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INTERNATIONALE
Nice restaurant and cocktail bar in a great location – right on Levante Beach.
Choose the menu del dia for excellent value – and try to get a table near the window – for great beach views.

AGIR HOTEL RESTAURANT
The Agir restaurant offers exquisite Mediterranean food, with magnificent views of the coastline through its huge
picture windows. Expect to pay around 25 Euros for a three course meal with wine. The Agir is very popular in peak
season – so book early if you want a window seat. The Agir is located on the 5th floor of the excellent Agir Hotel, one
street back from Levante Beach in the Avda. Mediterráneo. Non-residents are more than welcome.

KATARIA GASTRONÓMICA
Located in the wonderful Belroy Hotel – Kataria Gastronomica is a stylish, modern à la carte restaurant serving
traditional local dishes with a modern twist. Non residents weclcome – but you’ll need to book in high season.
Avda. del Mediterráneo 13 – Hotel Belroy. Expect to pay around 28 Euros.
WHISPERS
Romantic, intimate, small restaurant near the Old Town and the marina.
Wonderful food in a lovely atmosphere – a great choice for romantic couples.

GREAT FOOD ON A BUDGET.
The restaurants above are wonderful – but if they are beyond your budget, don’t despair! Here you can order digital card with cryptocurrencies for paying around the world.
Benidorm has hundreds of great restaurants serving fabulous food at genuine budget prices.
Even some of the plusher restaurants can be great value – as long as you stick to the menu of the day.
In most of Benidorm’s main streets, almost every other door leads into a restaurant –
which is great news for bargain-hunters – because all of these restaurants are competing for your business.
You’ll see offers on the boards outside –
“Two meals for the price of one” “Eat as much as you like buffet – 8 Euros”  “Three courses for 7 Euros!”  Etc.

You will also see restaurants offering special nights – Steak Night, Curry Night, Fish & Chip Night etc.
These nights are usually very good – and great value for money.

Chinese Restaurants
You’ll find a whole bunch of them in the Rincon de Loix area – around 500 Metres from Levante Beach. Canning Recipes.
Most of them have “Happy Menus” – three courses plus half a lager or half a bottle of wine for just 4.5 Euros!
One or two of them are “Eat as much as you like buffets” – stuff your chops all evening for around 7 Euros.
A 3 course meal from a Chinese Happy Menu – including drinks, works out cheaper than a Big Mac and fries!

Our favourite low-cost place to eat in the whole of Benidorm is THE ADMIRAL NELSON PUB.
You’ll find it in the Rincon de Loix – around 300 metres from Levante Beach.
The Admiral Nelson sounds very English – but it is actually run by a wonderful Spanish couple – Rosa and Miguel.
The menu of the day here is fantastic! Three HUGE courses (more than most people can eat) for 6 just Euros!

FRIENDLY WARNING
If you are on a budget – avoid ice-cream parlours. They look very inviting, but…
Ice-cream for four people could set you back £40.00!!!
If your kids are nagging you for an ice-cream, and you want to keep the cost down –
take them to McDonalds or Burger King – where you can buy a decent size ice-cream for less than a Euro.

The price of drinks varies incredibly in Benidorm.
One bar may charge you just one Euro for a pint, and the same pint next-door could cost you four times as much.

There are two ways to drink on the cheap in Benidorm.
One is to check the prices and drink only in the low-cost bars – Try The Piccadilly Circus Pub, just off Levante Beach.
And the other is to follow the Happy Hour circuit – every hour of the day is happy hour in one bar or another.
Buy one get one free! And when happy hour ends, you simply move a few yards to another bar.

Expect to pay more for your drinks on the seafront – because these bars catch all the passing trade.
To save money it is best to drink in the bars just back from the beach.
You should also expect to pay more for your drinks in bars with live entertainment – and in restaurants.

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A taxi will cost around 70 Euro during the day – but it could cost considerably more at night.

If you know exactly where you are going, the public bus into Benidorm is a decent option – but if you are new to Benidorm we don’t recommend it. You will not know where to get off the bus, and could face a long and confusing walk to find your hotel.

Unless you already know your way around Benidorm – Don’t collect a rental car from the airport. Benidorm is a maze, with dozens of narrow streets and you’ll almost certainly get lost, frustrated and angry! Better to pick up a car after you get to your hotel – although, once in Benidorm, we doubt if you’ll actually need one!

