I spent 3 nights at the Hotel Villa del Mar Benidorm and wanted to write it up, because at first glance it looks like “just another seafront hotel”, yet a handful of details make it a lot more interesting than that.

It sits right opposite Poniente Beach, which for me is one of the nicest parts of Benidorm if you want somewhere calmer and more family-oriented than Levante Beach.

Below you’ll find my honest take: the good, the bad, who I’d recommend it to and whether I think it’s worth booking. If you’re still weighing it up against other hotels in town, my guide to family hotels in Benidorm puts it next to the others I’ve stayed in.

The best thing about the Villa del Mar: right opposite Poniente Beach

Location is one of the hotel’s big strengths.

The Villa del Mar is literally opposite the beach: step out of the door, cross the pedestrian promenade and your feet are in the sand.

Whether you’re travelling with children, as a couple, or just want to forget about the car for a few days, that makes a huge difference.

Poniente also tends to feel quieter and more family-friendly than the Levante side. That doesn’t mean it’s empty, especially in summer, but on the whole I find it the easier of the two if what you’re after is a rest.

For me, it’s one of the main reasons to book here.

What kind of hotel it is

The Villa del Mar isn’t a mega-resort with water slides, non-stop entertainment and kids running about everywhere.

It’s more of a four-star hotel with a gourmet, quiet and family-friendly feel.

I think it suits these people best:

• Couples who want a break by the sea.
• Families with young children.
• People for whom eating well comes first.
• Travellers who want the beach, a good location and comfort.
• Anyone who can do without big pools or a huge resort.

I’d be less keen to recommend it if you want a hotel with loads of entertainment, big water areas or a party atmosphere.

The room: simple, comfortable, with a good bathroom

I found the room perfectly decent, with a slightly boutique touch.

It isn’t huge or ultra-luxurious, but it’s nicely decorated, clean and finished in pleasant materials.

It has some nice touches, such as:

• A capsule coffee machine.
• A minibar.
• A comfortable bed.
• Comfortable pillows.
• A bathroom with a hydromassage shower.

If you book the Ultra All-Inclusive, the minibar is restocked every day, which always helps.

The bathroom was one of my favourite parts of the room. The hydromassage shower has several settings and jets, and after a day on your feet or on the beach it’s a real treat.

If you want something more special, there are superior rooms with a private jacuzzi and sea views. Ours wasn’t one of them, but if you’re going as a couple it’s well worth a look.

I’d give the room an 8.5.

The food: the hotel’s big strength

For me, the food was the best thing about the Villa del Mar.

When it comes to food, I’d put it above plenty of four-star hotels, and I actually enjoyed it more than some of the five-stars in the area.

The dining room isn’t big, but they manage a good range and, above all, good quality.

Breakfast and the Ultra All-Inclusive brunch

Breakfast was very good.

There’s serrano ham carved to order, pastries, espresso or machine coffee, smoothies made on the spot and freshly squeezed orange juice.

You also get everything you’d expect from a good hotel breakfast: toast, eggs, omelettes cooked to order and a mix of sweet and savoury options.

This isn’t your bog-standard hotel breakfast. You can tell they take care over the produce.

Lunch and dinner

Lunch and dinner keep up the standard.

Dishes I came across included:

• Beef entrecôte.
• Grilled king prawns.
• Rice dishes.
• Spanish bean stews.
• Slow-cooked meat stews.
• Cured meats.
• Assorted canapés.
• Galician-style octopus with mashed potato.

For a hotel buffet, it honestly took me by surprise.

It isn’t variety just to fill the counters. The cooking is careful, the produce is decent and there are dishes you genuinely want to go back for.

I’d give the hotel’s food a 9.

The weakest point: the snacks

If I had to pick one negative about the food, it would be the snacks.

Outside restaurant hours, the choice is pretty thin.

You get cold savoury bites, sandwiches, empanadas, crisps, peanuts and not much else.

There’s plenty to drink, cocktails included. But if you fancy something more filling between meals, it falls short.

For a hotel that sells an Ultra All-Inclusive, I think they could fix this with something hot: burgers, pizzas, hot dogs or anything a bit more substantial.

For me, it was one of the hotel’s weakest points.

Communal areas and pools

The Villa del Mar isn’t a big hotel. This is Benidorm, where lots of hotels are built upwards rather than outwards, so don’t expect enormous resort-style pools.

Even so, it has a few pleasant spots.

There’s a children’s pool with a little splash park for younger kids, and a quieter pool area with sunloungers in the water and a cocktail bar.

There’s also a rooftop with sea views, which I thought was one of the prettiest corners of the hotel. It’s perfect for a drink in the afternoon or evening.

Bear in mind the rooftop is made for drinks and unwinding rather than eating, as the snacks up there are pretty basic.

I’d give the pools a 7.5.

Gym

The gym is tiny.

There’s one multi-station machine that lets you work more or less your whole body, but it isn’t a comfortable gym if you train seriously.

It’ll do for a quick session on one or two days, but I wouldn’t count it among the hotel’s strengths.

Staff: great in the restaurant, weaker at the snack bars

The staff were a bit hit and miss.

At reception they were polite and friendly.

In the restaurant they were excellent. The waiters were attentive, quick and helpful: they ask what you’d like to drink, lend a hand, and you can tell they care about the service.

At the snack bars and the Beach Club it was a different story. Service was slow and a bit indifferent. Nobody was rude, but it felt a lot less professional than in the restaurant.

So although I’d give the dining room service almost a 10, the overall score for the staff drops.

I’d give the staff an 8, but only just.

Ultra All-Inclusive: is it worth it?

I went for the Ultra All-Inclusive because it cost only a little more than the other options, and when the gap is that small I think it pays off.

It covers meals, drinks, a daily minibar refill and a few worthwhile extras.

Subject to conditions and availability, you can also use other Magic hotels, such as Magic Tropical Splash or Magic Robin Hood.

And depending on how many nights you book, a brunch or lunch at the Beach Club may be included.

The brunch is pretty good: sweet and savoury side by side, with waffles, doughnuts, serrano ham, tomato, cheeses, nuts and more.

That said, it isn’t as strong an Ultra All-Inclusive as the one at Magic Pirates Island or Magic Natura, where it gets you into water parks, Terra Natura, the Game Zone, themed restaurants and plenty more besides.

Here the Ultra All-Inclusive adds something, but it doesn’t change the stay nearly as much.

I’d give it an 8.5.

Parking

The hotel car park is very small.

I went in May and there were spaces, but in high season it’s likely to be harder.

There’s the odd new car park nearby, but this is Benidorm, so factor it in if you’re driving.

What I liked and what I didn’t

My scores

These are my scores after 3 nights:

Final thoughts

After 3 nights, my verdict on the Hotel Villa del Mar Benidorm is a positive one.

It isn’t perfect, but it knows exactly what it offers: a great location, good food, comfortable rooms and a calm atmosphere right opposite Poniente Beach.

Its strong point, for me, is the food. Its weak spots are the snacks and some of the secondary services.

If you find a good price and want a seafront hotel where you can rest and eat well, I think it can be well worth it.

My Honest Opinion

The Final Verdict

Who do I recommend it to?

Perfect for you if…

• you want a quiet hotel on the seafront, with good food and an easy, comfortable stay in Benidorm
• you’re coming as a couple or as a family with young children
• you want to rest, eat well and have the beach right across the promenade

Not for you if…

• you’re after a huge resort with water slides and big pools
• you want lots of entertainment
• you need a fully equipped gym