A walk through our history

In the 18th century, Malaga was famous for its wines and liqueurs exported throughout the world and mainly to England.

Wine was made in people’s houses, called ”lagares”.
But in 1878 the arrival from France of the grape phylloxera caused the destruction of the vineyards.

The inhabitants of the Mountains of Malaga were forced to leave their homes in search of a new way of life.

Therefore, the wine presses were left in ruins or transformed.

Very few of them have survived until the present day.

Lagar los Pilones

Lagar los Pilones today

Lagar los Pilones is a classic example of this ancient way of life.

It has been preserved given that it has passed down through generations for three centuries.

The house was renovated in 2003 maintaining its original structure and winemaking features, such as the press that crushed the grapes or large clay pots buried into the ground for the wine to ferment.

Nowadays, Lagar los Pilones is a meeting place for several generations of the same family that do not usually see each other or groups of friends who want to enjoy their holidays together.

Walls loaded with history

Life took all of you to different cities and countries.

And life goes by so fast that we need to squeeze the moments we spend with those we love most.

Moments as precious as a meal around a big table, the laughter of the little ones, or an endearing conversation under a tree.

The walls and gardens of Lagar Los Pilones are full of simple stories that were magical for those who lived them.

Are you willing to contribute to expanding these stories with your own experiences?

Testimonials

WHAT OUR GUESTS THINK ABOUT EL LAGAR LOS PILONES?

Vahideh
07/06/2019

We 11 friends have stayed in Carmen place for one week, We have enjoyed our stay , it was great that every room has separete bathroom, we had two houses so every one get the place. We enjoyed the spanish style house, and we have spend time every day in pool. One dinner we ordered home made dinner that pagui made it, really good paella. Even She helped us to buy birthday cake. We had a issue with water for some hours, but carmen helped us quickly. If you are fine with staying far from the city and living in mountain it is a good place for vacation. You have 10 minutes driving in mountain to the nearset access for shopinng, throw away trash. But it worked for us . We had three cars that shared the shopping. Thanks carmen for your great hospitality 😍

Lars
18/12/2014

Such an amazing place... even the great pictures doesn't make it justice! I would go back any day. Carmen and her friend Eva were lovely hosts and made us feel very welcome. The rooms are beautiful and the atmosphere is utterly relaxing, the only person we met was the shepherd passing with his sheep... (you can't believe you are just 30 minutes from downtown Malaga). The village below the hill (Casabermeja) is a 5 minutes drive and have some nice restaurants (one for meat and one for fish) and if you are into meat the local butcher shop would be worth a visit by its own. Just be prepared that the road to the house is a 2 km narrow dirt road climbing the hills – but we made it with our 2 wheel drive without problems.

Alain
28/10/2023

Nous avons été très sensibles à la très grande réactivité de notre hôte Carmen. cela a été précieux de pouvoir compter sur son aide efficace et rapide pour les questions que nous lui avons posées pendant notre séjour.

Lucy
26/08/2017

This is an amazing place if you want to get away from the usual tourist experience. It is quite isolated but the house and the views ensure you completely relax. Carmen is a wonderful host. She is caring and helpful but not intrusive. The house is beautiful and has so many different places for eating and chilling that you can find your own space if you want it. Ideal for a big family or a group of friends who want to get away from it all.

Roxanna
26/03/2016

Wonderful and spacey house with fantastic views. We were a group of 10 adults and 3 toddlers and there was enough space for all of us. The pool is secured by a lock: as is the parents fear of having your child drowned. You should be aware of quite a few steps in the house: your baby will be a master handling them after some days. Three of the bedrooms are very spacey so you can have a babybed within with no problem. Carmen provided us three babybeds with linens and two high chairs as asked (thanks again!). The garden and terraces are very nice too. We had a lot of stone oven pizzas and barbecue. We also had a wonderful Offroad-experience getting up and down the hill with our Fiat Panda. Carmen is very helpful and answered our questions right away. We had a wonderful time and can recommend the house without hesitation! Thank you Carmen!

