Flying into Malaga, need to find accom!

[Buggymonsters]

Hi, hoping someone can give me some advice - our family of 4 has booked flights to Malaga for the last week of August but our accommodation has fallen through (were meant to be staying in friend's apt in Marbella).
Can anyone recommend a nice, quiet-ish, non-glitzy area within an hour of Malaga airport? I've been trawling through airbnb but don't know what the towns are like - looking for a place with a pool, near the beach, with restaurants and shops nearby but not in the middle of the super touristy spots. Not Puerto Banus.
Need town names really so that I can narrow it down and start looking for the perfect apartment/hotel.
I'd be so grateful for any help/advice from those in the know!

Nerja or Estepona would probably be your best bet.

Rincon de la Victoria might work. Nice town, good beach, mostly Spanish on holiday.

I love Mijas Pueblo

Benalmadena is good too.

Re-reading your op

Definitely Mijas Pueblo

andalucia.com/mijas/pueblo.htm

La Cala de Mijas is nice

Another vote for Mijas Pueblo.

Thanks so much everyone. Been having a look at Mijas Pueblo, and around Mijas Costa too, not v much available on airbnb - so the next question is, any other websites I should look at for apartment/villa rental? Or any fab hotel recommendations around there?
Sorry, am clueless, new to all this...

Torremolinos is lovely!

Try the Spain Holiday website or Rincon Rentals.

Also Holiday Lettings, Owners Direct, Homeaway and Niumba.

We are flying into Malaga next week and staying in Benhavais " Colina del Paradiso". Its an apartment with hotel facilities. It has v good reviews and was v reasonable ......booked through Travel Republic which was 600e less than elsewhere.

Nerja is just lovely. Been twice now. An easy drive, around an hour if I remember correctly from Malaga airport.

Try letsgomarbella.com this is where we usually stay, its on the golden mile in between marbella centre and puerto banus.

Do you need to be by the beach? If you go inland Andalucia has some beautiful villages and you could probably find cheaper accommodation (with a pool) than by the coast. Ronda is beautiful and well worth seeing, and only 1 hour away, we've l stayed near Colmenar before, also about an hour away but it may be worth looking 1.5 hours away in peak August time to find something lovely. The alpujarras are gorgeous and the mountain breeze very refreshing, we have rented places near Orgiva several times. Check Owners Direct.

For those of you recommending mijas costa, can you tell me anything about los amigos as I'm looking at booking there?

We stay in Benalmadena and love it. Have been going for over 30 years (I'm in my 30s) and now go with my children. Benalmadena pueblo is smaller and quieter - about 15 mins in a taxi. We tend to go up there a few times for a meal as they have some really lovely restaurants.

Stayed in town at the Barcelo. D's loved the slide down from the first floor. Room was pretty swish too.