spanish coast resorts in August - recommendations

[holleyshiftwell]

I have spent most of the bank holiday weekend trying to find somewhere to go for 2 weeks in August with DH, DD (5), and DS (3), without spending a million pounds....which is proving pretty difficult. I don't think I am being that fussy - just want somewhere sunny, with access to a pool, and not too far from beach/shop/restaurant. Would prefer to avoid the really big brash resorts and go for somewhere quieter and more family friendly.
So far, the Spanish mainland seems to be cheaper than anywhere else on the Med, but I don't know Spain at all. Can anyone recommend a decent resort? We found one or two places in Mojacar, anyone been there?

Also my husband found an apartment about 45 mins from the coast in Almeria, looks lovely - but I am worried about the heat inland in August (no air con) and being quite so far away from everything. What do you think?
Any advice gratefully received, we are desperate for a relaxing sunny holiday (hard year) - but simply can't pay the package prices (can anyone tell me who can afford to pay £3500 for family of 4 for 2 weeks self catering in a teeny 1-bed apartment with hideous nightflights? who is buying this?!)

it is very expensive - especially in August. Also the free kid's places often are only available when booking well in advance.

I have been to Costa Del Sol, Costa Dorada and Costa Brava - a few times. I did like all of those places, but they were busyish. However if you are looking for a bargain that may be the way to go.

I had a little poke around for you - and flights alone will come in at around £1000 for the four of you on Easyjet. So I doubt that doing the flight and accomm separately will be a bargain. Again - to get cheap flights the trick is to book very early - as an example in August 2009 we stayed at a campsite near Barcelonain a mobile home - I managed to book five flights on Easy jet to Barcelona for less than £50 each. That was the only bargain of that trip - as we stayed on aThomson al Fresco mobile home -which was £1200 for the week! Crazy money. A hotel or apartment would have been cheaper.

There are some package holidays - I don't know your dates and which departure airport - but for two weeks, there are some self catering around £400-£500 each. Which isn't bad really for a family in the height of summer. I looked on ThomasCook.

Have you considered doing something closer to home either? Could you bear a longish drive to France -and rent a small gite ona complex? You would be able to get accommodation for probably £1000 for the two weeks - then you just hav to pay for fuel and food - and a ferry crossing. We have done that for the past three summers - (although our DC are older than yours) and it is quite a relaxing way to holiday. We still do the flights to sunny climes in winter and spring.

Hope you find something

I think Javea would suit your needs, on the Costa Blanca, approx 1 hour drive from Alicante Airport. We've been a few times and it isn't over commercialised. They don't do package tours there so you do have to book flights and accommodation separately. We're going in three weeks time for ten days and it cost approx £900 for four of us. Flights will be more expensive in August but worth having a look.

It's a very pretty place - lovely old harbour one end with great restaurants and a beautiful beach the other end, in a crescent shape with no cars and lots of little cafes, restaurants and bars dotted about.

We stay in this complex which is half way between the harbour and the beach I mentioned above.

www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/javea/17676

Supernanny, thank you so much for your reply (and for your research!).

We did driving to France last year, staying in mobile home - and while we had a lovely time when we got there DH really doesn't want to repeat the journey just yet! (DS gets car sick... was not great on 15h drive last year!!!).

I know we are booking quite late in the day and so trying to get deals (esp on flights) is going to be tricky - next year fingers crossed we'll be more on top of things.

I have looked at a lot of packages, and have found a few for 2 weeks for 500 - 600 pp. My main concern (and I know I am being fussy here but given that this is our first sun holiday for many, many years and we are spending a relatively considerable amount of money on it for us, I want it to be a good experience!) is that for a family of four they appear to pack you into a 1-bed apartment or studio that sleeps 2+2 i.e. sofa beds. Given the heat in August I am expecting that we will spend a good few hours in the middle of the day in the apartment, and I am worried that this is going to be just too cramped. DH also doesn't want to spend 2 weeks sleeping on a sofa bed! We also want to be self-catering and the facilities look pretty limited for doing this. And as DS and DD are so little we really don't want to have them in a separate apartment, especially as there is no guarantee of having them next to each other. Am I being too fussy and worrying about this too much?

Sandyballs - thanks for the recommendation for Javea, I will have a look and see if I can find anything!

Have a look at the Mar Menor,it's near Murcia.
it's shallow for children not too busy, although everywhere in Spain will be busy in August.
My mum has a house in Torrevieja, south of Alicante, and have been to that part of Spain in August.
You will need air con, I wouldn't think of going inland either, due to the heat.
The sea might give a nice breeze!
There are lots of people who need to rent out their TH or apartments in August, so if you shop around you might get a good deal.

