Hotel Albahia

Hotel Albahia is a bright, modern property with minimalist interiors that are mostly white and airy. The boxy exterior with inconsistent awnings in various colors doesn't make a great impression, but spaces inside are contemporary and clean. A bar has floor-to-ceiling windows with sea views, white-leather armchairs, and chairs with geometric cutouts. The restaurant is similarly decorated, though a bit more utilitarian with its eggshell-white plastic chairs and black tablecloths amid bare walls. Outside, the terrace is vast and ill-utilized, with lots of empty space and views of the hotel’s two car parks and several of its tennis courts. It does have a seasonal lap pool with limited loungers, and a small bar with umbrella shading. Overall, the affordable rates lure a crowd of primarily couples and friends who don't mind being outside the center of Alicante. 

Set along the coastal road between Alicante proper and the beachside suburb of Playa de San Juan, the Hotel Albahia is in a quiet area a bit removed from the buzz. At the hotel's back is the Serra Grossa nature preserve. Although across the street from the ocean, it's a 10-minute walk to the nearest true beach. It's about a 10-minute drive to the center of Alicante. There are a few shops and restaurants nearby, but Alicante’s center is home to far more. The popular 18-hole Alicante Golf course is just over a 10-minute drive. Expect drives to Alicante Airport to take 25 minutes by car, and those to Murcia-San Javier Airport to take around 80 minutes by car.

Rooms at the Hotel Albahia are decorated in the same clean, minimalist fashion as common areas. Expect light wood flooring, bare white walls and modern furniture, and violet throw pillows and bed runners for splashes of color. Although perhaps a bit bland, everything is clean and has an airy feel. Most rooms have views over the hotel's terrace and toward the sea, but some of the Standard Rooms face a stone wall. Rooms are spacious and functional, with desks, flat-screen TVs, and air-conditioning, and upgraded rooms add small sofas. Superior rooms have furnished balconies. Bathrooms are decently sized and have large, walk-in showers in all expect for Family Rooms, which have shower/tub combos. Hairdryers and free Wi-Fi are provided, but mini-fridges are not. Safes require a fee.

The Hotel Albahia has a decent list of amenities, including nine tennis courts that overlook the ocean. Unfortunately, use of them requires a fee. At the end of the row of tennis courts is a big lap pool that's only open in the summer and has limited loungers. A bright gym has just a handful of equipment, including free weights. No entertainment is provided for kids, but there is a game room and lounge with a pool table, retro arcade games, and a PlayStation. 

Breakfast buffets and a la carte dinners are available at the restaurant, although the former receives more consistently positive reviews. A snack bar is outside on the terrace, occupying a small wooden hut next to umbrella-shaded dining tables.

Both bikes and motorcycles are available to rent from reception. Wi-Fi and outdoor parking are free.