claude-apiIt felt like coming home. Ten days in Benidorm across the 16th to the 26th of March, and not a single regret — well, almost. More on that later.
The Weather (Yes, We Got Lucky)
You might have seen the headlines — Benidorm has had a rough ride with the weather this spring. Flooding, storms, the lot. We somehow managed to swerve all of it entirely. Daytime temperatures were a glorious 25–27°C throughout most of the trip, perfect for sitting out and soaking it all in. Evenings were noticeably cooler, though — don’t let anyone tell you you won’t need a jacket in March, because you absolutely will. Our final day saw a brief shower, but it cleared up completely by 9am, and the sun was back before we’d finished our first coffee. We’ll take that.
Where We Stayed
We split the ten days between two very different places, and honestly, the contrast couldn’t have been starker.
The first half of the trip was spent at the H10 Porto Poinente, and it was fabulous from start to finish. We’ve got a full review coming shortly but suffice to say it set the bar extremely high — perhaps too high, as it turned out.
For the second half we moved to Apartments Estemar. They were perfectly fine and did the job, but after the H10 experience, we were a little spoiled. It’s one of those situations where the second option might have seemed great in isolation. Context is everything.
Food & Drink — The Highlights
Coffee and Cake at Granier
Any trip to Benidorm Old Town isn’t complete without a stop at Granier. The Calle Emilio Ortuño branch is our go-to — great coffee, superb pastries, and some proper fresh bread. We had the café con leche and worked our way through a selection of croissants and cakes. Clean, friendly, reliable. A ritual at this point.
Chicken Dinner at El Puente
We always make a pilgrimage to El Puente for the spit-roast chicken, and this time was no different. It does appear the place has changed hands and the faces behind the counter are new, but everything that matters remains exactly the same. The chicken is still tender, juicy and perfectly cooked, the chips are still spot on, and the whole no-frills, authentic atmosphere that makes it special is fully intact. If it ain’t broke…
Tapas: A Three-Way Split
We managed to spread our tapas love across three places this visit:
- La Tapita — one of the very first tapas bars we ever visited in Benidorm, all those years ago. We still haven’t written a proper review, and we really should — watch this space.
- Taperia La Mina on Avenida de Ruzafa is a gem. Modern, freshly renovated, incredibly friendly owner, and frankly unbeatable value. You can eat and drink properly for around 11 euros. The free tapas with wine alone make it worth a visit.
- Pintxos Aurrera at the bottom of Tapas Alley is proper Spanish. Trays of fresh pintxos constantly appearing, brilliant patatas bravas, croquettes, gambas — the lot. Not the cheapest on the alley but absolutely worth every penny.
Ice Cream
Almost forgot, I have been meaning to do some reveiws but regular readers will know I had a few health issue last year (which I’m still recovering from) but I have just been enjoying life and taking it easy. So La Krem needs a mention, it close to Hotel Madeira Centro and we noticed it was new on our last visit at the end of 2025. They have amazing very different ice cream flavours, definitely worth a try such as Extra Dark a super rich chocolate, Dubai a pistachio top with real chocolate, or Malaga, an almond, orange combination. It’s not cheap, but then I dont find ice cream is in Benidorm but La Krem is new, modern and very clean, staff or lovely too and will let you try flavours.
Daytime Drinking
The first drink of the day was always at Artigas III on the Levante Beach promenade. The terrace, the sea view, the staff in their Hawaiian shirts who always seem to remember you — it’s the perfect way to ease into the day.
After that, afternoons were split between Tiki Town, Ku, and City Bar depending entirely on where we could actually get a seat. All three were seriously busy throughout the trip — a good sign for Benidorm in mid-March. You might need a bit of patience but it’s always worth the wait.
Evenings — Entertainment Done Right
We ended up staying indoors most evenings at the Jolly Roger in the Old Town, and it delivered every single night. The entertainment lineup was excellent — Cameron James is a seriously talented performer. His Robbie Williams tribute is outstanding, and his Skaface set had the whole room going. A funny guy with a genuinely great voice.
Beni-M was an unexpected highlight of the whole trip. Hand on heart, I expected to be quietly enduring it — but it was a real laugh and the kind of night that reminds you why Benidorm does entertainment better than anywhere else. Kelly Griggs is absolutely worth catching if you get the chance, and if Queen are on while you’re there, don’t miss them.
All in all, ten days that flew by far too quickly. The weather gods were kind, the food was exactly what we needed, and the entertainment more than delivered. We’ll be back.
Full review of H10 Porto Poinente coming soon.
