Last updated on November 24, 2023

Imagine a place where you wake up to mountain views and fresh croissants delivered to your door every day. Where the kids can run free, meeting new friends and petting farmyard animals. Where you spend lazy days by the pool or the sea, followed by balmy evenings enjoying meals on your balcony or group dinners with fellow guests, the conversation and wine flowing freely. And where you don’t need to bring a single piece of kit – all the toys, books, cots and baby equipment is ready there and waiting.

This place, Caserio del Mirador, exists in the hills of Alicante. Dreamed up by Sarah and Johnny Robinson, it’s been running for over 20 years, and over time, the couple have perfected the art of creating relaxing family breaks, ideal for your first holiday with a baby or toddler. They brought up their own three kids there and know all the tricks to make a holiday as stress-free and enjoyable as possible.

It’s the kind of place people return to again and again – in fact one of the families we met there was on their fourth visit, this time with teenage children!

So what makes Caserio del Mirador so special? Here are 18 reasons we fell in love with the place and why we recommend it for your first holiday with kids.

It’s top of our list in our guide to the most stylish luxury toddler holidays in Europe.

Disclosure: Caserio del Mirador invited us to review the hotel and hosted our five-night stay. We paid for all our own flights, meals and activities. As always, all opinions are our own and you can read more about how I work with companies here.

18 reasons to love Caserio del Mirador

1. The kindest hosts

The key thing that made our time at Caserio del Mirador so special was Sarah, our charming and generous host. She has an uncanny ability to know what each guest needs and has a magic way with kids, even winning over our shy sons. Nothing ever felt too much to ask, and she has a comprehensive knowledge of the local area and what to do. It’s because of her and her vision that this place is so special. Her husband Jonny wasn’t there during our stay, but we hear he’s just as charming.

2. Spectacular views

The views at Caserio del Mirador are the star of the show – you’re surrounded by lush mountains, and the valley view cascades right down to the sea. It’s a breath-taking sight to wake up to each morning, with the clouds and light painting a different picture every day.

The view from our room, Carresca, was stunning, framed by an arched balcony. And I enjoyed exploring the grounds each day, finding new and special spots. A favourite was the sweeping view of the valley from the sofa beside the sandpit.

3. A gorgeous house and gardens

The Caserio itself is gorgeous, and it’d be a fabulous place to stay in its own right, even without all the family-friendly benefits.

Built into ancient terraces, the setting is striking. And Sarah and Johnny have augmented that with lush gardens and walkways, laden with fragrant blooms. It’s a joy to behold, especially when you first arrive and round the corner of the mountain road and spy your magnificent new home.

4. Stylish accommodation

There are five apartments in the main house, plus one separate casita and an airstream, all with one or two bedrooms. They have a simple, well put together design with Moroccan touches and a classic Spanish villa style. Think terracotta floors, white linens, leather sofas, lanterns and well curated artwork.

The bedrooms are cosy and the beds supremely comfortable. We stayed in two apartments – the one-bedroom Vinya and two-bedroom Carrasca.

Carrasca was magnificent with that incredible balcony view, a separate twin room for the kids and a huge living area. However, while smaller, Vinya was still more than adequate for the four of us and I really liked how the room led straight out onto its own terrace next to the pool.

5. Plenty of toys for the kids

Before you arrive, Sarah will ask about your kids’ ages and interests, and then curate a toy and book selection for your room based upon this. Plus there are seemingly endless baskets of toys around the property, from duplo to dolls to train sets.

Our kids particularly loved the pedal trucks next to the pool, which they whizzed around on while we had the chance to read (what bliss!).

6. No need to bring baby equipment

Absolutely everything you need for a baby or toddler is available at Caserio del Mirador. From pushchairs to bouncers to highchairs, sterilisers and baby baths, it’s all there for you.

They even have buckets and spades, umbrellas and games to take to the beach. It makes for a really easy journey as you can travel lightly and avoid all the hassle of lugging around so much baby and toddler paraphernalia.

