Hi there, I'm not an expert my any stretch but in the meantime:

Does anyone know if this is a school holiday (would prefer if it were not)? It isn't in England but may well be in Scotland, they have different hols.

Any recommendations of places to visit/eat etc? We're both 30-somethings and not interested in nightclubs. There is so much entertainment it is unbelievable, most bars have something on each night, comedian singer etc. and if you don't like it you just have a drink and move on to the next one, regardless of age you won't feel left out.

Any general tips or recommendations? Can't help with this one.

What are the beaches like? Excellent, sandy and lovely.

How busy June-time? I think it is busy all round but not so busy as the school hols.

What is the weather like? Not sure about this one.

How long is it from the airport? (Alicante?) I think it's about an hour.

We were in Benidorm the year before last and going again in July (kids hols!) but are off to Benalmadena in 4 sleeps!

Jo

Hiya GQB
I know the area where you live and I've just checked the local education calendar for your area.
The kiddies go back to school after the May holiday on the 2nd June until the 22nd July, then they break up for the 6 weeks summer holiday.
The weather should be nice and hot, but not at its peak like in July/August, but weather is weather and I'm not a forecaster
The beaches are fantastic, they hold the blue flag and are cleaned every night.

June will be fairly busy, Benidorm is a 12 month resort, but obviously it will be far busier when both the UK's and other Nations kiddies are off school.
June is a good time to go to any resort, as parents can't afford to pull their kids out of school during exam times. (somebody correct me if they don't take exams any more in June)
The run from the airport in a taxi (depending on the time of day) is around 45 mins, on a TO's coach that will depend on the "drop offs" and can be much longer.

I like Benidorm because of its diversity....
Basically, it's divided into 2 area's, Levante side (new town) or the more traditional Spanish side of the old town (Poniente side)
If you want the British scene, it's there.
If you want the Spanish scene...it's there.
If you want loud brash and junk shops, they're there
If you want designer shops, nice restaurants serving traditional Spanish cuisine.....they're there.
If you want "has beens" passed their sell by date performing in clubs...they're there, if you want a nice quiet bar to have a drink and pass the time away "people watching"...they are there.

Then you have theme parks and local resorts like Altea and Albir on your doorstep (for a one euro bus ride away,) which are poles apart from Benidorm, and if you love the countryside, the Sierra Helada mountain range is just around the corner of the Levante beach and within 15 mins of walking, you are in another world.

Benidorm is a big place, I've no doubt that you will have read or hear stories about an area in Benidorm called the square.
It can be easily avoided, in fact I avoid it like the plaque and to put it into perspective...the square is like you sticking a postage stamp on a A4 sized envelope.
If you want to get pithed out of your head and mix amongst hen/stag parties (generally speaking here) then the square is the place to be....the vast majority of them wouldn't know their way up into the old town, that's if they manage to stand for any length of time.
Recommendations.? yeh, keep away from the square J ...you have no need to go there for entertainment or whatever it is you like doing at night-time....the place is big enough and explore the old town, both day and night-time.

Benidorm is a purpose built resort on the Costa Blanca consisting of high rise tower blocks of hotels, you can either consider them ugly concrete monstrosities or New York on the Med..there is no in-between, you either love the place or hate it to bits.

Finally, check out the restaurants stickies and my videos in the Costa Blanca video library

Does anybody actually look at my videos.?
Sanjiiiiiiiiiiii

Sanji....I've watched every one of your videos, some of them twice.
They have proved invaluable to me, and I have visited places I would never have gone to had it not been for your videos and the advice you post on here.
Linda x

sanji wrote:

Does anybody actually look at my videos.?

Of course we do!!!!!

Good post sanji, Well said.

Thanks Jodie and Sanji et al

Sanji. (You know where I live?????!!! lol). Thanks for your tips, I'm going to get a guide book: "The top ten of costa blanca" which I am sure will come in handy. The square sounds like somewhere to avoid like the plague. Any holiday, IMO, is what you make it. People often expect too much for too little. We have seen some real bargains on the net, and we know it's going to be cheap and cheerful. Afterall, for £200 each, including flights, I don't expect The Ritz! It seems some people do. It sounds like it's worth getting a taxi to the resort rather than the coach transfer.