Evelyne
07/07/2023

Si vous recherchez un coin de paradis, typique, authentique, niché entre montagnes, avec une vue spectaculaire, arretez votre choix ici!!! La villa est plus que parfaite, avec décorations typique d'andalousie, possèdant un charme indéniable et est remplie d'histoire. Le chemin vers la villa a lui seul vous convaincra; une route sinueuse en hauteur de 2km vous mènera vers ce domaine privé avec aucun voisin a proximité, situé entre arbres fruitiers, oliviers, amandiers et vignes. Le plaisir que nous avons eu a 10 adultes et 2 enfants de profiter de cet endroit, de la pisicine et du domaine est gravé dans nos mémoires. Le plus bel Airbnb que nous ayons fait!

Anna Sara
08/01/2016

Beautiful house in a gorgeous setting. View is amazing with peace and quiet, only nature, the mountains and the stars at night. The house used to be a winery which means there are lots of features that are kept from its past. However the property is very modern and well equipped in terms of mod cons while absolutely stunning inside and outside. Everything we could think of was there and Carmen was great in answering any questions and looking after us when we arrived. There are lots of seating areas inside and outside the house, we cooked lovely dinners but could also go to Casabermeja, the local town to dine out. The bathrooms are beautiful and super clean, so is the whole house, we had no complaints at all about anything. You do need a car to drive up to the house as it is on a top of a hill with a steep drive but it is a short drive to Malaga or to the airport form the property. Carmen is lovely and very attentive and the property is amazing, we would all highly recommend the house and her! Thank you so so much, we had a lovely time!

Eric
21/06/2018

Carmen was a wonderful host, and her family's property in Spain is beautiful. You should know that to get to the villa, you drive for about 10 minutes up a mountain on a gravel road. Its a bit of an adventure, but that was part of what we loved about it. Once you get there you are staying in a historical villa in the mountains. It has modern amenities like AC and a pool, but the feel is rustic and authentic. It was very comfortable for two families of 4. The kids loved it as much as the adults. Takes about 30 minutes to drive to Malaga. A great experience.

Joe
06/06/2022

What can I say about this holiday. My family are 14 from age’s 1 being the grandchild to age 64 went on holiday to Carmen’s property. The only word that I can describe it would be idyllic. From start to finish Cameron was just excellent. The views were to die for. The property was everything that all the other reviews have said and more. Just perfect. The children and grandchildren and grandparents loved the experience, the pool, the grounds, the house and the Tranquility. Carmen will help you with everything you need from start to finish. Be a little careful with the last 10 minutes of the drive up but other than that there’s plenty more to say but I think I could go on all night if I spoke about the overall brilliant experience. One thing I would say, we hired cars at the airport and our flight was supposed to arrive midday but was changed to arrive at midnight. Carmen arranged a local taxi to meet us at the airport so that we could follow him to the house. Obviously we paid for the service but for the first time to go there we thought it was best not to be trying to find it at night. Money very well spent I would suggest to anyone.. Thank you again Carmen.

Johnny
30/06/2018

We made a three generation family tour to Carmen Place, and we all had a great time in peacefull, beatyfull and privat sourandings. Everything was just above our expectations. We hope to come back some day. This is the Place for good memories.

