Benidorm IV Tapa and Pincho Competition

The IV Tapa and Pincho competition in Benidorm comes back. Since some years ago, this event enlivens restaurants, bars and coffee shops of the capital of Costa Blanca.

 

This year’s competition (the fourth) will take place from March 31 to April 6. During the whole week, public could taste the delicious tapas and pinchos made by a total of 27 establishments which take part in the competition.

 

This tapas and pinchos tour goes by restaurants, bars and pubs all over Benidorm. Each establishment offers a series of pinchos, among which you will find those taking part in the competition. You can taste them for 2€ each, and then vote for your favourite one.

 

The competition has three categories: Prize for most modern avant-garde tapa or pincho, Prize for most traditional tapa or pincho and special general public prize, as result of customers’ votes.

 

Those who want to vote for a tapa or pincho, could do it by whatsapp, SMS, or “liking” the tapa on the Facebook page of Turismo Benidorm.

 

This initiative began some years ago by the Benidorm´s Tourist Department to promote this tourist destination through the restaurants and bars of the city. The truth is that they are succeeding in it, because the competition receives more and more visitors each year willing to enjoy the best pinchos of Benidorm.

 

Recommended hotels in Benidorm:

–          Bristol Park Hotel

–          Prince Park Hotel

Beaches and coves in Benidorm

The Benidorm coast is formed by several beaches with different styles and atmospheres.

The most famous are Levante beach and Poniente beach, where are situated most of the beach hotels of Benidorm, although this Alicante city has also other coves more secluded but with an excellent offer of services.

Poniente beach

It can be said with certainty that this is the most frequented beach in Benidorm:

a urban beach with more than 1 mile long where you will find a promenade plenty of bars, restaurants and shops, placed between Punta Pinet and Punta Canfali.

Its fine and golden sand and its quiet waters make of this beach an ideal place for swimming and resting under the sun.

Poniente Beach in Benidorm

Poniente Beach in Benidorm

Levante beach 

It is the longest beach in Benidorm with more than 1 mile of sand. It is also a urban beach, although, unlike Poniente beach, it is more peaceful and visited by native tourists. It has a large promenade where are situated the most prominent hotels in Benidorm. Thanks to their orientation, in these beaches you will enjoy the sun until late afternoon all over the year.

Mal Pas Cove

This small cove separates the beaches of Poniente and Levante, it is specifically located between Punta Canfali and the harbour, and has an extension of 393 feet where you will be surrounded by quiet waters and blond fine sand. Fortunately, this cove is not crowded and has a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere. Ah! And in summer you can attend musical events.

Tio Ximo Cove

It is a natural and small cove situated at the foot of Sierra Helada, sheltered by cliffs.

Its rocks and sand, as well as its crystal-clear water, make it very attractive for snorkelling.

La Almadrava Cove

An ideal cove for diving by the rocky bottom and the underwater life. It is also at the foot of Sierra Helada, a bit hidden, although this is one of the characteristics that make it so special.

Magaluf or how to make the most of a developed tourism destination

Although there are many (so many) tourism destinations in Spain that are aware of being overexploited and crowded, only a few have known how to find the escape route, the method of revitalising the lost charm and recover the attraction that have made them the focal point of tourists from everywhere.

Benidorm, Torremolinos, Salou, Palma Beach… Examples for every taste and all of them, with greater or lesser success, have begun plans to change their future: Palma beach, in Majorca, took the first steps some years ago with a comprehensive change plan that intended to recover more space in front of the sea for promenade and park, making the hotel a second line one and offering a recreation and amusement area much bigger that the current area. Remodelling hotels, creating big natural areas, improving connections… The arrival of the economic crisis and the loss of limits by an autonomous administration tainted by corruption have stalled the project, leaving it in stand by.

Others are still studying the best way to confront their challenges of the future, in the case of Benidorm, where this year will be celebrated the tourism forum dedicated precisely to look for solutions to turn the capital of Costa Blanca into a Smart City Destination. For now, the steps taken are diminutive and the city keeps anchored to a 60’s tourism that does not find support in the current demand.

