‘I love Benidorm so much I visit five times a year – trying different resort backfired’

A tourist who visits Benidorm five times a year tried Benalmadena as an alternative but found the rival Costa del Sol resort lacking in entertainment and atmosphere

A British holidaymaker who abandoned his cherished Benidorm for a different Spanish destination lived to regret it – and has pledged never to stray again.

James O’Brien, a 39-year-old self-employed investment trader from Reading, makes the pilgrimage to the renowned Spanish resort five times annually. However, this month he decided to venture to Benalmadena, another Costa del Sol hotspot, to see whether he was missing out.

Yet he quickly became a social media sensation on Facebook after penning a brutally honest post declaring that “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it”.

He described his getaway as “boring” and admitted that throughout his disappointing trip, all he could think was “wish we just went Benidorm” and “imagine if we was in Benidorm now”.

James highlighted the absence of entertainment, bars, and atmosphere, whilst the stroll along the “depressing looking beach” was made worse by its proximity to a congested road.

Concluding his amusing post, he wrote: “Yes it’s January but if we was in Benidorm at least we would have had plenty of entertainment, nice walks, nice beaches, plenty to do/explore and could get a kebab at 3am. Just confirms how much we love Benidorm and how much it has to offer. We won’t be making this mistake again!”

Following his post being shared across numerous Benidorm fan pages, James spoke briefly with the Mirror about his devotion to the Costa Blanca resort and what prompted him to share his experience.

He revealed: “I felt I had to write something as I turned my back on Benidorm for the first time in years and it backfired on me.

“I first visited Benidorm in 2015 and fell in love with the place. I have lived there and have been going back around five times per year ever since. I have been lucky enough to have visited various other places over the years but Benidorm just has something special that I have never found anywhere else, I just feel at home when I’m there.”

James praised the “unbelievable” entertainment available both day and night, running 365 days a year. He described the locals as welcoming, with everyone simply wanting to have a good time.

Initially, he visited purely for the strip, but with each return trip, he discovered just how vast Benidorm truly is.

He now also explores the Old Town, which feels like a “different world” compared to the strip, where he admires the architecture whilst visiting wine bars and sampling tapas.

The holiday enthusiast explained that beyond the Old Town lies the Poniente side, boasting two beautiful beaches, before noting that the Rincon de Loix area provides family-friendly entertainment, hotels and restaurants.

He continued: “I could keep going, the place is huge and has so much to offer and caters for all different tastes and ages, you really could have two or three different holidays in one as there is so much to do and experience.”

The destination James disliked, Benalmadena, sits roughly five hours from Benidorm and just outside Malaga. The scenic coastal town boasts amusement parks, a harbour, an aquarium and a vibrant nightlife scene.

However, according to James, none of these can hold a candle to Benidorm.