Scott
10/09/2017

My wife and I spent months looking for the perfect place to celebrate both my 50th birthday and our 10-year wedding anniversary with a large group of friends. We wanted to stay somewhere in southern Spain, and were hoping to find a unique property that could accommodate 10-12 people. After a long search, we finally came across Lagar de Pilones. Even the photos don’t do it justice! We could see by reading the information that the place was historic and unique, and that the host, Carmen, was a wonderful woman who was happy to share the property with groups who appreciated it. The only concern we had was the property’s remote-ness (a somewhat rough, 15-minute drive up a dirt road off the main highway), but after reading the reviews it appeared this wouldn’t be a major obstacle. So after considering everything, we booked our stay. Long story short, Lagar de Pilones ended up being more special, more wonderful, and more beautiful than we ever could’ve imagined! Both houses, the pool, all the other little “nooks” everywhere provided plenty of locations for people to ether spend time together or do their own thing. The amenities all worked perfectly, and any minor issues were addressed promptly by Carmen. One of the highlights was that Carmen offered the services of Frank and Paqui to both pre-stock the property with food & drinks and also to cook a large menu of wonderful Andalucian dishes during our stay. The cooking service was optional (and at our expense), but we ended up using it almost every night and were never disappointed. Frank and Paqui were both wonderful, incredibly friendly people, and it was delightful to see the love and effort they put into every meal. The nearby town of Casabermeja was great for making daily runs for groceries and other essentials. The CEPSA gas station also worked very well as a pick-up spot for the group tours we took to Cordoba, Granada, and Malaga. I’d be negligent not to briefly discuss the road situation. The dirt road between the highway the property is in poor repair, requires fairly slow driving, and requires additional caution when driving at night. That said, we had 3 separate 2-wheel drive cars with us, and everyone felt comfortable driving the road. We did have an issue arise with a local transport company, who originally agreed to make pick-ups from the property, but then (once they saw the road condition) refused to do so. But Carmen was extremely helpful in arranging a work-around. In short, the dirt road is not a “show-stopper”, but is something to be cognizant of. Aside from this minor inconvenience, Lagar de Pilones was even better than advertised. Carmen even arranged for a singer (hi Olga!) to come by the property on my birthday to serenade us, which made for an especially lovely evening. I had high hopes for the stay, and it consistently exceeded my expectations – so many wonderful memories. Thanks again Carmen!!

Nicolas
08/09/2018

The perfect place to spend time to relax with friends and family. The view and sunset are awesome ! Everything you need is available in the house if you have kids. Despite remote location it is easy to spend a day or a night in Malaga (25min by car). And Paqui help us to organize great diners with no stress. If you want to taste Andalousia, this is the spot !

JoLynne
20/02/2022

We absolutely loved staying at Lagar los Pilones. It truly was an incredibly beautiful and breathtaking historical property. It had 360 degree views of the surrounding valleys, mountains and countryside. We brought our four children and their spouses and four grandchildren and we all fit perfectly. The children loved playing on the grounds with the trampoline and playhouse. We all loved sitting in the swing and looking out over the valley at sunset. We enjoyed hiking around the area to visit the ancient caves and paintings. Lagar los Pilones is a good central location for our family to explore Malaga, Marbella, Granada, Ronda, Córdoba, Sevilla or El Caminito del Rey and still make it home to cook dinner, put the children to bed and relax for the evening. Carmen was a wonderful host and very attentive to us. She gave us great suggestions on restaurants and where to shop for food. Casabermeja has the necessities near by such as grocery shopping and restaurants. We were all very pleased with our experience and our only regret was not having another week to spend at Lagar los Pilones. We definitely would recommend it to family and friends and hope to return some day.

Leonardo
22/04/2017

English: We had a wonderful stay in Casabermeja. The house is perfect for family reunions and the views are spectacular. Mª Carmen was a great host and we had great interactions with her. We had day trips to Malaga, Nerja and Granada during our stay and used the grill and the wood oven almost every day. Spanish: Fantástica casa, estuvimos una semana maravillosa en familia. Las dos casas son perfectas para pasar tiempo juntos y con suficiente espacio para todos. Los dueños han hecho un trabajo extraordinario en restauración y decoración de este maravilloso lugar, con paisajes impresionantes. Nos sentimos todo el tiempo en casa. Disfrutamos de cada sitio y vistas que ofrecen esta hermosa propiedad. Felicitamos a los dueños por el buen gusto y la maravillosa hospitalidad a nuestra llegada y durante nuestra estadía. Estamos seguros de volver acá en el futuro. Los cuartos son hermosamente decorados y muy cómodos. Las zonas sociales y de jardines son espectaculares. Supermercado muy cerca de la propiedad y logramos explorar desde allí varios pueblos en el sur de España. Ma del Carmen, muchas gracias por la hospitalidad !!!