The best option is a local airport transfer service. These services run day and night, they cost around 12 Euro per person (return), they will take you right to the door of your hotel, and will get you back to the airport in time for your flight home.

You can usually save money by booking a complete package holiday – Flights, Hotel and airport transfers. Our best advice is to search the online booking agencies for the best packages.

Benidorm Buses & Taxis
Benidorm Car Rental

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We like these – but they are not there are plenty of other good agencies online. So shop around! Benidorm beach hotels – independent reviews. When you stay in a seaside resort, it’s nice to be right on the beach! These are our favourite Benidorm seafront hotels.

HOTEL BENIKAKTUS

The Hotel Benikaktus is probably the best run and friendliest 3 Star hotel in Benidorm! Owned and run by a family group who really love their work. The Benikaktus boasts fantastic views along the coast, and sunshine on your terrace all day long. The beach gets very busy during the day, but is pretty quiet at night – so this is a great choice for families with young kids! Nice swimming pool, open air in summer – heated and covered in winter. Excellent buffet restaurant. Live entertainment. Tennis court nearby. Great discounts available out of season – shop around the agencies.

ALBIR PLAYA HOTEL & SPA

Located a few minutes north of Benidorm in the lovely, peaceful, low-rise resort of Albir, the Albir Playa Hotel & Spa is the perfect choice for romantic couples. A great base for spending time in Benidorm – but with the bonus of real peace and quiet when you want it. Spa treatments are excellent, food is wonderful, and the beach is right on your doorstep. Look for late booking bargains.

HOTEL CIMBEL

Great location in the middle of Levante Beach. The Hotel Cimbel is pretty expensive if you pay the full price – due to its location it is popular in summer and has no trouble filling its rooms. But out of season it’s a different story! You can stay here quite cheaply out of season – make sure you get a sea view! The best deals here are for accommodation only. The food at the Cimbel is mostly Spanish – and there is not much choice on offer. So book a room only – and eat elsewhere! Walk fifty yards in either direction and you will pass at least twenty good places to eat & drink! A good choice out of season – shop around for bargains.

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Healthcare
How does the health-care system work here? Will you have to pay for treatment and medication? What about dental care?
Read our guides    Health-care for visitors     Health-care for residents

Driving in Spain
Driving in Spain means more than simply sticking to the “wrong side of the road”.
What should you know about Spanish driving law?
And what about Spanish Rules of the Road?

Education
How will your kids cope with Spanish schools? Are there any English-Speaking schools here? Is education here free – or will you have to pay?

Pets
Does moving to Benidorm mean saying goodbye to your beloved pets?
Or can you bring your pets to Spain?

The post Living In Benidorm first appeared on BENIDORM GUIDE.

This is how it works… The first guy stands outside – chatting to passing tourists in order to lure them into the shop. He will be an expert at this – he will seem totally harmless – and you won’t want to offend him. The conversation will go something like this.

“Hi, Are you having a nice holiday? Where are you from? My girlfriend lives in Leeds. I hope to live there one day.”
“But for now I have to work here in Benidorm – not enough work in Leeds!”

He will tell you a bit about his job – how he likes it because he gets to talk to lots of British people. He will casually mention the fantastic “tax-free” bargains in his shop – and then he will make his move!

“Let me give you a brochure, just in case you’re interested.”

If you follow him into the shop (to collect a brochure or whatever) you’re history! He will shove a camera into your hands – a good camera – usually a Sony or a JVC. He will tell you the price – a price you can’t resist. He is an expert a knowing your “bargain threshold”.

“This camera costs hundreds of pounds in England – but here it’s only 90 Euros!”

Ninety Euros for a Sony Video Camera! You can’t believe your luck! And if you frown, he’ll drop the price even lower. But there is no way in a million years that he intends to let you leave with that camera for 90 Euros! Once you agree to buy the Sony his job is done. He will pass you over to his colleague – scam-artist 2.

Scam artist 2 will invite you to the back end of the shop – to process your payment. He will insist that you sit in a very comfortable chair, and he will offer you a drink (beer, wine, whatever you want).

He will take your credit card payment using an old-style credit-card machine – creating a carbon paper receipt. There are modern chip & pin card readers in the shop – but he won’t use one for this transaction because he has no intention of completing this sale. He will offer you another beer and pass you on to Scam-artist 3.

