wow what a glowing reference. we go on the 16th June and can't wait.
thanks craig

Ok, cap in hand time for me when it comes to the Rio Park

I first stumbled across it and stayed briefly in the 80s

By the late 90s and early 00's I found it to be the epitome of the bad image of Benidorm. It was England in the Sun complete with disinterested staff, horrendous 'English food' and very very very 'Thomson' (from the days when Benidorm hotels were Thomsons crown jewels) alongside substandard rooms and it really was letting the side down

Fast forward to 2009 and attending a meeting in Alicante I opted to pop into Benidorm and asked for accomodation to be arranged. I was given the Rio (despite asking for the Deloix) and I had my own personal card at the ready to depart

Well...what an astounding change. The foyer is bright and airy, befitting a modern hotel. The staff were as pleasant and professional as any top hotel chain I've stayed in, even advising me of the weather and the local info in Benidorm.

The room, though not to my taste and somewhat atypical was light, airy and comfortable with a rather small and ineffective balcony though most hotels do have small balconies. Overall a good 3* standard.

Breakfast, ok, not fantastic but a lot of choice and certainly tasty and worth the price of the Rio ( certainly outstripped the breakfast offered in the lodge chains over here)

Overall, I enjoyed my stay, I heard a lot of different nationalities and the Rio seems to have upped its game. No long a British exclusive (which I find a bonus!)

It took me 20 years to come back here after my first trip and although its not stunning. Its a good value, well located hotel in Benidorm and a good budget stay

Overall, I enjoyed my stay, I heard a lot of different nationalities and the Rio seems to have upped its game. No long a British exclusive

It is, in the tourist season from may onwards it's exclusive to Thomson.

Oh that's a shame, its a silly policy which in my opinion is detrimental to the hotel and why I avoided it for so long

It is, in the tourist season from may onwards it's exclusive to Thomson.

That's not true, you can book direct with Medplaya.

Sue

That's not true, you can book direct with Medplaya

....... or with any number of hotel/accommodation booking agencies.

David

Oh well, you live and learn, I always thought it was,

David, I cannot find a site of which I can book the rio park with, just the hotel, apart from medplaya or Thomson, I have seen a couple that say they do but when you get down to brass tacks they don't, you get offered a choice of different hotels.

I don't think Thomson have any exclusive arrangements anymore. They stopped the one with Rio Park after summer season 2007.

Well, that's good news. I could be persuaded to visit in the Summer though I am totally taken with the Deloix at the moment

I am going on 3rd july for 10 nights
booked through thomson
i am driving down from dover - calais - benidorm
where can i park in benidorm and how much ???
also can you wear tee-shirts in de pool

thanks

Hi,

I can't see any reason why you won't be allowed to wear a t-shirt in the pool.

not long now we are here on the 16th June, hows the food and whats the prices for alcoholic drinks in the bar???
thanks Craig and Jules

Don't bother with the bar, use the wookey hollow 2 just outside.

a friend has just come back and she said she drank in the wookey hollow, is it any good then? cos there's no point asking my friend as she thinks if it serves booze she is happy with it lol
craig and jules

Yes we love the wookey and no matter were we are stopping in Benidorm we always pay the wookey a visit.

we just got back from Rio park and hotel is not bad at all, entertainment is a bit naff but cleanliness and food good the bar staff are as miserable as sin but don't let it get you down and just smile at them i got to know one bartender,she was a right sour faced so and so but once we broke the ice with her she was OK. and they have special drink prices on certain nights which was as cheap as going out so you may as well stay in like we did but all in all a good hotel and i would recommend... enjoy

Head to cheap+cheerful cafe bar for lunch and cheap booze, if you can get a seat that is!!!! Literally 2 minutes from Rio Pk

Hotel Rio Park wins the 'TUI Travel Overall Gold Award' after it was voted 'Best 3T Hotel in the World' by Thomson holidaymakers ... click here for more.

David

I see an All Inclusive option s available from 2011. Wonder why British Airways flight and not Thomsons from my airport though