The Dona Lola resort offers an extensive range of sports and leisure facilities, both indoor and outdoor. Near the entrance to the complex can be found two full size tennis courts. In the new leisure centre there's an indoor heated swimming pool and a spa bath, together with saunas, steam rooms and gymnasium. For the less energetic, there are two snooker tables and a table tennis room. There is a bar suitable for children to gather, with pool tables. (Alcohol is not served to youngsters.) For the ladies there's a launderette (joke, honest).
 
 
  
On beaches within easy reach of the resort you can try water skiing, jet biking, sailing and windsurfing. There's a diving school at Torreblanca, horse riding at Fuengirola, bowling at very nearby Miraflores, water parks at Torremolinos and Fuengirola, a casino at Benalmadena. The Costa del Sol is well known as the "Golfer's Paradise", and deservedly so. Of the 35 courses within easy reach by hire car, a dozen are within 20 minutes drive! It is a magnificent place to play throughout the year. There's even one within walking distance at Miraflores. Rounds at most can be booked through the Dona Lola Club reception.
 
There is a small but comprehensively stocked shop in the resort, and two large supermarkets just across the main road. In the same vicinity there is a good range of shops including cafes, chemist, beachwear shops and a bank. There is an excellent street market at nearby La Cala twice a week. There are markets selling fresh produce at Marbella on Mondays, and Fuengirola on Tuesdays. Puerto Banus and Estepona have flea markets for antique bargain hunters on Saturday and Sunday mornings respectively.
 
 
There is most certainly not a shortage of bars and restaurants. Within three minutes walking from the apartment there is a choice of five bars, and several restaurants - including Chinese, English, Indian and Spanish. Within a further five minutes walk to the left of the complex is a very cheap Spanish "tappas" bar, along with a Hong Kong Restaurant. A little further on there's a McDonalds! There is of course the aforementioned beach club restaurant and bar. Across the road, and within easy walking distance, there are numerous other local bars and restaurants. Within a short driving distance there are theme restaurants at Cabopino, and upmarket restaurants towards Marbella. With the exception of those last mentioned, they offer very good value for money.
 
Mine is a privately owned apartment, but many of the others (65%) on the Dona Lola resort are timeshare. This is of great advantage to guests renting this apartment. It means that the facilities provided here are befitting an "RCI Gold Crown Resort", and that the grounds and those facilities are kept in tip-top condition. There is a well run children's club, and a great variety of activities are arranged for all ages throughout the day in the high season, ranging from 5-a-side footie to "French Boules". You can even learn how to speak Spanish! Regular evening entertainment is also provided. Discos are organised for the youngsters. There is a nightclub just across the footbridge, and many more in nearby Fuengirola and Marbella. In short, there's everything here that you could possibly want from a Spanish holiday, and pretty well all of it is on your doorstep.

So, soon after a relatively short flight, you could be sipping cocktails whilst watching the activity in a beautiful marina, basking in warm Mediterranean waters or enjoying a round on the many top class golf courses in this popular part of Southern Spain. There are golden sandy beaches to delight children. Entertainment abounds in this sunny playground. One of the most well known resorts is Marbella with wide sandy beaches, bars, clubs, restaurants, shops, as well as a maze of narrow streets forming the old town. At it's centre is Orange Square dating back to 1848. Nearby Puerto Banus is a lively place with many restaurants, clubs and designer boutiques around a marina of luxurious yachts. This is the in-place to rub shoulders with celebrities and those with extreme wealth. Travelling inland brings you to the white villages of real Spain such as Mijas and Casares. You can drive up the cliff-hugging road to Ronda straddling a gorge, and visit its bull ring which is over 200 years old. Gibralter makes an interesting day trip - take a cable car to the Rock for a spectacular view, and see the Barbary apes, then shop in Marks & Spencers and the many duty free shops! Day trips to Jerez, Seville and Tangier are also possible. And if you take an out of season holiday, you're only two and a half hours away from the ski slopes of the Sierra Nevada, and it's not that expensive! There's a wide range of ski-runs, excellent ski-lifts and you can hire all the gear there at very reasonable prices.
 
You can fly to Malaga from England from as little as £25.00 per person! A more realistic average in high season may be between £140.00 and £180.00 return, though there is no doubt that bargain flights are available if you put some effort into finding them.

Airport Parking: www.parking4less.co.uk
 
Not that expensive. Again the price goes up in the high season. I recommend a good and reliable car hire firm who have an office very close to my apartment. They will have your car ready for collection at the airport, and you just drop it there when you leave.
 
Not bad. The half hour drive from Malaga airport to Dona Lola will cost about £25.00. The same journey by train to Fuengirola and then bus from Fuengirola to Dona Lola would cost about £4.00
 
An excellent bus service operates along the coast. Buses run about every 20 minutes or so from Marbella to Fuengirola (and of course the reverse), calling at all the small villages, large towns and beach areas en-route. The buses are cheap, clean and prompt. How strange.
 
A wide variety of excursions can be arranged through the Dona Lola reception. They even run their own coaches to such places as Gibraltar, Mijas, Puerto Banus, Ronda and the water park and market at Fuergirola etc.
 

I think you will like my apartment, Dona Lola, and this area of Spain. For more photographs, information, prices and an availability chart, please refer to the following website:

www.holiday-rentals.com/donalola

Emails please to ibex32@aol.com Phone calls to Brian on 0161 485 7015 or Mobile 07774 141916

If you find this apartment is booked when you require it, please visit my other apartment in Spain at www.holiday-rentals.com/marazul