I have watched some of our videos - great stuff! Hope you're well, long time no speak.

Sanji. (You know where I live?????!!! lol).

No not exactly, but I know you're not a million miles away from me
Sanjiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Are you that strange old woman who walks past our house with the two dogs talking to herself?

I fancy the Hotel Bermudas, cheap and cheerful, self-catering. £25 a night! Flights from Leeds Bradford £102 each!

There are some reasonable reviews for it. Has anyone stayed there and know it?

Great post by Sanji. Don't go to the square. I got a collection of flyers/cards last week and I ended up giving them back to the donors when they tried to give me more. I just said, "here, have one of mine" and they just said, "clever geordie tw@t", which I am as it happens so no harm done.

I don't plan on going, thanks Eddie.

June is a good time to go to any resort, as parents can't afford to pull their kids out of school during exam times. (somebody correct me if they don't take exams any more in June)

Hi Sanji, it depends what age they are. My 7 year old son had his year 2 sats at the beginning of May and my 13 year old daughter had her year 9 sats in the same week.

I think that G.C.S.E'S are taken in May/June though.

Sue

11th June is the last day of GCSE's for one of my girls, but it may be different in other parts of the country. Linda.

GQB...i have just come back from a "hen weekend" in benidorm....we were mature hens...so no party antics from us!!

we stayed in the Nereo hotel which is in the quieter area of levante...when i say quieter..it wasn't absolute rowdy...but there was still plenty of night life.

our hotel seemed to cater for the older person...but that suited us just fine. it only had 10 floors...we were right at the top and had a great view looking down to the sea.

it took a few minutes to get to the beach.....the indoor market was over the road....as were loads of other shops, bars and the bus stop!

we took an open top bus which cost 8 euros....it was a hop on and off all day bus.

included in the price was entry to the gran hotel bali. it is the tallest hotel in benidrom...and has a glass lift on the outside of the hotel...it also has a viewing platform on floor 45 where you can go outside and see out over the two bays.

i was so pleased i went in the lift...i think it will rate as one of my top 10 highlights of holidays abroad.

we also walked to the old town.....that was a good walk along the sea front. lovely little shops...and there was a church at the top of the hill....and again splendid
views over both bays. it was well worth the walk.

the beach was gorgeous....not sure just how busy it would get though in june because most of the hotels which looked enormous didn't have enormous pools....so i think most people headed off to the beach.

one bar we went to was morgans tavern....we went there as its where the club shots of "benidorm" are filmed.

most other nights we stayed at the bar of our hotel.

i'd go there again for a girly weekend...or just with my hubby if i could get a really cheap deal....but only for a week...i think it would be just too crowdy for me.

a few pictures...

view from our hotel..



the gran hotel bali....



a street in the old town...



the beach..

Thanks ladies
It's a long time since my lads went to school, so I wasn't sure what happens these days, but I can still remember that the majority of June was off the cards for holidays.
It only needed one child to be gearing up for O'levels or A levels (as they used to be called) and it stopped us as a family thinking about going away during June....other Nations may take their exams around the same time or slightly later than the UK.

Anyway, IMO: June is a good time to go away, the weather is warming up and there always seems a distinct lack of children around....says she who is off on the 8th

Sanjiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

included in the price was entry to the gran hotel bali. it is the tallest hotel in benidrom

Hi Dotty
It's also the tallest hotel in Europe.

If you have a look in the video library, you can re-live the view from the Gran Hotel Bali viewing platform.

Sanjiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

oh wow...thanks for pointing me into the video diary bit sanji....i'm afraid i haven't actually looked in there before!!

will show that to my hubby when he gets in....as i haven't stopped talking about that hotel sinnce coming back!!

will have a look at the other ones when i have a bit of time..xx

Medot, you weren't with that lot that were in the Piccadilly, were you?

Medot, you weren't with that lot that were in the Piccadilly, were you?

no....and even if i was i wouldn't admit it.....we have a motto when we go out.....

what goes on in benidorm STAYS in benidorm!!

Don't blame you. I wasn't and wouldn't go into the Picaddilly.

Thanks medot. x

Sanji, I try and avoid going away in the school holidays as it's cheaper and I don't lilke children