A dramatic increase in the quality of accommodation in Benidorm, and the top-class culinary experiences the city has to offer, has been highlighted by the Daily Telegraph.
In an in-depth summer article—”The Spanish beach resort you’re wrong to avoid— Fiegel began her piece by writing about the D-vora Restaurant where she savored the house specialty—egg cooked at 65 degrees, with foie, and truffle sauce.
This wasn’t what I had expected from Benidorm. I had been here before but only ever on my way to somewhere else and nothing I had heard previously had ever compelled me to linger. On the contrary, for me and no doubt many others, the very name Benidorm had become synonymous with beer-swigging Brits baking in the sun and a high-rise hell of karaoke bars and cafes dishing up egg and chips.
Fiegel interviewed Leire Bilbao, Director of the local tourist board Visit Benidorm who told her:
Over the last few decades, Benidorm has improved the quality of what it has to offer. Previously, it was mainly three-star hotels, whereas now the majority are four-star. People are looking for quality not just in terms of accommodation but in restaurants and so the city has strengthened in response to the demand. You can see it in the constructions, the apartments that are being sold.
Real estate heaven
Fiegel described the development boom currently taking place along the Poniente beach section of the city, and visited the newly completed Intempo, Spain’s tallest residential building.
As the lift took me from the lobby to the 47th floor in 57 seconds, I could feel my ears pop, but the panoramic views across the city and surrounding countryside from the light-flooded apartments and indoor pool and gym were staggering.
She then quoted Anastasia Boronetzka, Broker Manager for Intempo’s developer Uniq Residential, as saying:
This area is becoming more luxurious. The quality of the restaurants and infrastructure is definitely changing, and it’s walking distance to the beach, so the area is attracting people with money and the prices are beginning to climb to the level of Marbella which is a very luxury market.
Fiegel pointed out that Benidorm has one of the highest concentrations of Modernist architecture in Europe and over recent years there have been suggestions that the city is listed as a UNESCO heritage site for architecture.
Five Luxury Benidorm Hotspots
Fiegel concluded her article by listing five top restaurants and hotels:
Llum Restaurant
Often named as Benidorm’s top restaurant, it’s not hard to see why with panoramic views of the bay and the kind of formal fine dining that wouldn’t look out of place in Madrid or Barcelona. My amuse-bouche of red prawn croquettes with soya croquettes was almost worth the price of admission alone.
Dine: Dine at Llum Restaurant from €22/£19 for an average main course. Telephone +34 637 416 142 to make a reservation.
Check prices and availability at the 5-star Boutique Villa Venecia by clicking here or adding your dates into the box below for price comparisons.
D-vora Gastrobar Restaurant
Along with Llum, the terrace at D-vora is another hot contender for the title of “restaurant with the best view in Benidorm.” But it’s not just about the views. Look out for starters like foie, mushrooms and egg and main courses such as grilled corvina (stone bass) with yakiniku sauce and wasabi parmentier.
Dine: Dine at D-vora Gastrobar (+34 965 270 874 (d-vora.com) from €22/£19 for an average main.
Asia Gardens Hotel
A member of Leading Hotels of the World, the 5-star Asia Gardens is the A-listers’ haunt of choice in Benidorm, from The Rolling Stones to Bruce Willis and Javier Bardem. Set amidst extensive botanical gardens with no less than 300 types of exotic plants, you’d never believe you were only fifteen minutes’ drive from the centre of Benidorm.
Mercure Hotel
Newly opened in June 2022, this is a classic example of a three-star hotel that has been transformed into a stylish four-star. With classy, contemporary interiors, Nespresso machines, and Nuxe products in the rooms, there’s also a lovely pool as well as yoga and ceramics classes.
Booking.com have deals from to £103 per night for a room only to €120 per night with breakfast included.
Intempo
Unquestionably Benidorm’s most striking landmark, the apartments, pool, spa, gym and bar have some of the most breathtaking views in Spain. Residents can also make use of a ground-floor restaurant, outdoor pools and a children’s playground.
You can check for prices and availability at Intempo by clicking here
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