Where to stay in Benidorm

Choose by what you want on your doorstep: the beach, the bars or a quiet night's sleep. Benidorm is long and thin, with Levante beach to the east, Poniente to the west and the Old Town on the headland between them; Wikivoyage notes that walking from one end of the resort to the other takes over an hour.

The table compares the main areas. For individual hotels, see our hotels in Benidorm page.

Levante is where most visitors stay, and Wikivoyage calls it ideal for families and groups. The beach runs 2,084 metres from Punta Pinet to Punta Canfali, averages 55 metres wide and has held a Blue Flag since 1987.

Visit Benidorm describes it as a busy, social hub with visitors of many nationalities, and Guía Repsol calls it the liveliest beach in town, known across Europe for nightlife popular with young people. Sunbeds cost about €6 a day on the official concession price list. See our Levante beach guide.

Stay here if the show bars are the point of the holiday. The two areas run into each other at the eastern end of Levante, and they are where most of Benidorm's British bars and shows are.

The Old Town, or El Castell, occupies the headland between the two beaches and the streets just inland. Guía Repsol highlights its whitewashed houses, the blue-domed church of Sant Jaume and the Balcón del Mediterráneo viewpoint, and Wikivoyage says it is preferred by couples and more mature visitors.

It is the place for food: Tapas Alley holds La Cava Aragonesa, one of six Benidorm restaurants with a Repsol Solete, and D-Vora, another, is on Plaça de Sant Jaume in the RH Canfali hotel. The small, sheltered Mal Pas cove sits below Cerro Canfali.

Hotels here are smaller and more boutique, such as the Villa Venecia, whose top floor holds the Llum de Mar restaurant. See our Old Town nightlife guide for the evening scene.

Poniente is the largest beach in Benidorm at about 3,100 metres, and Visit Benidorm describes it as quieter than Levante and especially popular with Spanish visitors. Guía Repsol says it suits families with children, and the beach has six children's play areas.

It also has two of the three accessible bathing points, at Parque de Elche and towards the La Cala end, with amphibious chairs and staff to help in the water in summer. The trade-off is distance from the British bars around Levante. See our Poniente beach guide.

La Cala is on the west side of Poniente, towards Finestrat, and Wikivoyage recommends it for a relaxed holiday away from the late nights and discos. It has an accessible bathing point and is the furthest area from Levante's nightlife.

Further out, the Michelin Guide's Benidorm hotels page lists resort hotels such as Barceló Asia Gardens and VIVOOD, each more than 8 km from the centre. At that distance you will need a car, taxi or bus to reach the beach or the bars.

We have pages for several hotels. Check each one's location against the area profiles above before you book.

There is no tourist tax in Benidorm in 2026: a Valencian regional tax was created in 2022 but repealed before it took effect, and no new tax was in progress as of May 2026.

If you stay away from the centre, the Avanza urban bus costs €1.60 for a single (€1.75 at night), with tourist passes at €12 for 24 hours and €48 for seven days. See our getting around Benidorm guide and the airport bus page.

Light sleepers should ask for a room away from the street in the Rincón de Loix and on the Strip; families who want both beach and entertainment usually do best on Levante. For safety advice, see is Benidorm safe?