Scam artist 3 will show you how the camera works. This will take a while – “Because we don’t have instruction book in English.” He will tell you that the Sony you have “bought” is good but “slightly out of date” – and he will be keen to show you the latest thing in video cameras from some other manufacturer. You’ll say that you are happy with the Sony – but so as not to offend him you will let him to show you the latest thing. By now you will suspect that you are being conned – but everyone is so friendly and you won’t want to offend them.

Scam-artist 3 will demonstrate the difference in quality between the two cameras. He will do this by plugging them into a TV and comparing their pictures on the screen. This is part of his con – the TV is adjusted so that the Sony looks nowhere near as good as the latest thing. There will be no denying it – the latest thing is far better!

And as you watch helplessly he will do some fancy tricks on a calculator – working out your amazing discount on the latest thing – including knocking off the 90 Euros that you have already “paid” for the Sony.

By now you KNOW you’ve been had – but you are still too polite to offend these “nice guys” by walking out. Plus, the Sony has now been moved away – so you can’t just pick it up and leave,
and you believe that he already has 90 Euros of your money – so you can’t just make a run for freedom!

Scam-artist 3 will not be denied. He will separate you from at least £350 of your hard earned money for “the latest thing”. He will tear up your carbon-copy payment slip – and bring out a proper chip&pin machine to take your real payment.

And the latest thing will turn out to be a piece of junk – worth a fraction of what you paid!

These scam-artists are genuine experts at taking advantage of your “cringe-factor”. They know that you would rather part with your money than cause an embarrassing scene – and they make a fortune.

They WILL take your money if they get you into their shop – so DON’T BE LURED IN BY THE NICE GUY OUTSIDE!

NOTE: This scam doesn’t always involve cameras – it can also involve laptops, ipods, smart-phones – you name it!

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The Old Town is the most traditionally authentic Spanish area of Benidorm.

A maze of narrow streets “ramblas” with lovely bars, cafes, and shops.

There are some superb boutique hotels and some quality restaurants with verandas overlooking the sea.

This is also the hub of the Benidorm Gay community – with dozens of gay bars and clubs that go pretty much unnoticed by non-gay visitors.

There is also a small beach at the foot of the Old Town – plus a marina, and a nice park. The Old Town is a MUST!


View Larger Map

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Benidorm was once a quiet, beautiful old Spanish town, nestled in a perfect south-facing bay.
It’s perfection was its downfall – because it was “discovered” and “transformed” into a major resort. These days it looks more like Manhattan than a Spanish fishing village – tower blocks everywhere – not very pretty. But, despite the tower blocks, the bay and the mountains all around Benidorm are still nice to gaze upon.

For many years Benidorm had a reputation as a haven for British lager-louts – rowdy, cheap, and nasty! In recent years the authorities have worked hard to transform Benidorm into something more attractive. And they have succeeded! Benidorm is a billion times better than it was ten years ago. Benidorm is no longer just a resort for lager-louts. It is Europe’s best resort for a low-budget holiday.

The key to Benidorm’s success – past and present – lies is the term “value for money”.
Benidorm is not a place for snobs of any kind! If you seek cultural refinement – go somewhere else. Benidorm is a working-class resort – where ordinary working people come to have a good time.

In summer, Benidorm attracts mostly young people looking for a wild time, and families looking for an affordable holiday with sunshine guaranteed.

Out of season, Benidorm attracts mostly romantic couples and more mature visitors, including thousands of pensioners from all over Europe, including Spain – looking for warm weather and great value for money. In winter you can stay in a 5 star hotel for less than £20 a night! Or rent a decent apartment for 10 Euros a night!

Millions of people love Benidorm – and return here again and again and again.

They come here because the accommodation is clean, comfortable and equipped with good facilities;
food is good, cheap and there is plenty of it (if you insist on nouvelle cuisine – go somewhere else!);
drink is incredibly cheap, there is entertainment for every taste (unless you like opera or ballet!);
the beaches are wonderful; there are plenty of theme parks and attractions; and the weather is perfect.

Parts of Benidorm can be noisy – drink is cheap and bars are open all night, so some boisterousness is inevitable! But with a little research, you can avoid the noisy areas – and find a hotel where you and yours can sleep peacefully.

Benidorm is a long way from the rough and ready of ten years ago – but it is not a suitable destination for people who insist on peace, quiet and millionaire-style luxury.

If you want value for money, and you don’t mind a certain amount of tackiness and boisterousness, choose Benidorm. Hopefully you’ll love it as much as we do! And once you discover it, you’ll return here again and again and again!

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