Benidorm, Whats it really like?

[OMGhelp]

My lovely DH booked a weeks holiday to Benidorm yesterday (saturday) and we are flying out first thing Tuesday. (What a panic, can I find my costume, like hell I can). After he found a thread I started showed him that I needed a break.
But Benidorm has such a negative, beer swilling reputation that I am fretting that we won't get any sleep because of late night clubbing and lager louts etc. What is it really like for us non-drinking (well very rarely), families who just want to chill, see a show, go to a theme park etc. Its the only place he could find that was cheap enough at the last minute. If we had booked for the school hols it would have doubled or trebled in price. As it is the school will have a knicker attack.

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It will probably be full of Scottish folk as it is our half term at the mooment.

we went on our first holiday abroud over 10 years ago. We hated every minute. It was either a young free single shag person resort or old person let me die resort.

there is nothing to explore unless you go on courrier arranged trips which cost a fortune. or hire a car - which defeats point of going on a cheapo.

beach was ok - but dh and i not great lovers of lying there bored.

sorry!

Urrrggghh! My Mum loves it and I have in fact arranged a holiday for her and my Great uncle to go there over the Xmas hols for 2 weeks Full Board . She's quite chuffed as I got it for her for half the price the main travel agents wanted.
But for me, I have to stop this negativity or I will ruin the holiday before it even starts.

From what you describe you want to do - chill, swim, theme parks etc, you'll be fine. Holidays are what you make of them. and it beats being at home! Have a great time.

Also as I said there will school age kids as company for yours.

It's not too bad. I enjoy the theme park Terra Mitica. Also like the Old Town - wandering down the streets on a night time, plus it has a Zara and a Mango

Whereabouts are you staying?

Other nice bits are to go down to the beach on a night time and see the sand artists - they had built the three little pigs and wolf out of sand - was fantastic!

Also if you walk all the way through the old town you come to a white church - up the stairs are artists - got a nice portrait of the ds's.

Night time entertainment is a bit naff and relies heavily on sex and karaoke ie sticky vicky but we were all inclusive so we always went back to the hotel on a night time.

We are on Allocate on arrival, 3* so its a choice of 3, Parisio 10. Flamingo Playa and another one that Ive forgotton the name of. Also husband is disabled, we will see how things go, but I have the phone number of a company that hires out mobility scooters in Benidorm, just in case. DS2 is the only one coming with us and is 10yrs old.

Your DS will like Terra mitica, www.terranatura.com/Eng/Inicio/Index.aspx is another option. you can always find cultural things to do even in places like Benidorm... I would do a bit more research before you go so you have an idea of places to visit.....at least it's not Torremolinos... sweet of your DH.

It wont be full of lager louts at this time of year, probably familys and old people, who for some reason go for months at a time in winter.
The beach is nice and there are hunderds of restaurants etc, would pack a cardi or 2 for the night time as it will probably be cool.

Benidorm isn't the nicest place on the spanish coast, but it will be a nice break. THe theme parks are great. There is also aqualandia and mundomar. Aqualandia is great fun, but it is salt water rather than fresh, which I didn't like very much. Getting a nose full of salt water isn't good! Mundomar is quite small, but there is a great dolphin show there. Agree that the old town is quite nice. The big central park is nice for getting away from it all too, since most of the tourists seem to sit on the beach.

I'd consider getting a car even if jsut for a day or two of the hol. They you can visit the Valor choc factory and Gudalest - very pituresque little town in the mountains.

I'd stay away from the british bars too, with the crap entertainment. Down some of the alleyways there are little restaurants with spanish menus which are much nicer. Brush up on your spanish and head down there.

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