'I've been in Benidorm 40 years - Brits always make the same mistake on holiday'

02 August 2023 , 09:10

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'I've been in Benidorm 40 years - Brits always make the same mistake on holiday'

A British woman who has lived in Benidorm for 40 years has given her top tips for Brits planning holidays in the Spanish hotspots - including the key mistake that people tend to make their first day. Michelle Baker grew up in England but has spent most of her life in the Spanish resort.

The mum, who used to run a newspaper and now manages a Facebook page called BenidormForever spoke to the Daily Star about how to avoid being a 'first day fool'.

She explained: "They get here, the measures are so massive, they set foot on the street and they say 'Oh beer is €2 a pint, let’s have seven straight away'. If you can, just look around and see what the locals do, they have lived here a long time. Drink in the shade and drink water along with your alcohol."

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(Benidormforever)

She added: "I’m not saying don’t drink alcohol, that's ridiculous, but drink water alongside it because alcohol dehydrates you. And if you are travelling with families, keep an eye on the kids. The kids will spend the day in the pool and they won’t feel thirsty so it is up to you as a parent to keep topping them up."

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Michelle revealed that because of boozy tourists, Benidorm has dedicated workers who have to wash away vomit and mess from the streets, where the "smell of sick is vile". However, despite the hotspot being renowned for boozy nights out, the Benidorm local says that there are big misconceptions about the town - and that people are often pleasantly surprised.

The mum warned people not to go too hard during their first trip (Daily Mirror/Ian Vogler)

She has made the town her home for the past 40 years (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

She added: "I know it is cliche but it is everything to everyone. If you want the hurdy-gurdy like my daughter, she is 21, she was out last night and she said the ambiance was number one. She said there was little trouble and a really great atmosphere. I wouldn’t want to go down there for love nor money any more. I am too old for all that but you go to the other side of Benidorm, I call it the Miami of Benidorm and you have the most spectacular buildings, none of them less than €400,000, the apartments within them.

Michelle believes Benidorm's reputation is not completely fair (Getty Images)

"My point being, you have got two completely different ends of the spectrum and it is only a two hour flight from the UK. I love everything about Benidorm because, depending on your mood, you can find it here. When you go somewhere like New York, like Florida or Las Vegas, you kind of know what you are getting yourself in for and your expectations are high. But when people talk about Benidorm they are almost embarrassed to admit they are coming here. So when they get here and find it so fantastic they are like ‘oh right, that was better than I expected’."

Liam McInerney