We had a 3 night stay over May bank holiday.

Caroline and Ali are superb hosts, food and wine excellent and it was so lovely after a day out to simply shower and go for dinner right there. We liked dining with the other guests and we met some really interesting people.

The gardens and pool are lovely. Very relaxing.

The atmosphere is warm and friendly - really a home from home. I saw a previous review said it was like visiting friends. That is so true. Caroline and Ali make you feel so welcome.

We loved it and would like to go back.

We spent a fabulous five days in this Spanish cortijo set amidst rolling hills of olive groves and farmland near the small town of Alora. Caroline and Ali, the owners, were gracious hosts and full of useful information as we planned our daily outings.
Our room was one of five ajoining casitas set apart from the main house, simply and pleasantly furnished, with a spacious tiled bathroom including walk-in shower with plenty of hot water. The bed, two twins joined together at our request, was very comfortable; an additional twin bed was provided for our 14-year-old niece. The grounds were attractively landscaped, with trails, arbors and a stunning swimming pool.
Breakfasts included a good selection of options, from cereals and fruit, to homemade bread, to hot breakfasts of free-range eggs and meats cooked to order. Dinners were offered as well (you decided at breakfast whether you would dine in that evening), and after sampling Caroline's outstanding gourmet cooking, we ended up eating there several evenings. The price for dinner was very reasonable and there were delicious vegetarian options. The family style dining also provided convivial and interesting dinner conversation. Our overall impression as we departed was that of having visited with friends.

Cortijo Valverde is a little peace of heaven tucked away in the beautiful Spanish countryside about 45 minutes from Malaga. Caroline and Ali were the perfect hosts and made us feel very welcome in their home.
We wanted to get away to chill out on a relaxing weekend break but be away from commercial Spain and find the real authentic Spain and that’s exactly what we found. Not that we wandered very far from the hotel but we did enjoy hearing about the local sights and adventures from our fellow guests during the communal evening dinners. We discovered Ali is a mine of information about anything from local foods and wines to the best sights and how to get there. His instructions are fool proof, right down to the signposts to look out for!
Our room was delightfully spacious with all the usual facilities provided including a fresh lemon from the tree outside our room to have with our afternoon tea. There was a small terrace outside the room and whilst sitting in the sun enjoying the beautiful view and the peace and quiet we were thrilled to hear the cuckoo in the distance.
We spent one day sightseeing in Malaga, which we found very informative but we mostly spent our time unwinding by the pool and gardens because it was so peaceful; we couldn’t tear ourselves away.
Each morning at breakfast the guest are shown the menu for that nights evening meal and are invited to join Caroline and Ali for a pre dinner drink on the terrace before sitting down to eat together. Because the food was all local and fresh ingredients put together by Caroline’s fantastic culinary skills we weren’t surprised that all the guests opted to return to the hotel for their meals and to share their days adventures and pass on advice to others.
We don’t usually return to the same place twice but I can definitely say we will be returning to Cortijo Valverde and next time it will be longer than a weekend so that we can discover for ourselves all the things we heard so much about during those very pleasant evening meals on the terrace which overlook mountains in an unspoilt spot in the countryside not far from Malaga!
Our weekend was excellent and from the way we felt when we got home a longer stay must be tried next time!

Following a drive of around 45 minutes from Malaga Airport we arrived at Cortijo Valverde and were greeted by Ali and Caroline and immediately offered a drink on the sun terrace. We were then shown to our 'villa', one of seven, with an enormous swimming pool outside and are set back about 50m from the main house. The villa was simple but perfect for our long weekend stay with very effective air conditioning, a comfortable bed and tea and coffee facilities, plus a safe in the huge wardrobes.

From its location, Cortijo Valverde is within easy reach of Malaga, Marbella and Puerto Banus, whilst a short journey inland takes you to the sights of El Torcal, Antequera, and even Granada is not that far away.

With the local town of Alora offering restaurants and bars we thought we would have to take a journey into town for at least one evening, but with Caroline's fantastic cooking (and I mean FANTASTIC) we found ourselves spending every evening in the company of the other guests around a communal dining table and throughly enjoying the company and the food. The diverse menu, including an amazing Paella on Friday evening, made it feel like we had accommodation in a restaurant rather than having an evening meal provided by the owners!

With plenty to do while we were there, the comfortable surroundings, nearby places iof interest, the 'out of this world' food and hospitality, we had a fantastic time and could not recommend Cortijo Valverde highly enough.

When you factor in the cheap flights to Malaga, the cheap (but essential) rental car and the accommodation cost it has been one our best holiday decisions ever and we have already booked with Ali and Caroline for a longer stay in the Summer, when we will be able to experience the gorgeous pool.

All in all, very highly recommended and a fully justified 5 stars!