Sandos Monaco Hotel in Benidorm

Sandos Monaco Hotel in Benidorm

Nevertheless, the administration and government pairing and the private initiative seem to have found a solution for being worth the effort of keeping investing in these developed areas.  A good example is the case of Melià in Magaluf with the creation of its new concept of resort: Calvià Beach, or some hotel chains like Sandos, Fiesta, Garden Hotels or Marconfort, that this summer will release a new theme hotel in Benidorm.

The Magaluf case

The Melià Hotels International group has been an author of one of the most successful reactivation projects of a developed destination in Spain: the Calvià Beach Resort project declared of regional interest that has received support from public institutions as the Balearic government and the Calvià council.

The work of the first phase, finished in October 2012, consisted in remodelling or restructuring 4 holiday hotels in Magaluf targeted at families to turn them into specialised hotels for very specific types of travellers with median and high purchasing power: sportsmen, couples, foreign young people… In all, around 1 km of the coast of this famous Majorcan town principally focused on the British tourist, where since several years ago the tourism bussiness and the socioeconomic data of the entire area registered it was plummeting.

Sol Cala Blanca Hotel

Sol Cala Blanca Hotel

Among the new revived hotels stands out the Beach House – called since the end of the last year ME Majorca– that incorporates a Nikki Beach, concierge service and the famous Wave House, targeted at young people and surf lovers, and includes a giant waves pool one step from the sea. Right beside are the Sol Cala Blanca Hotel and Sol Antillas Barbados, that still preserve some of the ancient essence of Only Adults holiday hotels and hotels for kids linked to the beach resorts line Sol Hotels; and finally, the inclusion of the theme park Katmandú creating the first hotel with theme park of Majorca.

Careful design and innovative facilities inviting to enjoy an experience in the hotel that gives value to the destination have been the key elements that have marked this project. Thanks to this, the hotel group has obtained a tourism merit badge from the Department of Industry recognising the effort made in the modernisation of a developed area, in this case Magaluf and, in general, the entire Palma Nova coast.

Bristol Park Benidorm Hotel

The Bristol Park Benidorm Hotel, a refurbished beach hotel for families specially designed to offer the maximum comfort to all its clients, is located close to the best leisure and shopping areas of Benidorm, at the heart of this locality of Alicante.

The Bristol Park Benidorm Hotel is located in the historic center of the capital of Costa Blanca, just 250 metres away from the famous Levante beach, which receives yearly crowds of tourists attracted by its white sand and its warm sea.

Bristol Park Hotel in Benidorm

The decoration of this hotel in the center of Benidorm creates a modest and pleasant atmosphere with modern and well-cared spaces in all its rooms and common areas.

The rooms of the Bristol Park Hotel, distributed into single, double and triple, have been specially designed to offer the guests the maximum intimacy inside the hotel. All the rooms feature a private terrace, TV, full bathroom, telephone, hairdryer, free wifi and wooden floor. Besides, the guests have the option to request a cot, a safe deposit box and a minibar.

The services of the hotel are the perfect complement for enjoying pleasant holidays by the sea with the only concern of relaxing and enjoying the sun and the beach. With this aim in mind, the hotel has an outdoor swimming pool with a children’s area open throughout the year.

Bristol Park Hotel in Benidorm

The buffet restaurant is another of the appeals of the hotel, where a varied international cuisine for all tastes is daily served. There is also a bar café with entertainment for all ages that will guarantee the enjoyment of the whole family.

The hotel also features free wifi, car rental and ticket sale for theme parks or for the most requested excursions in the area.

The keys of the hotel:

–   Free wifi

–   Extra cot on request

–   Buffet restaurant

Images of a journey to Benidorm

Sun, beaches, crystal clear sea, sports, long party nights, shops, streets where you can find shade, terraces and landscapes to discover… Benidorm presents itself as a large leisure and holiday collage through a unique promotional video produced by the Benidorm tourist organization especially for Internet and it can already been seen on Youtube.