7. Kids’ meal times

At around 6pm every day, a kids’ tea is served. Sarah puts on a varied spread that even the fussiest eaters will enjoy – plus she always checks with the parents beforehand to make sure it’s something they’ll like. Our kids enjoyed veggie sausages, pasta and jacket potatoes, and I loved how there was always a selection of veg on offer, plus plain pasta for when all else failed!

The kids’ tea costs around 15 euro per child, and also includes wine or beer for the adults. It’s a great opportunity to meet other families, and was one of the things we appreciated most about our stay.

8. Amazing food for adults

At least five nights a week, Sarah cooks dinner, which is either served in your apartment or at a shared meal with other guests. And if you’re not feeling social, eating in your own space is always an option. There are baby monitors in each room, so you can relax while the kids sleep.

We loved these shared dinners, where we got to know the other families and hear stories from their lives as well as Sarah’s. She’s a fabulous cook and the open-air kitchen/diner is a beautiful place to dine.

A highlight for us was the tapas night, which was a veritable feast of Spanish dishes. And the Sunday paella lunch was fantastic.

The dinners vary in price from €30 to €120 for two people, and always include unlimited drinks.

You can also opt to have pastries and bread delivered to your apartment every morning – this was a highlight for us and we loved enjoying these on the balcony.

If you prefer to self-cater, all the rooms have a kitchenette with a burner, but no oven, where you can cook simple meals. And there are also local restaurants to enjoy.

9. Honesty bar

There’s also an honesty bar by the pool where you can help yourself to soft drinks, wine, beer and spirits. Guests write down what they’ve taken in a little book and then it’s all added to your bill at the end. It was lovely being able to grab a glass of cava at the end of the day. Plus the kids loved the chocolate milk.

10. Cute farm animals

Caserio del Mirador has a collection of farm animals on site, including donkeys, miniature horses, chickens, pigs, goats and rabbits.

Our littlest one in particular loved visiting the animals, and petting and feeding them. Sarah can advise on what the animals can and can’t eat, and she provides carrots etc too. The bunnies were a particularly cute thing to have around at Easter when we were there!

11. Brilliant play areas

There are little play areas dotted around the grounds of Caserio del Mirador, including a full playground with swings, a climbing frame, slide, and tractors to play on.

And another area has a trampoline, which was a firm favourite with our kids. The views from the play areas are stunning, which is a bonus for the adults while they watch the kids. Sarah can provide picnics if you want to make a full outing out of it.

12. A beautiful pool

The pool is the centrepiece of the property, where families gather and kids entertain each another while the grown-ups get to relax. The pool is heated but cools quickly if the sun’s not out, so best used in the hot summer months.

It was pretty fresh when we were there in April, but I still managed a couple of dips and it was a glorious place to swim. Plus I really loved simply lounging on the poolside sofa, and reading while the kids played – there’s something extra relaxing about being beside a pool!

13. Massages and pilates on offer

During your stay, you can book a massage or facial in your room with a visiting therapist. And there are also pilates classes twice a week. We didn’t end up taking advantage of either of these, but we heard good reviews from other guests. Next time!

14. A well curated flow to the week

Stays at Caserio del Mirador are generally for seven nights from Saturday-Saturday, and Sarah has curated a well thought out flow to the week.

For example, dinners are generally served in apartments on the first night while everyone finds their feet, and then on Sunday there’s a big shared paella lunch so you can mingle with other guests.

Each morning, there’s a printed sheet delivered with breakfast that details suggested things to do and options for the day ahead. Everything, including meals, are optional, so you can have as much privacy or socialising as you like.

15. The cute local town of Jalon / Xaló

The small town of Jalon (or Xaló in the local Valencian language) is just a 10-minute drive from Caserio del Mirador. It’s a cute town to wander around with narrow streets, charming Spanish architecture and mountain views.

