Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

benidorm

27 replies

nailpolish · 26/11/2004 12:59

we are planning to go on holiday in may, and found a great all-inclusive hotel in benidorm with thomas cook. thought this would be a good place to go cos dd1 will be 2.7 and dd2 will be 7 months, so thought it would provide loads to do during the day and night and we could not worry about getting dd2's milk and nappies etc.

havent booked it yet.

when mentioned this to a few people they all crumpled their faces up and said benidorm was rubbish (although they have never been!)

are they being snobs or are they right?

OP posts:
Azzie · 26/11/2004 13:35

Nailpolish,

We went to Benidorm for a week 1n 1998 when DS was small (15 months). Yes, there is a lot of tat, and a lot of restaurants doing 'British' this-and-that. But we found the beach absolutely excellent for a small child (they cleaned it every night), and we hired a car for a few days - there is some beautiful and very unspoilt scenery within 20 - 30 mins inland of Benidorm itself (in fact, take a look here if you'd like to see some of our photos from that trip). Our hotel did buffet-style meals, which meant that we could always find something that DS would eat (creme caramels by the dozen, as I remember!), and we were able to get nappies etc easily. We were also pretty sure that if DS had fallen ill or anything, then we would be able to find an English-speaking doctor.

We enjoyed it - it wasn't our 'perfect' holiday, but with small children you have to compromise, don't you?

Trifle · 26/11/2004 13:57

From personal experience Benidorm has to be one of the worst places going. It doesnt have a lot to recommend it really apart from a great beach and weather. It is also quite hilly so you might struggle with a pram and some of the properties are pretty high rise places so insist on a low floor although this cannot be guaranteed. I stayed there once when I went to a wedding and our hotel was described as luxury. Whilst the rooms might have been decent I found the food awful and you could see the same food regurgitated the following night in a different disguise. Be very very aware of all-inclusive places. Where drink is included you will find the lager louts making the most of it and getting tanked up all day and night. Benidorm appeals to the Union Jack brigade who dont wish to experience any culture and are happy to eat egg and chips washed down with a pint of Boddies. I personally would opt for a smaller resort more suited to families where you are not going to be stepping over someones vomit from the night before.

Original poster
nailpolish · 26/11/2004 13:59

its been a hard year and i just want to relax, we dont ask for much!

thanks for your post azzie, sounds fine to me.

as you said its not your perfect holiday but thats not what were looking for just now.

OP posts:
Original poster
nailpolish · 26/11/2004 14:00

sorry trifle crossed post

is there anywhere you would recommend with a family?

OP posts:
Original poster
nailpolish · 26/11/2004 16:52

anyone?

OP posts:
dawnie1 · 26/11/2004 16:58

I went to Puerto de Pollenca - in North Majorca - with dh and dd when she was 6 months old. I loved it. Just over an hours flight from Gatwick. We had been there about 5 years ago and said 'when we have a family we'll def come back here). I love North or West Majorca and Pollenca is great for young families IMO - does anyone else agree / disagree.

spacemonkey · 26/11/2004 17:04

is the hotel in the old town or new town?

OneTrickMummy · 26/11/2004 17:14

Nerja, on the Costa del Sol - small but lively town, good spanish atmosphere, nice beach (but water could be cold-ish in May).
Crete?

spacemonkey · 26/11/2004 17:29

I have been to Benidorm once. It's pretty grim tbh, especially the new town where all the hotels are, but the old town is quite nice iirc. Nice beaches. I think it would be fine for an all inclusive thing with young children - you'll be in the hotel complex mostly anyway probably.

Trifle · 26/11/2004 17:31

Nailpolish - it might be easier to look for whatever deals are going then coming back on Mumsnet to ask for opinions on the various destinations that come up.

spacemonkey · 26/11/2004 17:33

An example of the entertainment on offer in benidorm is the famous "Sticky Vicky" who does unspeakable things involving razor blades. Nice.