The video, of just over one minute, reviews all the proposals that are hidden within this holiday city for families, on the Spanish east coast.  It is an agile summery offering plans for all types of travellers: golf lovers, diving, a romantic getaway, children… All, but not forgetting such places as Terra Mitica and its culture: local festivities and bonfires on the beach. Additionally, the easily recognizable skyline and all the Benidorm emblematic hotels, open throughout the year, giving life to one of the most visited places in Spain.

For those, who after seeing the video wish to see more, you can arrange a short break for couples, with the family or friends to Benidorm, and here you will find a small selection of hotels on the Costa Blanca for you to make your choice.

Hotels in the centre of Benidorm 

The large selection of hotels in the centre of Benidorm are very competitive which means that prices are very good but also it complicates your choice.  To find the right hotel amongst so many can be difficult.  For those of you with doubts here are some establishments tested by us and that can serve as orientation.  The Prince Park, a complete hotel in the park of l’Aiguera, very near to the town hall, or the Flamingo Benidorm, one of the most emblematic hotels in Benidorm, and the Flamingo Playa, which offers the option of staying in apartments.

Hotels with suites in Benidorm

One of the novelties this summer of the Benidorm hotels will be the Marconfort Benidorm Suites, one of the most exclusive hotels owned by the chain Marconfort Hotels and Apartments, composed exclusively of modern suites with special services for families, at just a few paces from the beach, but with all the ambience of a hotel in the centre of the city.

Hotel Prince Park

Hotel Prince Park

Accommodation that never go out of style

It is very common that we review those more innovative hotels, the most avant-garde tourist proposals or the most interesting formulas that will allow our readers to discover new design hotels. In this occasion, wrapped in autumn’s melancoly and with a little post-vacational syndrome, we have written a short but honest summary of destinations and accommodations that, in our opinion, will never go out of fashion.

Iberostar Marbella Coral Beach

Iberostar Marbella Coral Beach

The rebirth of Costa Blanca

Benidorm is a classic destination. A destination that has been gradually associated with national and foreign tourists of a certain age, and its eccentric skyscrapers that shape it as one of the European cities with the largest skyline in the continent. Something that surprises everyone that visits it for the first time. Many are those that think that this urban development is an aberration, bearing in mind the Mediterranean environment that surrounds it. As time passes, Benidorm has revitalised and changed into a vintage destination, to which many visit it as a new experience, different and fun, away from the connotations attributed in the past.

In Benidorm there is a beach… and hotels. Choosing one among all the ones available can be stressful, as the decision can be a success or a total mistake. Our recommendation in this sense, and after covering several hotels in the area, are Benidorm’s aparthotel of the hotel chain Marconfort, the Flamingo Playa and the Flamingo Benidorm, two accommodations with All Inclusive next to the beach of Levante. Ideal for those travelling with friends or family. Its services and facilities are complete, and the personalised attention of their staff is unbeatable.

Marconfort Beach Club Hotel Torremolinos

The magic of the Costa del Sol

The hotels in Málaga never go out of style. The city where Pablo Picasso was born, offers beaches that are a haven for families and surfers, and that year after year, the Costa del Sol sees how the magic of its natural beauty continues to have effect an effect on tourists. In addition, the province has many faces. On the one hand, the classic family destination of Torremolinos keeps its pull despite the changes in national tourism trends, recovering from the current economic crisis. On the other hand, Marbella and its luxury resorts near Puerto Banus, that maintains its pulse and retains its status and glamour.

Among the hotels in Torremolinos that we reviewed to include in this list, we have chosen two  belonging to the hotel chain Marconfort. The Griego hotel and the Beach Club hotel, two of the classics in this holiday destination, chosen mainly by spanish families of the interior. In Marbella, we are sticking to the Marbella Coral beach, and in the area of Fuengirola, one of the most comfortable hotels located in the beach of Los Boliches, the Confortel Fuengirola hotel.