Thanks HappyWheezer

That is precisely the reason we chose a self catering apartment in Javea - when we looked at package deals it was all one bedroom with sofa bed, and most of them were tiny. Who wants to be cramped in like that, its certainly not a holiday. All the apartments in the link I sent you - there are loads of companies that rent out those particular apartments by the way, just google it - they all have a separate kitchen, a proper one, not just a little hob and tiny camping fridge, so eating in is no problem, and they have two proper bedrooms, balcony or garden.

If you do decide the kids need an earlyish night, it is easy enough to pop them into their room and you've then got a large sitting room or a balcony to chill on I know we all love to think of our kids enjoying the balmy evenings and sitting nicely in a restaurant, we all know it isn't always the case , particularly when they are very small.

I don't work for this company i've just been hugely impressed by how Javea suits all of our needs, adults and kids. We've been going since my girls were 6 and they are now 11 and everyone still loves it. Not sure if it will suit my girls as much when they are mid teens onwards as there isn't nightlife as such, only restaurants, no clubs. But that's probably even more reason to go there with them at that age

thanks sandyballs - yes the evenings are another reason for wanting somewhere with a little bit more space! Our kids are still little and I am hoping that after a few hours spent splashing in a pool or running around on a beach that they will be knackered and fall asleep... and I like the idea of sitting on balcony or terrace with a good book and a cold beer for a few hours... DS in particular is a NIGHTMARE in restaurants and DD is horribly fussy - hence the need to self-cater most of the time.

We go here, it's lovely. I didn't really like the busier Torrevieja area - was a bit anglicised for me. But Mazarron is very Spanish. If you are keen I can tell you one of the appartments we used to rent - its very reasonable mazarron.co.uk/Places-To-Visit/Mazarron-Puerto-de-Mazarron

mazarron.co.uk/Places-To-Visit/Mazarron-Puerto-de-Mazarron

Another vote for Mazarron (Mum has a gorgeous Casa in the hills just outside.
It's not a particularly 'happening' place, but there are some fab non-commercial beaches in the area. Definitely not as Spanish as it used to be, and whatever you do stay away from Campasol (or camp-arse-hole as it is known to the locals) Basically a not very nice UK urbanization which has given the whole area a bad reputation.
Very hot and humid in August, and while the beaches get very busy it is primarily full of spanish holiday makers. Lots of days out possible but you will need a car to make the most of it, all the best beaches and resteraunts are away from the town.

You can buy a house on Campasol for about 3 quid. Though it's not my scene at all, we were chatting last year to some folks who had a place there and who loved it. Each to their own I guess.

Last year I dragged the whole family to one of the little beach bars as I saw they had a Turn on at midnight. We sat there for ages and ages and on came the entertainment. It was a comedian. Telling jokes in Spanish. The kids had faces like slapped arses, ungrateful bastards.

Best bit about Mazarron atm is the euro bar on the paseo. It makes evenings out much more affordable and is always rammed with spanish folks. We all sit there drinking our cheap beers and watching the millionaires yachts in the marina.

Our village fiesta always has a Spanish comedian, and while i try to follow some of the jokes I generally rely on the local gas man next to me who nudges me when to laugh!!!
If you want some where fantastic to eat around Puerto have you tried Antipodastavern at la Azohía? Best views over the bay and fantastic food. Only down side is someone has to drive.

No we haven't! We went to La Azohia once to eat but it was a bit cliquey. You know how some spanish villages aren't massively friendly towards tourists - even though I do speak a bit of spanish, it was a bit like here sometimes in villages where they think the wickerman was a documentary :) So we didnt go back, but if you recommend it, we'll have another go next visit. The food in the port can be hit and miss sometimes. We tend to go to the bars that look like they are in car parks to eat as the food is much better, then we just go onto the paseo later for a walk and an ice cream (and the cheap drinks!)

