A Month in Benidorm with a 14-Month-Old: Our First Long Stay

The Trip at a Glance

Why Benidorm?

Benidorm gets a bad reputation. Stag dos, English breakfasts, that sort of thing. But everyone we'd spoken to said the Poniente end is completely different — quieter, more family-oriented, with a flat promenade that's perfect for buggies, a sandy beach, and proper Spanish restaurants mixed in with the tourist spots.

The real reason is practical: it's cheap, it's warm in March, the flight is short (2 hours), and there's a massive expat community which means everything is set up for English speakers. When you're doing a long stay with a toddler, you want easy. Benidorm is easy.

Getting Here

We flew Ryanair from Bristol to Alicante — our first time with Ryanair after two flights with Jet2. The short version: the flight was fine, took off on time, landed early. Leila was paranoid about bag sizes for days beforehand and they didn't check a single thing. Read the full comparison in our Jet2 vs Ryanair with a baby post.

We booked a transfer through Alicante Transfers from the airport to Benidorm. Slight issue: they were supposed to check our flight and be there with a sign, but nobody was there when we landed. We had to contact them ourselves — they said the flight was early. Once the driver arrived, the transfer itself was fine and the guy was nice enough. Just don't rely on them being there on time.

Sunset Cliffs: First Impressions

Sunset Cliffs is an 18th-floor apartment on Avenida Republica Argentina, booked through Booking.com. Two bedrooms, which means Tallulah gets her own room — a game-changer for sleep.

For a long stay with a baby, the practical stuff matters more than the decor. Here's what the apartment actually has:

The washer and dryer has been a lifesaver — we only brought limited clothes knowing we could wash as we go. The travel cot was there but not set up, so we assembled it ourselves and found a single duvet in the wardrobe to use as extra padding underneath. No highchair was provided, but we brought our own travel highchair which clips onto chairs — it doesn't fit the apartment chairs perfectly but it works well enough.

Sunset Cliffs: the building, sea views from the balcony, the heated pool, and the playroom.

First night: the sunset from the balcony (left) and Tallulah settling in on the sofa in her pyjamas (right).

Costs So Far

Benidorm isn't as cheap as Spain used to be, but it's still cheaper than the UK. Here's what we've found so far:

The Honest First Take

We liked it enough to extend from one month to six weeks — that should tell you something. But it's not what we expected in some ways.

Benidorm doesn't really feel like Spain. It's full of English people. Every restaurant serves full English breakfast. We tried a paella but it wasn't a traditional family-made one — just something thrown together that wasn't very good. If you're looking for authentic Spanish culture, Benidorm isn't it. When we went to Turkey, it felt different. Here it feels like the same stuff we have at home, just with better weather.

That said, there's plenty to do. We're not bored after ten days — far from it. We've walked the strip both ways, we've got the beach, the pool, tennis, basketball, a gym. The biggest adjustment is accepting that we're not on holiday. We're not here to get jet skis out and mess around. We're here to live, work, and give Tallulah a different experience.

The season hasn't started yet — that kicks in April. It's busy enough already, and when the season starts it's going to be mental. Good timing on our part.

Poniente Beach: Looks Perfect, But...

Our first proper beach day looked ideal — bright sunshine, blue skies, the sand practically empty. We got Tallulah down there, sat her on the sand, and she was loving it. Then the wind picked up. Sand started blowing straight into her face and she was not having it. We lasted about five minutes before calling it and heading to a cafe on the promenade for smoothies and coffee instead.

That's the reality of Benidorm in March — it looks warm and sunny, and it is, but the wind can catch you out. The beach itself is lovely though: fine sand, wide open, and barely anyone on it pre-season. We'll be back on a calmer day.

Supermarkets & Baby Supplies

There are small supermarkets all along the beachfront — think Budgens or a campsite shop back home. They have what you need (milk, bread, water, nappies) but they're slightly more expensive and nothing exciting. Formula and nappies are available in most of them.

For a proper big shop, Aldi is about a 20-minute walk (2 miles). It's very similar to UK Aldi — same layout, similar prices, familiar brands. We did a big shop there but getting everything home was a nightmare. We got a taxi back (£18 because Saturday surge), then had to get it all through the complex and up the lift with Tallulah and the pram. Any savings from Aldi were wiped out by the Uber. Next time we'd take an empty suitcase and walk it back.