Hotel in Fuengirola

Hotel in Fuengirola

Natural beauty on the coast of Barcelona

Another classic and family orientated destination in Spain, one of the most protected agains’t foreign mass tourism, is the coast of Barcelona. Away from the bustle of the capital and along the Mediterranean coast you find towns like Pineda del Mar, Calella, Malgrat de Mar and endless towns that have been kept almost intact, retaining its traditional essence of fishing villages. The most appreciated in this area, is its atmosphere, an to a generation it reminds them of a time when summers were blue and they could run around freely along the towns streets.

Preserving the tradition from father to son, those who visit this coast of Barcelona during the summer holidays are usually Spanish, many with a second home in the area, others accommodated in small hotels with character and staff that feels more like family. Along this line, we choose several hotels from the hotel chain Fergus Hotels, available in the coast of Barcelona:

Fergus Style Mar Mediterrania

Fergus Style Mar Mediterrania

The Fergus Style Mar Mediterrania, off the coast of Santa Susanna and completely refurbished in 2013. We like it for its exterior designer spaces, with areas of a solarium terrace and an amazing swimming pool in which to spend hours reading a book. The town of Santa Susanna, is also one of the most beautiful of all this coast.

The Fergus Montemar, an All Inclusive hotel in Pineda de Mar with the advantage of having the beach very close and all the services that can be found in the centre of the town. Good atmosphere, personal attention and surprising facilities for an All Inclusive: Jacuzzi, gardens, relax area, cocktail service, children’s playground and kid’s club…

The Fergus Espanya, a historic hotel in Calella that could not be forgotten in a list that mentions traditional holiday accommodations in Spain that, even after so many years have not gone out of style. With a large group of loyal tourists, this hotel in Calella, is a symbol fro tourism on the coast of Barcelona. Informal and with a spirit that makes all its guests feel at home, it has managed to earn the affection of all those that visit it at some point.

Benidorm gets an update

Nothing ever surprises, or almost anything. There are few things we haven’t already seen in this century, but sometimes we get surprised: I never thought I would even think of recommending it, but after talking to some friends who assure it is worth it… I have decided to leave a door open and give it an opportunity. It is said that Benidorm is being renovated, and that the most consolidated destination in Spain is becoming a new moneymaker for family holidays at an affordable price and with an added value, modern services and a juvenile atmosphere!

Marconfort Hotels in Benidorm

Marconfort Hotels in Benidorm

Well, sorry about my scepticism, but it has taken me time to accept it. However, there are some facts that make me think maybe now thinks are really changing and the hotel sector of the area has seen the writing on the wall and has gotten cracking. If that is true, I really support them. As a traveler mother I would love to see how one of our most beautiful coasts recovers its charm, becomes a destination for quality tourism and aims at giving an excellent service to its visitors.

I admit this is not going to happen overnight, but it is happening quickly. One of the things that has surprised me the most is, for example, the philosophy of this hotel in the centre of Benidorm: design rooms and suites close to Levante beach, special services for families (including laundry!), free internet access in the common areas of the hotel, entertainment for children…

Marconfort Benidorm Suites Hotel

Marconfort Benidorm Suites Hotel

This idea truly differs from the concept I had in mind of an accommodation in Benidorm (leaving 5-star accommodation apart, of course), and I think I could even spend a pleasant week there with my children. It is true that Levante beach is one of the most crowded beaches in Spain during summer, but it is also true that one of the advantages of Benidorm is that it is a lively all-year-round destination and the climate is perfect for those who are searching for a bit of sun and relax in a different location.

Benidorm is being updated, and as the hotel we have already mentioned, there are many accommodations that are investing in change, in design spaces, and most importantly, in much more specialised services designed for the different guests they may accommodate. I include the capital of Costa Blanca in the list of my possible trips. Maybe it is not my first destination, but it is there: everyone deserves an opportunity, isn’t it?