The 10-minute drive on a narrow, twisting, only partially metaled access road, climbing nearly 400 meters within less than 2 miles, takes some courage and a powerful car with good ground clearance, but it's worth it. The place is on a private road, with no close neighbors except the landlord and landlady, their kids and dogs, all of whom left us perfectly in peace, except for the dogs who seemed to be fond of the company of our kids.
The house has a private outdoor pool (unheated), a front terrace, a rooftop terrace, all lovely arranged and kept, complete with potted palms, and an outdoor bed with a roof to protect from the sun. The views are stunning and include the whole range from sheer mountains to rolling hills to the blue Mediterranean. There is also a ping-pong table and a boules/boccia range.
The interior of the house is simple, tasteful and perfectly serviceable, with three good-sized bedrooms, a bathroom plus separate water toilet, and a living-cum-dining room with open kitchen. We felt very much at home there. What made it just a bit spartan was the lack of a dishwasher and the scarcity of water, particularly pronounced in the bathroom. The tap has a water saving device that allows water to flow uninterrupted only for a second or so, and the shower is just a trickle. It's understandable, though, since water has to be brought up the hill with a lorry, we were told.
We had a full week with blue skies and warm days, yet nights were chilly in March. We had to turn on the A/C in the evening to feel comfortable. Still, the stone floor made for cold feet. I imagine the house keeps nicely cool in the summer though.
The closest place to shop is Vélez-Málaga, about a quarter-hour away by car. It has everything you need. Half an hour away is Nerja with the famous beaches and the huge limestone caves, as well as the somewhat touristic, but impressive "white town", Frigiliana. A lot closer and much more genuine is the equally white Arenas, visible from the rooftop terrace.
We enjoyed our short stay very much. James and family really made this a lovely place.