Lie with my Infinity pool and listen to a waterfall that falls over rocks carved with Buddha figures as he looks over palm-filled gardens, it feels like the set of white lotus.
But despite the lush suites in the Spa and Bungalow style in the Plush Asia Gardens Hotel, it’s not Bali.
I’m in Benidorm – on the Costa Blanca.
With British style and English breakfast bars, this Spanish resort is not synonymous with refinement.
So what’s going on? The answer is that Benidorm hopes to go into the market and compete with Ritzier resorts.
“There is room to grow in the premium sector,” says Leire Bilbao, the director of Visit Benidorm. “We believe that Benidorm can bring tourists with great spending.”
This is a major change of direction for the resort. Benidorm was the birthplace of the package holiday in the 1960s, which turns a fishing village into a metropolis now the third largest tourist economy in Spain, behind Barcelona and Madrid.
British tourists have long been an important part of it, including many pensioners, families looking for affordable breaks and party -hearted young people. In fact, Brits formed 40 percent of 2.8 million visitors last year, with about 3 percent at 2023 and not far from the 45.6 percent of domestic visitors.
The dining table in El Senyoret, a restored farmhouse known for tasteful banquets and parties overlooking the Serra Gelada Natural Park
With Alicante Airport, a 45 -minute drive, two sandy, blue flag -winning beaches and a microclimate that brings filthy temperatures and little rain in winter, it’s not just places like the Bulldog, the Red Lion and Morgan’s tavern – where the sitcom is filmed – which is moved in the visitors.
But the Move Upmarket adds another dimension. And it started with three higher ‘destinations’ hotels.
The first, Asia Gardens, has regular, including Bruce Springsteen and Penelope Cruz and is located in the hills of the Sierra Cortina, above the beaches. In the area is Melia Villaitana, modeled in a Costa Blanca village, with two golf courses and excellent sports facilities.
Between these two, the reincarnation of the former Grand Luxor Hotel and Village, which has just been converted (in May) into the four points by Sheraton Costa Blanca, with two villas with three-bedrooms with private pools next to the Terra Mitica Adventure Park complex.
And all three offer facilities, restaurants and spas that can offer little reason to leave the terrain for those who do not want to sit on crowded beaches. That said, you should not allow Benidorm’s ‘trashy’ reputation to deter you.
The old city lies between Playa de Levante and Playa de Poniente, the two large pieces of golden sand that each has a very different atmosphere. The former reaches east to the English part of the city, while the latter the beach to the west, a more residential area where the beach is less pressure and the most expensive real estate of the city is found. It is known as El Castillo de Benidorm, an excellent place to take the sunset.
Back in a Labyrinth of Smal, paved streets, you are where you can jerk with holiday Madrilenos (Madrid natives) at the counters of the bars in ‘Tapas Alley’ or – for a taste of Benidorm’s growing high life – splashing on a menu of nine courses in Villa Venecia.
This five-star hotel has a swanky dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows and some of the best views in the city. Meanwhile, other restaurants that are significant, in La Falua, include Playa de Poniente, a fish specialist who offers excellent Paella, and La Fava in the old city, where chef Fran Burgos makes traditional Valenciano dishes with a modern turn.
Tourists with larger budgets can enjoy Benidorm’s high life by splashing on a menu of nine corridors in Villa Venecia’s Restaurant
Then there is El Senyoret, a restored farmhouse known for tasteful banquets and parties overlooking the Serra Gelada Natural Park.
However, the best way to admire the skyline is of the water itself. You can take a ferry to Benidorm Island, the ominous rock that lies about two miles abroad, or hangs on a parachute that is towed behind a speedboat. But those who seek exclusivity must rent a yacht.
“It’s one of the best sail the med can offer,” said David Gonzalo, the captain we collected from Benidorm Harbor in a 32ft Jeanneeau for a morning sail. ‘It’s a wonderful coastline to explore, with small sandy inlets around Benidorm that can only be reached with water.
‘All the reasons that make the resort so popular for budget tourists also apply to those with money to burn: good climate throughout the year, fantastic beaches and many outdoor activities from e-fiking to golf to sail. The money invested here in property means that everyone is raising their game. ‘
Benidorm’s skyline is dominated by the Intempo skyscraper, a horrible gold-covered twin tower with an inverted pyramid to the peak. On just over 200m and 46 floors, it claims to be the highest residential building on the continent of Europe, with £ 4.2 million price tags, a far from the mass market package.
Travel facts
Back Stansted-Alicante flights from £ 48 (ryanair.com); Back Manchester-Alicante flights from £ 73 (Easyjet.com). Doubled at Asia Gardens Hotel from £ 346 B&B (asiagardens.es); Double at Melia Villaitana of £ 143 B&B (Melia.com); doubled at four points by Sheraton Costa Blanca of £ 147 (Marriott.com); Double at Villa Venecia of £ 311 B&B. Sailing Boot Handvests at rumbotema.com.