There are artisan shops and a local market to explore. And Sarah can recommend some great restaurants. We enjoyed stopping in at Velosol Cycling Bar, which was filled with cyclists making a pit stop on their journey (the area is really popular for biking).

Xaló is the main town in an area called Val de Pop, which is known for its wine, olives and almonds (all of which you can enjoy at the Caserio). We particularly loved the local rosé.

16. Local beaches

A little further afield, around half an hour from Caserio del Mirador, you’ll find the coast where you can explore many family-friendly beaches.

We loved the pretty cove of Cala el Portet, a tiny place with just two restaurants and a narrow beach, so you’re never far from the sea. It was ideal for kids, although you need to be lucky to get a parking spot. Luckily, there are so many beaches, you could just drive to the next one until you find one with space.

We also loved Platja de l’Arenal, which was a much bigger place with a wide, sweeping beach, playgrounds on the sand, and a promenade lined with cafes and restaurants. We enjoyed pizza at Pizzeria Pepa and ice cream from Bico de Xeado.

Other nearby favourite beaches include Denia and Calpe.

17. It’s close to Valencia and Alicante

If you fancy some city time, you’re only an hour from Valencia and Alicante, so you could feasibly take a day trip to either of these. We went to Valencia after our stay at Caserio del Mirador, and found it an amazing place for kids, especially the City of Arts and Sciences.

18. Freedom to create the holiday you desire

Finally, I think one of the best things about a stay at Caserio del Mirador is that you can tailor it to your tastes, and there’s lots of flexibility while there. Choose how many meals you want provided and even opt in on that same day.

If you want full privacy, stay in the separate casita and self-cater or eat out. Or if you’re feeling social, go to all the group meals and make friends with fellow guests. You can be as social as you want to be, but I do urge you to go to at least some of the kids’ teas or group meals as this is one of the most unique and special things about a stay at Caserio del Mirador.

What didn’t we like?

As you can tell from this list of 18 reasons, we fell hard for Caserio del Mirador. I think it’s exactly what a lot of families are looking for when it comes to a holiday with babies or little kids, making everything run as smoothly as possible. I don’t think we’ve ever had a more relaxing holiday with our kids.

But here are a few things to bear in mind…

• I think it’s fairly priced, but it’s not cheap, so it won’t suit people travelling on a strict budget. Rooms are priced from around €1500 per week for a one-bedroom apartment in the low season. This peaks at around €4000 for the biggest two-bedroom apartment in the highest season. This doesn’t include food, so that adds up too. But if you have the money and are looking for convenience and something special, I think it’s definitely worth it.
• The gardens are built into ancient terraces that are around 6ft high. When playing in the play areas or visiting the animals, you’ll need to keep an eye on little ones to make sure they don’t fall. However, we have a wayward 3-year old and didn’t find this to be a problem. Although the terraces are precipitous, they’re also wide so it’s easy to stay away from the edge.
• The whole place is geared towards younger kids, especially babies and pre-schoolers, so you probably don’t want to go there as a couple or solo traveller. I also think it’s well suited to primary school age children as they’ll love all the play equipment, games, pool and animals. The teenagers who were there when we visited also loved it, but they have been visiting since they were little.
• If you’re antisocial, some of the main attractions of Caserio del Mirador will be lost on you. No doubt you’ll still enjoy all the family-friendly perks, but I think you need to join in a little to get the most out of it.
• Only one of the apartments (Carrasca) has a bath. But they do provide baby and toddler baths if needed.
• You definitely need a car as there’s no public transport to reach Caserio del Mirador.
• Although Sarah will try to be as flexible as possible, the holidays usually need to be booked for one week from Saturday-Saturday. This formula works well as then all the guests are there for the same amount of time, which helps with the flow of everything. You’re more likely to be able to book something outside of this schedule in the low season.

Book your stay at Caserio del Mirador now!

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