The people behind the gate

Meet Caro,
Wouter & Daisy

We followed our dream, trusted what felt right — and ended up in the most beautiful valley in Cantabria.

Your hosts

The people you'll meet

Caro
Host & artist
Caro
Co-host · Creative soul · Freedom Seeker

Caro is the big smile behind Casa Val de Vida. With a heart for flowers, creativity and simple living, she runs her own creative brand, Art by Caro, and brings her artistic eye into Casa Val de Vida. She loves creating spaces that feel welcoming, relaxed and a little unexpected. And she enjoys real conversations, good jokes, adventure and, of course, the ocean.

Wouter
Host & surf coach
Wouter
Co-host · Gardener · Storyteller

Wouter is the connector behind Casa Val de Vida. A surf coach with a deep love for the ocean, nature and his veggie garden, he loves bringing people together, sharing stories around the table and making guests feel at home. He is also the one who brings many of our ideas to life — building, fixing, planting and always thinking about the next project.

Daisy
Queen of the house
Daisy
Adopted · Garden guardian · Bee chaser

Daisy is our adopted dog and the real queen of the house. She is one of the reasons we wanted to create a life with more peace, nature and space — and seeing her blossom here has been beautiful.

You'll often find her in the garden, chasing bees, watching salamanders or proudly carrying a stick. She can be a little reserved at first, but once she trusts you, you are fully in her heart.

And as much as she enjoys other dogs, we have chosen not to welcome pets at Casa Val de Vida.

El Huerto · The vegetable garden

Miguel's Garden

"Grow your own."

With Las Tetas in the background, Miguel's Garden is one of the nicest surprises of our green paradise. Created with passion, this piece of land is just at the beginning of its story — growing year after year towards a more self-sufficient garden.

(Miguel is Wouter's gardening alter ego, inspired by his favourite Spanish beer: San Miguel.)

Having a veggie garden was always one of Wouter's dreams. It is part of how we hope to live here: closer to nature, more self-sufficient, and with genuine care for the land we're lucky enough to call home.

When the harvest is ready, guests are welcome to pick what's in season. Tomatoes, courgettes, herbs, peppers — whatever Miguel has growing. Just ask us what's ready and can be picked.

Blauwe bessen uit de tuin
Aardbeien uit de tuin
Bloemen uit de tuin
"Grow your own."

— Miguel's Garden

Come say hello

Ready to meet us in person?

Book a room, send a message, or just follow along on Instagram. We'd love to have you.

Get in touch See the rooms