adminI thought I would give an overview of our visit to Benidorm on October 23rd, along with some background on us. However, we prefer to remain fairly anonymous.
Before the Trip:
Our October trip was booked right after our return in July to celebrate my wife’s birthday. On that occasion, we stayed in a very nice Airbnb apartment in the Old Town. For our October trip, we decided to book flights and accommodation as a package with LoveHolidays.
Booking:
LoveHolidays was an okay choice, as the package turned out to be cheaper than booking flights and accommodation separately. However, the flight was with RyanAir, which initially posed no problem. After booking, we received an email from RyanAir stating that LoveHolidays couldn’t book flights on our behalf. We had to log in, and some background procedures had to be completed to secure our flights through RyanAir. The process was relatively smooth for me, but I’ve seen others online who faced difficulties verifying their accounts or flights. This experience has made me hesitant to book with them again.
Me:
I’m currently dealing with an ongoing legal issue with my dentist, which makes it quite challenging to chew food without experiencing a great deal of pain. I do my best to manage, but at times, I have to give up. Food plays a significant role in my holidays, so this was a bit of a damper. Nevertheless, I managed to enjoy plenty of fish, which didn’t cause any real problems.
Wife:
My father-in-law had been in poor health for some time, and on September 21st, he was found on the floor in his home and subsequently hospitalized. He went from being able to walk short distances, talk, and feed himself to being bedridden. Unfortunately, I was out of the country on business during this time and couldn’t provide any support. This situation persisted for several days until one afternoon when he suddenly woke up, moved to a chair, and started talking. However, this improvement was short-lived, and even though the doctors began discussing the possibility of him coming home, he passed away on October 2nd. Until that point, we had been debating whether to cancel our holiday, but his passing brought a sense of relief, and we decided to proceed with the trip.
Getting There:
As I mentioned earlier, our RyanAir flights departed around lunchtime from the UK and arrived in Benidorm around 4pm. We flew from East Midlands Airport and had a leisurely drive to Castle Donington for breakfast before heading to the airport. We parked at Longstay 3, which cost around £90 when pre-booked. It may seem a bit expensive, but it’s within walking distance, so we didn’t have many other options.
Our flight was on time, and we were picked up at the airport by a pre-booked taxi from MyTransfersBenidorm, which was a fantastic experience. I had to book and cancel and re-book, and all of it was done over email and WhatsApp. They were consistently professional and responsive. Payment was only required upon drop-off, with a cost of Euro 59 each way for up to 4 passengers. The advertised price for a taxi not booked in advance at the airport was Euro 75. If you have trouble finding them, feel free to contact me, and I’ll provide you with their contact information. I have no personal interest in this, but they are a great company to work with, and I’d like to help them any way I can.
Hotel:
We stayed at Maderia Centro in May, and although it’s a nice hotel with great staff, cleanliness, and good food, it was a bit noisy during our previous visit. This time, however, it was a fantastic stay. We booked a Superior Room with a balcony, which included tea and coffee-making facilities. A quick tip: housekeeping does a great job, but they don’t always leave coffee or sugar, so grab some spares during breakfast. Maderia Centro remains one of our favourite hotels. The food is hot and offers a good variety. Even though I couldn’t eat it, I believe they had steak cooked to order every evening. They also have a good selection of fish, and I must mention that having Cava for breakfast is a must, especially on the days when they serve smoked salmon.
Out and About:
The weather was fantastic considering it was October, with just one overcast day and one morning, but the temperature ranged from 24-27°C. There was some light rain one day, but it didn’t spoil the trip.
One significant change during our stay was the removal of Covid laws, which will impact cafe and bar owners. After Covid, they were allowed to place tables and chairs outside on the pavement, but this privilege has been revoked, which, in my opinion, is unfortunate. Sitting on the street in the sun is what we Brits enjoy during our holidays. From the bar owners’ perspective, it increased their business, made their establishments feel more welcoming, and likely encouraged more customers. I don’t smoke, but it’s worth noting that you can now smoke at bars again, but not inside unless they have an exemption.
We managed to try some new food establishments, and I’ll be writing about them soon. We also visited many old favourites, including Pintxos Aurrera, Bar El Puente, Panaderia Granier, Millords, and, of course, Cafe Creu.
We did have to slip in a crafty few pints and take in the amazing atmosphere and live music at The Pig and Whistle in the heart of the Old Town.
Cafe Creu:
One evening, after a few brandies, I suggested to my wife that we have one last drink on Planta 20, from where I could take some nighttime photos of Benidorm. We left Cafe Creu and went back to Maderia Centro, took the lift to Planta 20, and although the view was impressive, it wasn’t particularly photogenic. However, when I reached for my phone, I realized it wasn’t there. I immediately realized I had left it at Creu, so I rushed back to the cafe. When I arrived, I asked the waiter, and he calmly confirmed that my phone was inside. I retrieved it and left him a generous tip as a thank-you gesture. There’s a common perception of crime in Benidorm, but you just need to be cautious about where you go.
Broken Sunglasses:
The last major incident was when I accidentally broke my favourite and quite expensive sunglasses. My wife and I both have eye problems, so we don’t hesitate to invest in protecting our eyes from the sun. My wife had seen a top she liked and asked me for some cash. I typically carry everything in my manbag to keep it safe, and when the shop assistant asked for a 1 euro coin, I turned my bag upside down to let the coins slide to the top. However, I heard the sound of glass breaking. I was devastated to find that my glasses had dropped onto the hard tile floor, and one of the lenses had shattered. My wife kindly suggested that we try to get a replacement lens, and she offered to pay for it. However, I decided to discard the glasses and purchased new ones upon my return, ready for the next summer. In the end, they were just material possessions, and no one was harmed. So, I lost a bit of money, but I got new ones, this time in black, and I’m happy again.
Homeward Bound:
Our flight back home wasn’t until 4pm, so we had a leisurely breakfast. By this point, I was quite tired of breakfast, as I typically don’t eat until around 1pm at home. We checked out, left our bags at Maderia, and took one last walk along the seafront. We enjoyed a coffee and a beer while relaxing and soaking up the final rays. Then, we visited the Old Town, where my wife wanted a ham sandwich from Zorita Viandas on Paseo de la Carretera. I found it a bit too tough, so I settled for a selection of empanadas from Panaderia Granier.
We were picked up by MyTransfersBenidorm, who arrived 15 minutes early but didn’t rush us. The driver was a very pleasant Spanish man with good English, and we had a nice chat. The cost was Euro 59 once again, and the journey went smoothly.
Our flight was delayed by an hour, which, considering it was initially predicted to be a two-hour delay and even the possibility of a cancellation, was not too bad. Upon our return to the UK, it was pouring rain, and we had a 10-minute walk to the car. The rain continued for three days, making it clear that our time in Benidorm was now a distant memory. Although we haven’t planned our next trip yet, Christmas and New Year might be feasible.
