Hotel Poseidon Playa

The Poseidon Playa attracts a mixed crowd of Spanish and English tourists, both young families and old couples, who are willing to look past the tired decor and distance from the center of town in favor of proximity to the beach. Like many in the area, the hotel is in need of a revamp, with its low ceilings and brown-marble floors that clash with brown-and-green-patterned sofas. The hotel’s buffet restaurant and bar are decorated in much the same way, with the latter featuring row-upon-row of green-suede bucket chairs arranged in groups of four around coffee tables. Guests are not likely to spend very long looking at the furnishings, however, when there is a sizable pool terrace outside with plenty of loungers and a view of the wide, sandy beach just across the road.

The Poseidon Playa lives up to its name, barely a two-minute walk from the beach, which is quieter than the stretches closer to Benidorm proper. With this proximity to the beach comes one downside, however, as it takes 20 minutes to walk to the Parroquia de Sant Jaume i Santa Anna and the Placa de Sant Jaume, a pretty square in the center of Benidorm’s old town, right next to the Mirador, a historic viewpoint once used to defend Benidorm. Expect transfers to Alicante Airport to take roughly 40 minutes by car, or 90 minutes by public transport, while transfers to Murcia-San Javier take between 90 minutes and two hours by car.

The 306 rooms at the Poseidon Playa are full of light, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling glass doors that lead to furnished balconies -- most of which have views of the Mediterranean. But, like the common areas, they're dated and in need of a revamp, outfitted with wood-chip walls, basic wood furniture that's showing its age, and blue bedspreads. Economy rooms are the cheapest option, as they're on the ground floor, face inland, and lack balconies. All rooms have a flat-screen TV, desk, and Wi-Fi (typically slow and spotty), but guests will have to pay to use the mini-fridge or safe. Bathrooms have either clean gray tile or marble walls, and are outfitted with either a shower/tub combo or walk-in shower, as well as a bidet and hairdryer.

Compared to other hotels in the region, the Poseidon Playa has very few amenities for a three-pearl property. Guests looking for a gym, wellness facilities, or multiple eateries will have to look elsewhere. The hotel does have a large lap pool with an adjacent smaller children’s pool, set in a terrace with plenty of sun loungers and a view of the nearby beach. Also in this area is a pool bar offering drinks and snacks. Inside, guests can get breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the hotel’s buffet restaurant, as well as beverages and light meals at the bar. Multiple meal plans, including all-inclusive packages are available, but food receives mixed reviews. The bar is also where the hotel puts on its nightly entertainment, which also is reportedly average. Children are catered for in the colorful kids’ club, which puts on daily entertainment and activities during high season. Wi-Fi is free throughout, but it can be slow and spotty; the best signal is by reception.