ABOUT US
Meet Jysnesa and Olaf, your hosts in Spain
We both started our careers in hotels, then spent more than 25 years living and working abroad. Mirava is new. The way we look after you is not.
8
countries we have called home
60+
countries and territories explored, on five continents
25+
years living abroad
5
languages between us: Norwegian, Spanish, English, Portuguese and French
A new company, built on a lifetime of travel
We won't pretend Mirava has been around for decades. It is a young company, and we are proud of that: you deal directly with the two people who founded it and who plan your trip.
What we bring is everything that came before. Hospitality is where we both began: Jysnesa organized weddings, conferences and events at the Hilton, and Olaf ran a mountain hotel in Norway. Olaf's career took him to Costa Rica and the United States. Together we lived in Venezuela and then Norway, and as a family of four in France, Colombia, Brazil and Spain.
Wherever we lived, we tried to live close to the culture, learn the language and find the places locals actually go. Moving countries teaches you to plan carefully, to stay calm when plans change, and to make people feel at home.
Today we live in Oliva, between Valencia and Alicante. We know the hikes, bike routes, golf courses and restaurants of this coast well, and we keep exploring to find new favorites for you.
Jysnesa began her career with five years in sales and events at the Hilton in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, organizing weddings, conferences and corporate gatherings. She went on to lead the Lara State Chamber of Commerce and to advise corporate clients at Banco de Venezuela (Grupo Santander). Today she also works at the front desk of a hotel in Gandia, and she has recently trained in hospitality service quality and English for tourism.
She has made a home in Norway, France, Colombia, Brazil and Spain, volunteering in local communities wherever she lived. On a Mirava trip she makes sure every guest feels welcome, from the first reservation to the last goodbye. As a trained photographer, she is often the one capturing the moments you take home.
Jysnesa Silva Espinoza
Co-founder and host · Your guest experience
Background
Hotels and events, business administration, Master's in HR management
Speaks
Spanish, Portuguese and French fluently; English and Norwegian well
Off duty
Outdoor sports, a good book, and a film night
Olaf Hektoen
Co-founder and host · Planning and logistics
Olaf started out as general manager of Savalen Fjellhotell, a mountain hotel in Norway. He then spent 24 years with Norsk Hydro and Yara International, 21 of them abroad, leading businesses in Spain, Colombia and across Latin America. Most recently he was President of Yara Brasil. Leading large teams across cultures taught him to plan carefully, keep promises and always put the customer first.
On a Mirava trip, Olaf handles the planning and logistics so nothing is left to chance. He is usually first out on the bike routes and the padel court, and he has tested more restaurants on this coast than he would like to admit.
Background
Hotel management, international business leadership, Norges Handelshøyskole
Speaks
Norwegian, English and Spanish fluently; Portuguese very well; French well
Off duty
Padel, cycling and finding the next great local restaurant
Where we have been
More than 1,600 places, each dot one we have visited: a city, a trail, a market, a table by the sea. It is how we learned what makes a trip memorable, and what can ruin one.
How we look after your group
Being the hosts is not a job title for us. We plan every trip ourselves, we are often there with you, and we take responsibility for the details, including when someone else is leading the activity.
Chosen with care
We pick hikes, rides, courses and restaurants we know or have checked carefully, and we keep testing new places so our programs only get better.
Small groups, your program
Groups of 4 to 12, usually friends, family or colleagues. We shape the days around your group, not the other way around.
Nordic hosts, at home in Spain
Olaf is Norwegian, so we know how Nordic travelers like things done. Scandinavian guests can often talk with us in their own language, and English works for everyone. In Spain, we take care of the Spanish: at the table, at reception, and when something needs sorting out.
One contact, start to finish
Transport, bookings and dietary needs are taken care of. One WhatsApp message reaches us before, during and after your trip.
A trusted local team
You will also meet the guides, golf and padel pros, drivers and chefs we work with. We choose them carefully, and we are often there with you along the way.
Our own favorites on the coast
The places we take friends when they visit, each with a note on why we love it.
GET MOVING
The Pego–Vall d'Ebo climb by bike
The Cala Moraig hike
Up the Peñón de Ifach
LOOK AND WONDER
The view at La Fustera
The architecture of the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències
A quiet walk on Oliva Nova Beach
EAT AND DRINK
Cachapa with cheese at Safranera
Tapas at Xef Pirata
Tapear in Ciutat Vella, Valencia
La Abadía brewery, Dénia
A long garden dinner at L'Om
Gelato at Gelateria di Max
Let's plan your group's trip together
A short call, no obligation. Tell us who is coming and what you love, and we'll suggest a program.