, along with the other villas that are available nearby to accommodate your guests.
Inland from the Costa del Sol and east of Malaga, the Axarquia is a picturesque region of rolling hills lined with vineyards, dotted with bright blue lakes and untouched white villages.
El Mirador Lodge is located inland above Lake Vinuela, close to the charming white villages of Canillas de Aceituno and Alcaucin in one of Andalucia’s most unexplored yet accessible areas. This eastern part of Malaga province is known as the Axarquia and offers some breathtakingly spectacular landscapes whether it be turquoise sea and coastal coves or mountains reached by stunning, snaking mountain roads. This is real Spain.
With a tropical climate perfect for producing Moscatel wines, this region of Malaga province is bordered by the sea to the south, and two mountain ranges – the Sierra de Aljama to the north and east, and the Montes de Malaga to the west. You can easily explore neighbouring towns of Velez-Malaga, known as the capital of this region, with its restored castle, then on to Colmenar and Comares; Torrox, to reach Competa; and Nerja, for Frigiliana, one of the prettiest of the Spanish ‘Pueblos Blancos.’
For more of a city vibe, a easy day trip is Malaga and explore the stylish old town, bustling tapas bars and many museums and galleries, before sipping cocktails in one of the cities roof-top hangouts overlooking the magnificent ancient Alcazaba Palace.
A stay at Casa Miravista is also gourmet heaven, with a local climate rich for Andalucian produce from tropical fruit and avocados, to olive oil and wine. The Axarquia offers a wide choice of local restaurants to keep the most avid foodies thoroughly satisfied! Check out some of our foodie suggestions in Spain in Style.
Other local amenities include:
Outdoor Activities:
Fans of outdoor pursuits will be spoilt for choice during their stay. The property is located on the doorstep of some of the best hiking trails in Malaga such as El Saltillo joining the villages of Canillas de Aceituno and Sedella. And for the more adventurous a seven-hour hike which will take you to the summit of the province’s highest mountain range – La Maroma at 2069m.
If you’d prefer to get your blood pumping on a bike ride, there are also some fabulous mountain biking tracks and road cycling in the countryside – and the property’s’ dedicated concierge team would be more than happy to arrange a guided tour of the best with a local expert.
Heading down to the coast we recommend the coastline of Nerja/Maro, hire a boat, kayak or paddle board and go exploring. Waterfalls, coves, abundant sea life and private beaches await you at this spectacular stretch of coast.
Check availability and pricing here.
If it’s not quite what you are looking for then please contact us and we will try our best to help.