Don't even consider Magaluf either, it's even worse!

spacemonkey · 26/11/2004 17:36

You also get some highly amusing Roy Chubby Brown impersonators in Benidorm. If you like that sort of thing.

swanlake · 26/11/2004 17:37

benidorm - is perfect for a cheap famly holiday -it's basically butlins in the sun and am sure you'll love it.

nasa · 26/11/2004 17:41

would second the recommendation of Puerto Pollenca in mallorca - lovely for families

Original poster
nailpolish · 26/11/2004 22:11

thanks girls. now im even more confused! i totally wanted to go to majorca and found a nice place and then dh said 'oh me and sarah went there' (his x from school!) so im not going to majorca

i never really looked for places in benidorm - i just liked the sound of the hotel - everything you would ever need not a long flight and all the rest. dh really wants to go all inclusive so choice restrictive.

not keen on the union jack brigade (as someone mentioned) too many english! (joke btw)

might choose a smaller resort on the mainland.

also, does anyone else get annoyed at the lack of fridges in the hotel rooms? how on earth are you supposed to keep babies milk?

OP posts:
tiredemma · 27/11/2004 09:18

nailpolish, is it the flamingo oasis? if it is then its highly recommended.
i work for thomas cook and have sent my family there twice this year.
ill have a look for other AI offers for you if you like, justgive me date, how many travelling, how many weeks and from which airport.
emma

moondog · 27/11/2004 09:32

Haven't been but they do say that Benidorm has been smartened up considerably in the last few years. Also haven't most of the lager lout brigade moved on from Spain to destinations further afield? I doubt that they'l be around then anyway as height of summer is their mass movement time.

Could be great- not too expensive,not too hot for the little ones, not too busy and with someone else doing the cooking and cleaning!
What else could you ask for!?

Original poster
nailpolish · 29/11/2004 11:29

hi tiredemma - didnt know you worked for thomas cook! thats who i got the brochure from. its the magic rock hotel that i really liked - cant remember seeing the flamingo one.

sorry i never caught your message on sat - havent been around all weekend. im going to compile a wee list of questions for you!

just going to have another look at brochure

think we have decided to go there - i know its not a fantastically ideal and wonderful place to go but i know itll have lots of facilites and ill be able to get the nappies and milk i like. also you can get good flight times, its not a long flight etc etc etc. i think itll be great for our first family holiday abroad!

getting excited now

OP posts:
Original poster
nailpolish · 29/11/2004 11:30

yes you are right moondog i agree with waht you said

thanks very much!

OP posts:
Gingerbear · 29/11/2004 12:12

Nailpolish, we took DD then 13 months to Javea, just up the coast from Benidorm. Perfect family resort without the Benidorm Tat.
We had an apartment but used the facilities at the Hotel Solymar.

Booked direct through the internet as not many tour operators do Javea (lots of private villas though)

list of hotels in Javea

Gingerbear · 29/11/2004 12:15

PS Although I like Javea, I wouldn't knock Benidorm. Benidorm is much better out of Season - May should still be nice and quiet and plenty of things for young family to do.

Original poster
nailpolish · 29/11/2004 12:59

thanks gingerbear!

did you have to hire a car?

OP posts:
Pacific · 29/11/2004 13:12

Hi Nailpolish,
We have gone Spain every year for several years. We've always done it as cheaply as possible because we are only looking for somewhere to keep the kids amused etc.

Benidorm will be OK in May. as someone else said, the lager louts only come out in high summer. You are much more likely to be mown down by rampaging zimmers at that time of year!

Some of it is tacky, but you wouldn't be going to Stcky Vicky's show with the children anyway so simply avoid the tack.

You can get everything you need for babies/toddlers and also good healthcare.....they have such vast numbers of British pensioners there that they have to have good medical care.

We have once gone all-inclusive. Unfortunately we did find that the parents sat boozing in the bar whilst the kids ran riot so I would not go all inclusive again.

Original poster
nailpolish · 29/11/2004 13:31

pacific thats interesting - dh is determined to go all-inclusive but might have a look elsewhere.

what i am most worried about is not having a fridge in the room! silly i know but important,

thanks for your post

OP posts:
Gingerbear · 29/11/2004 13:34

Hired a car through carjet (cheapest we could find) and drove to Javea from Alicante airport. Car seat was available for not much extra ££.

When we stayed in Benidorm it was a package, so coach transfers etc. Only stayed for a week, so didn't bother with a car that time. Good to have a car though to visit other places, especially if you are like us and cabin fever starts to set in after 1 week.