Thomas Patrick
31/03/2024

The house was amazing, in such a beautiful setting. Carmen was a fantastic host and really went out of her way to provide loads of information ahead of our stay and to then be on hand during our trip. Can't wait to return.

Marc
15/06/2019

We had the entire house for 5 nights for our group of 12 adults and 3 infants. We housed 2 of the adults on a sofa and trundle bed. We arrived in the wee hours of the morning, and Carmen was kind enough to source some breakfast foods for us so that we would not need to get up so early in the morning. This was a big help! The pictures online do give a beautiful view of the character of the property, but we were not prepared for the amazing views all around the house, and for the multitude of delightful outdoor spaces. We came in early June, and the weather was pleasantly cool at night and warm/hot during the day. Throughout our stay we left doors open to allow breezes to flow through the house. This became a problem only when we did some cooking- you need to keep the doors shut when cooking, or it will attract flies. The kitchen is well equipped for a smaller group, but for 15 was a bit of a challenge. We found enough glasses by getting some from the smaller kitchen next door. We used the outdoor wood grill one evening. 2 evenings, we had dinner prepared by Paqui and Fabbio, and we highly recommend them for meals- it was fabulous! The drive on the dirt road up the mountain was an adventure in the dark the first night, but was well worth the effort and time, to gain the beautiful views of the countryside. Our family hiked at El Torcal national park one of our days, which we highly recommend, and we went to the downtown Malaga market in the morning- loads of fun. All in all, a first-rate, first-class property, and we highly recommend it.

Christina
05/04/2015

Thank you for a wonderful stay! I would recommend this place in an instant. We spent easter here, a family of three generations, and it was beyond our expectations. WOOW was the first thing we said as we walked into the property. The pictures are beautiful, but it is even more magnificent in real life. The scenery, the house, the sunset, the view, the pool, the beautiful and well-kept interior… And Carmen was such a pleasant and caring host. We fell in love with this place and want to return, again and again. xx Christina

Siebren
30/04/2022

Wonderful place, very quiet and relax. We stayed here with the whole family (8 adults and 2 kids). The road to the house is steep, but good to reach by car. The house has a lot of beautiful old characteristic features. It is located on a hill overlooking the beautiful scenery. The house is separated in two houses and offers five (two person) bedrooms, all with their own bathroom with a bath. Is was very tidy and clean. The outside of the house provides a large garden with swimming pool. The pool is clean, and provides 6 beds for sunbathing. There is a trampoline for the kids in the garden. There are about 9 places around the house where they have some nice areas to sit. Next to the house, there is a large dining table outside. On the other side of the house is a BBQ and an outside pizza oven. Carmen showed us the way to the house and explained everything (in Spanish). She was kind and helpful and stayed in contact during the week through whatsapp. We really enjoyed our stay in this lovely house.

Liia
05/01/2017

We were extremely happy with the place. There were nine grownups and one baby in a group and a solution with two houses gave us sufficent flexibility around baby's sleeping hours. The views are magnificent and there are plenty of sitting areas around the house to enjoy the sunrise or the sunset. The access is a bit difficult, 2 km uphill driving but we used it for running practice. 🙂

Morten
27/06/2019

This is a place far beyond expectations. Incredibly beautifully located, a completely unique house. Great social spaces, yes what more can you ask for. Best place in the world to get along with the family. Most important of all was the nice and personal service we received from Carmen and hers family. Morten & Sylva with family 20-27 Juni 2019

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