Benidorm Opinions?

[eyebeebe]

LuS1fer said:

If you avoid the walking dead, it's a perfectly nice, clean resort (far cleaner than the Canaries) offering great weather and cheap flights. Having been 3 times, this year, I have also been to the Canaries 5 times because rather than have one expensive holiday, alongside equally unbearable people who think they are special, I can have 8 for the same price. :ROFL:

For the bold without the italics you could take a look at Alicante Playa de San Juan. 20 minutes from the airport. 10km of pristine beach, plenty of nice restaurants and bars, especially around the „Pau 5“ area. It‘s a bit lacking in hotels, but lots of AirBnB choices. Very few unbearable types if any. A bit of Spanish goes a long way though.

[fridaypassion]

I really like Benidorm it is what it is but its fun, unpretentious loads to do and the weather is great. Good idea to decamp to Altea though and just get a taxi down into Benidorm itself.

[eyebeebe]

LuS1fer said:

But I love karaoke and can sing.
End of argument. ??

If you can sing, then surely you‘re wasted doing karaoke. Maybe you could get a turn at the palace instead

[LuS1fer]

LuS1fer said:

eyebeebe said:

For the bold without the italics you could take a look at Alicante Playa de San Juan. 20 minutes from the airport. 10km of pristine beach, plenty of nice restaurants and bars, especially around the „Pau 5“ area. It‘s a bit lacking in hotels, but lots of AirBnB choices. Very few unbearable types if any. A bit of Spanish goes a long way though.

But I love karaoke and can sing.
End of argument.

[eldar]

Shnozz said:

Why on earth do you have Benidorm as your first choice given the type of break it sounds as though you are keen on (and the factors that disappointed on some trips)?

I can think of a million better starting points for that sort of break rather than sifting through Beni in the hope of finding that Oasis of non-trashy.

Two reasons. Firstly, people watching. Some outstanding fun there.

Second, 10 minutes away from or moron central, it is a pleasant place. It's a popular destination for Spanish holidaymakers, as well.

[LuS1fer]

eyebeebe said:

LuS1fer said:

But I love karaoke and can sing.
End of argument. ??

If you can sing, then surely you‘re wasted doing karaoke. Maybe you could get a turn at the palace instead

I do sing at the palace.
The Benidorm Palace. No wait, Palladium. Close...

I have been all over Spain, by the way. I am well versed in Andalucia, Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Costa Dorada, Costa de la Luz, Tropical, del Azahar. Love them all. Sometimes crass and trashy is a pleasant change.

[eyebeebe]

LuS1fer said:

I do sing at the palace.
The Benidorm Palace. No wait, Palladium. Close...

I have been all over Spain, by the way. I am well versed in Andalucia, Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Costa Dorada, Costa de la Luz, Tropical, del Azahar. Love them all. Sometimes crass and trashy is a pleasant change.

If you were to look at the post immediately above yours in from the 13th July, you‘d see that I‘m not anti-Benidorm at all. I’m certainly not averse to a bit of trashy. I was giving you a different option from the POV of a local owner, that might be interesting and not in the British Tourist Brochures.

[LuS1fer]

eyebeebe said:

LuS1fer said:

I do sing at the palace.
The Benidorm Palace. No wait, Palladium. Close...

I have been all over Spain, by the way. I am well versed in Andalucia, Costa Brava, Costa Blanca, Costa Dorada, Costa de la Luz, Tropical, del Azahar. Love them all. Sometimes crass and trashy is a pleasant change.

If you were to look at the post immediately above yours in from the 13th July, you‘d see that I‘m not anti-Benidorm at all. I’m certainly not averse to a bit of trashy. I was giving you a different option from the POV of a local owner, that might be interesting and not in the British Tourist Brochures.

I understand but I've pretty much driven the entire coast and I confess that I have totally avoided Benidorm previously. I was sort of forced into a group visit but avoiding the group meant it was quite a pleasant surprise at the diversity. Some places are pretty refined but others, like the Black Chicken are a good dose if f*cling mental. (Go Scouse Dave). I still like the other places, of course and places like Morella still hold all the aces.

[eyebeebe]

Shnozz said:

Even just heading along the coast to Villajoyosa or Altea/moraira/Javea/Denia or even south of Alicante to Torre would surely be preferable at a similar price point?

I don’t mind Beni for exactly what it is and will always be, but can’t imagine using it as a base for anything other than a trashy kiss me quick piss up.

There‘s a great restaurant in the Villajoyosa harbour (hogar del pescador), but it generally feels quite run down when we‘ve been a couple of times this year.

I reckon we could have a cracking night out in Benidorm and not remember enough to be claim plausible deniability

[waynedear]

Been here two days now, much better than expected, lovely beach, great weather, Hotel Melia is not the worst place to be.
Smells better than blackpool, more topless old women on the beach than blackpool, brilliant rum and raisin ice cream, no shortage of decent food and drink.
This time of year we would come again.
Downside, sweaty fat b'stards on hired single and double seat mobility scooters all over the footpaths.

[blue_haddock]

Its a sad day for Benidorm today.

Sticky Vicky has died.

[LuS1fer]

blue_haddock said:

Its a sad day for Benidorm today.

Sticky Vicky has died.

Her daughter still does it but honestly, it's not worth seeing even though it's free.

[V8covin]

LuS1fer said:

Her daughter still does it but honestly, it's not worth seeing even though it's free.

Her daughter is incredibly athletic,a former gymnast I think,but yes the show is crap

[waynedear]

blue_haddock said:

Its a sad day for Benidorm today.

Sticky Vicky has died.

Me leaving Benidorm today is in no way connected.