Eating Out with a Baby in Benidorm

We've eaten out a couple of times and so far no restaurants have had highchairs — bring your own travel one. The food has been hit and miss. We tried a paella at La Pinta Beach and it tasted more BBQ and American than fresh seafood. Not what you'd hope for in Spain.

The highlight so far has been Coffee & Cream on the promenade — great smoothies, proper coffee, and a nice spot to sit outside with Tallulah when the beach was too windy. Tallulah just eats whatever we eat at this age, so we don't bother with baby food pouches. That makes eating out much simpler.

Pharmacy & Baby Medicine

There's a pharmacy every five minutes along the strip, so you're never far from one. We needed Calpol for Tallulah's teething and they don't stock it — the Spanish equivalent is Gelocatil Pediatrico, which the pharmacist said is the same thing (paracetamol). Worth knowing so you're not panicking in a pharmacy trying to explain “Calpol” with hand gestures.

Getting Around with a Buggy

The promenade is excellent for buggies — flat, smooth, and wide. No issues at all. The whole beachfront strip is pushchair-friendly and we've been walking everywhere. The only exception is the old town which has some hills and steps, but the main areas are completely flat.

The fairy-lit promenade at dusk, coffee with Tallulah at an outdoor terrace, and the remote working setup with a sea view.

Tallulah's Verdict

She's settling in gradually. She slept through the night on night two, which was a huge relief. She loved having ice cream on the beach. Being able to just pop out and take her for a walk in the sunshine rather than a wet park at home — that's the whole point of this.

The morning before we left the UK, we took her to the park and she got soaked because the slide was wet. Here, we can take her out for five minutes and she's in the sun. That's the difference.

Ready for the promenade in sunglasses (left) and the reality of nap time with dad on the sofa (right).

The Lifestyle Question

We came out here for a fresher, healthier lifestyle. We're not there yet — we did an Aldi shop, loaded up on beers, and haven't exactly been eating clean. But the infrastructure is there: gym, sauna, pool, places to run, sunshine. We just haven't used it yet. Finding our feet.

We've done a lot more walking here than at home though. In three days we've covered more ground on foot than we normally would in a week. That's something.

Week 2: Why We Already Feel Different

Ten days in and something has shifted. Even on six hours of sleep, we're waking up fresh. No aching joints, no dragging ourselves out of bed. Leila was straight up and moving before the alarm went off. Whether it's the sunshine, the walking, or just not being in a cold house — something is working.

We're averaging 10,000 steps a day without even trying. Back home we'd drive everywhere. Here, we walk to the supermarket, walk to a cafe, walk along the promenade with Tallulah. It adds up. We haven't been to the gym yet, but we're moving more than we ever did at home.

The sun has made a huge difference to our mood. We sat on the balcony one evening and both said the same thing: we've established that this is what we want. The view, the warmth, the lifestyle. Everything about this apartment — down to the furniture — feels right.

We've been comparing everything to Sunset Cliffs, which isn't fair on places we haven't seen yet. As Leila put it: “We might find somewhere we love that's not as nice on the outside but it's stylish inside — and we can actually afford it.”

One thing we've both agreed on: we want to be by the beach, not in a city. The beach here is mainly for the view right now — pre-season wind means it's not daily use — but just being able to see the sea from the balcony changes how you feel about your day. We've tested city living. It's not for us.

What We've Discovered This Week

• Rooftop bar: Found a hidden gem rooftop bar in the old town. Beautiful views, quiet, and Tallulah was welcome. We'll be going back.
• Old town: We haven't properly explored it yet — we've stayed mostly on the coast. The market is on our list this week.
• Wind-free days exist: When there's no wind, the beach is genuinely lovely. We had an afternoon where we could have sat there for hours. The trick is checking before you drag everything down.
• Botox is pricier here: Leila looked into it and it's about £100 more than the UK. We assumed beauty treatments would be cheaper in Spain — they're not, at least not in Benidorm.

What's Still to Come

Frequently Asked Questions

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We're posting real-time updates on Instagram and TikTok throughout the trip. This post will keep being updated with honest reviews, real photos, and the full cost breakdown as we live it.