By the five2one team, from our office in Reserva del Higuerón
Reserva del Higuerón is a residential area on the hillside between Benalmádena and Fuengirola, on the Costa del Sol, about 15 minutes by car from Málaga Airport. Its story begins in 1992. At its centre is Higuerón Resort, with a hotel, a sports club, a spa and a Michelin-starred restaurant. It is also where five2one has its Spanish office and several of its homes.
This guide is for anyone about to spend their holidays here, or deciding whether this is the place they want to return to, year after year.
Where is Reserva del Higuerón?
Reserva del Higuerón sits on high ground in the area known as La Morera, where Benalmádena and Fuengirola meet. The Sierra de Mijas rises behind it, and the Bay of Fuengirola opens out below.
The area has two sides that work together. The residential side is a gated community with round-the-clock security. Higuerón Resort is its social heart: the hotel, the sports club, the spa and the restaurants, all within a few minutes of home. Locally, the whole area is often simply called Higuerón.
What are the origins of Reserva del Higuerón?
The story starts in 1992, when the Rodríguez family acquired the first plots of land and set up the company that would develop the area. The idea was a residential community with its services built in, not homes alone.
Through the 2000s, the first 400 homes were handed over, and the sports club and the spa took shape alongside them. The area has kept growing since, with new residential projects, each with its own architecture and character, built around the same idea.
“Higuerón has evolved from a privileged residential area into an ecosystem built around a way of life. Architecture, nature, sport, wellbeing and an international community all reinforce each other. What I find most special about living here is that time somehow feels wider. You simply manage to get more out of life.”
Pedro López
Head of Operations at five2one, who has worked in residential development in Higuerón for years
The hills around it have a much older story. Historians most often trace the name Benalmádena to an Arabic place name linked to the mines once worked in this area.
A day in Higuerón
Days here tend to follow the light: sport in the morning, the sea or the sierra in the afternoon, and long dinners on the terrace in the evening.
A morning might start with a padel match or a swim before the heat of the day. Later, the coast is close by. Carvajal beach lies between Benalmádena and Fuengirola, and Fuengirola’s seafront promenade is near for a walk, a coffee or lunch by the water.
Pedro López, who heads our operations here, has simple advice for a first week: explore. Walk the area, find the pine forests and green spaces, go down to the beach, eat at a chiringuito, play padel and meet people. On the Costa del Sol, as he puts it, time seems to widen: you can work, train, go to the beach, have lunch with friends, play a match and still have the evening ahead of you.
Evenings belong to the terrace. The light turns gold over the bay, the air cools, and dinner happens at the pace it deserves. It is an everyday life that asks very little of you, which is the point. Being there is enough. Danes have a word for it: nærvær.
Higuerón Resort: wellness, food and room for guests
Higuerón Resort gives the area what most residential neighbourhoods have to drive to find.
- Wellness: a spa and pools, for slow mornings and quiet afternoons.
- Food: Sollo, chef Diego Gallegos’s restaurant at the resort, holds a Michelin star. Its kitchen centres on freshwater fish and vegetables raised through aquaponics, and according to the Michelin Guide, 90% of its ingredients are produced in-house.
- Room for guests: when friends or family come to visit, and the house is already full, the Higuerón Hotel Málaga, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, is right there.
The Higuerón Sport Club
Sport has been part of Reserva del Higuerón since its first stage, and padel is at the centre of it. At the Higuerón Sport Club, part of Higuerón Resort, a morning match fits easily into a holiday day, with tennis, basketball and a gym alongside. As Pedro puts it, having it all at the door “removes a lot of friction”: no long drives to train, meet someone or join in.
From 25 to 27 September 2026, the club hosts the five2one Padel Open. Up to 150 pairs play across men’s, women’s and mixed categories, over three days of play in the heart of Higuerón.
Between the Sierra de Mijas and the sea
Higuerón’s setting is its quiet advantage: mountains behind, sea in front.
The Sierra de Mijas starts right behind the area, with pine forests and walking routes for the mornings when the beach can wait. Mijas Pueblo and Benalmádena Pueblo, two white villages in the hills, make easy half-day trips. Golf is close too, with Torrequebrada, El Chaparral and Mijas Golf all a short drive away. Below, the coast offers the opposite: beaches, promenades, the marina at Benalmádena, and the everyday bustle of Fuengirola.
Higuerón through the seasons
Higuerón is not only a summer place. The Costa del Sol is known for its mild winters, and that changes how a second home can be used.
Spring and autumn are good for walking in the sierra, padel and golf, and quieter beaches. Summer is for the sea, the pools and late dinners outside. In winter, the days are often mild enough for lunch in the sun.
With 10 weeks a year in a five2one home, it is worth looking beyond July and August. Each season gives the same place a different rhythm.
Getting around: airport, coast and city
Málaga Airport is about 15 minutes away by car, and Málaga María Zambrano station, for high-speed trains, is around 30 minutes. That makes Higuerón easy to reach for a long weekend as well as for a longer stay.
Depending on where in the area you stay, the beach is a short walk or a short drive away.
Is Higuerón the right place for you and your family?
Higuerón is a perfect match for people who thrive in a calm and open area, surrounded by marvelous nature, but close enough to where everything happens, with Málaga city and one of the largest international airports in Spain just 20 minutes away by car. Higuerón welcomes international families, sports enthusiasts, especially padel, tennis and golf players, and those who enjoy a life of contrasts, being able to fill your day with an endless list of exciting activities followed by a time of self-reflection, wellness and, why not? Some indulgence.
Frequently asked questions
Is Reserva del Higuerón in Benalmádena or Fuengirola?
In practice, both. Reserva del Higuerón sits in La Morera, on the hillside where the two municipalities meet, so some addresses in the area belong to Benalmádena and others to Fuengirola. The five2one office, for example, has a Benalmádena address.
Is there a train station near Higuerón?
Yes. The C-1 local train runs along the coast below Higuerón, with a station at Carvajal, at the foot of the hill. The line connects directly with Málaga Airport and Málaga city, with no change of train needed.
A five2one home in Higuerón
Each five2one home is shared by 5 families, each holding a 20% share and 10 weeks a year. It is real co-ownership, and professional management takes care of the practical side, so your holidays start the moment you arrive. Three of our homes in Higuerón:
- Exclusive penthouse with spectacular panoramic views: three bedrooms and a 185 m² terrace with an outdoor kitchen, looking along the coastline.
- Lomas Unique: two bedrooms and a terrace with a private jacuzzi, with views of the sea and the Sierra de Mijas.
- Lomas 5: three bedrooms on the ground floor, with a private garden, a fire pit and an outdoor kitchen.