That's what we do, often the rougher it looks the better the food. menu del dia is always a bit of a gamble but great value for money. Agree the locals can be a bit intimidating at times, but we have a freckle faced DD2 who usually manages to break down the barriers, lots of 'si,si' going on, then wondering if we have just sold her to the little old lady who feeds the pigeons. Great fun though.
My DD1 (11) gets a bit confused when her friends come back from 2 weeks in Spain with a completely different experience to her. We go out for 5 weeks in the summer so see rather more of the inside of Mercadona than the touristy things her friends experience.
We always take them to the aqua parque in Vera though, just so they feel they have had a holiday. We have many friends to catch up with but it's mainly adult company.
Though DD2 now goes for horse riding lessons at META and DD1 has started sailing at the port.
Plenty to do if you know where to go.
Cartagena is great for a day out shopping or doing the touristy thing too. Bit further afield, we have been to Caravaca which was a great day out, a bit of ancient history and colour. Can also do an overnight trip to Granada (though not best in August)
Easter is also a great time to go to experience the parade in Mazarron town.
Christmas is very unique, no ques for parking or rushes in the shops, absolutely heaven

Another vote here for Mar Menor.

I have linked to this resort - a bit off the beaten track so you would need a car but most of the villas have pools and the beach is about a 10/15 minutes drive away. Not your usual touristy destination and you should be able to get a villa for around £1000 for the fortnight if you search for a direct rental.

There are also lots of places to visit round and about - Murcia, Cartagena, Elche.

Bit of a Murcian love fest here isn't there :D

We go for 3 weeks in Summer too and also spend a fair amount of time in Mercadonna. My fave part of the holidays is marvelling at the price of the cava.

Last time, we went to the waterpark in Murcia as they do a pay for one day and get another day free and we always go to Terra Mitica, it's a bit of a tradition now. Gawd knows how the place stays afloat though as it's generally quiet. Cartagena is a beautiful city, I agree - dh likes all the WW2 gun things around there, and dd's like the shops. I just like sitting in the square.

I just LOVE Mazarron, we've been looking speculatively at buying somewhere ourselves, just have to pay dd1 through Uni then will have a bit of a break before dd2 has to decide. Where's your mums place?

The water park in Murcia is great, but we felt that to do the zoo too (which the kids always wanted to do) was too much. The park at Vera is as good (if not better) and is spread over a smaller space so easier to keep an eye on everybody.
The Guns are great aren't they! We always take a torch and let the kids go exploring. The drive up is a bit of a white knuckle ride though.
skirt will maybe meet you in Mercadona one day this summer!! Do you notice how the parking at the supermarket suddenly gets really dire come 1st August??? restaurants, beaches and shops suddenly become a complete nightmare. Though not as bad as Uppers opposite on a Sunday with all the Spanish getting their food for the beach, apparently not able to talk at a normal volume, come out feeling as if I have been to a Take That concert. Loud is not the word!!
Like you, there's something about the area that I love!!

Thank you all so much for your recommendations! Will spend tonight having a look at these areas and hoping to find the perfect place :-)

Another friend has just recommended Mojacar - anyone been there? Good/bad/ugly?!

Been to Mojacar, very pretty. Think it depends what you want from a holiday. Mojacar still quite touristy but in a tasteful way

Spain will be very hot in August wherever you go but inland with no air con sounds like a nightmare. Air con is a must in the Med in Aug, especially with small children. You will need to get up very early if you want to swim as the heat is unbearable by about 11am and stays that way until late afternoon. Not being a misery guts, just married to a Med man so have had yrs of v.hot summer hols. We've got used to dealing with it but with little ones it can be tricky.

We went to the Mar Menor a couple of years ago in late August. We had an apartment which was next to a shared pool -this was essential. It was extremely hot, so hot that we barely went out in the afternoons. One night the air con stopped working and we were overwhelmed by the heat within about 5 minutes!

The beaches are lovely and very safe, it is an easy drive from Alicante or Murcia airport and generally good value. But don't choose somewhere without air con and make sure you have a pool nearby.

Thanks for recommendations about air con - will tell DH that inland villa without air con is a very definite no - also read somewhere about average daily temperatures inland being around 40 degrees (and that's just average!). Don't really want to cook DD and DS by accident!

Yeah see you then. I'll be the one with 2 daughters salivating over the Ronaldo looky likey in the ice cream shop on the paseo :D

Sorry Holley for hijacking, hope you have a fab holiday wherever you choose

Quick update - just to say we have booked really lovely apartment (with full air con!) in pretty looking village overlooking mountains just outside Mojacar. It has fab pool and kids pool shared with just eight other villas - so, so excited!
Thanks to you all for your help, you helped to focus my mind on what I should be looking for. All the places you suggested looked lovely - sadly Javea was a bit too pricey in August, and the only places I could find in Marrazon were in the Camposol area which you warned me to steer clear of - so I did!
Now biggest fear is the fact we are flying with Ryanair....what could possibly go wrong?!!!