Recommendations for my dream holiday in Spain ?

[Mercedes]

I want to go to Spain next year on hol in May. As we have a 4 year old we would like to go somewhere where there is a shared pool or some sort of club that DD could play with some children.

I don't fancy some huge complex with and would prefer a smaller low key place.

I also want to be near to a beach and be able to walk into a town. In my ideal world I would like to be able to get a train to Valencia.

Can anyone recommend anywhere or am I looking for the impossible?

What about somewhere like Javea on the Costa Blanca? Easy access to Valencia and on a much smaller scale than somewhere like Benidorm. Or further north you could try Salou?

That sounds quite nice but can anyone recommend a place to stay?

aha, I was just about to bump this thread!

Oliva or Denia would be my choices. Loved both of them, but stayed in apartments. One hour from Valencia. Hang on.....Googling

Spacey, was it you bricking it about the drive from Valencia airport and have you done it yet?

It was me And I did do it and it was absolutely fine, in fact I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Oliva Tourist site There are not many hotels, but lovely apartments right on the beach. We drove to Oliva from Denia, went into a letting agency and booked a 3 bed apartment when we got there. The apt owner lived next door - my DD soon made friends with her son and daughter. Granny lived downstairs and each night brought us cakes or fruit as a gift. She prattled on at length in Valenciano and we had difficulty understanding each other, but she was a sweetheart.
Anyway, the beach is fantastic and the locals very friendly.

Don't think Denia or Oliva are, but Gandia is on the train line to Valencia, but I haven't stayed there.

Would you prefer a package or DIY (flight + car + villa/apt)?

Thanks I'll give the sites a try.

I'd forgotten all about Gandia - I lived in Valencia way back in the 1980's and used to go to the beach here. I feel quite excited now.

Strangely I met a Spanish woman at my dd's nursery who lived on the same street as me in Valencia and here we are 25 years later meeting for the 1st time in London.