grahamflannigan

Hi, I've just signed up to this expats forum and would appreciate some sound advise before i make a massive decision
i'm 52 wife 50 and would like to move over to Alicante / benidorm area to relax and make life with arthritis and asthma a thing of the past.
we have a 25 ft Hobby caravan and would contemplate on towing to a reputable site with the option of hard fixing it for 12 months of more .
can i ask if anyone has done this / tried this / or has any advice on this type of up and go frame of mind....
BTW.. family fall outs, and various other issues forces this upon me and my wife , we are now looking for a deserved rest and quality of life..
thanks
Graham

Maur-Ross

Sorry cannot help you. Others will. Hope your have some peace

johnnyone

This programme was based on sites in Benidorm. May be worth catching up on a few episodes.
Good luck, I hope you find what you wish for.

Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun - Channel 5

Rosemary

Hi and a warm welcome to the Spanish forum on BE. Myself and Fred James are the moderators for the Spanish forums whilst BEVS moderates Europe. Moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. This is so that members gain the information that they are looking for and find their experiences on the forums to be friendly and worthwhile.

Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderator who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are usually friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge about the issues of living in Spain. I hope that you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

tebo53

Hi Graham,

There are several very large camp sites around Benidorm. I've had a wander around some of them just out of interest. Most seem clean and tidy and all have club houses incorporating bars and entertainment areas, although I've seen a lot of campers eating and being entertained outside the sites, so that may tell you something about food/entertainment quality!

There were plenty of spaces on the hard standing with electric hook up's which are usually at the rear of the sites. Some of the sites are so big and away from tourist area's that you will need to use you vehicle to get into town, unless you're happy enough to walk to the bus stop.

I would'nt put to much faith in the "Bargain brits in the sun" tv programme as their episodes are all hype to get an audience. Life like that is a rare thing in Benidorm as is life like the "Benidorm" series.

Have a serious look at all the campsite internet sites and don't rush in to quickly. Come for a short break with the intention of looking closely at these sites. Oh and by the way they are as expensive as renting a two bed apartment on the outskirts of Benidorm!

Steve

grahamflannigan

don't know if I'm typing in the correct box, but thanks steve for your help, didn't realise a two bedroom app is same price as a campsite pitch.
thanks very much anyway, ( i'm open to all thoughts & opinions )
cheers
Graham

noelrosie

Can be a bit chilly in Benidorm in the 'winter' to say the least ... you would need to budget plenty for heating a van in the winter months Possibly a bit hot in the summer months too (36C average for the last few weeks)

gill556

Friends of mine have just left a campsite in Catral after 12 months.they loved it to start with but soon got bored. They were paying 400 euros per month but it did include electric and wifi.

tebo53

Wow......I don't know if you live in Benidorm or not but I do and it certainly has not been an "average" of 36c in the daytime over the last few weeks! Unless you keep your thermometer directly in the sunshine To get that "average" some days temps would need to be in the high 40s and it sure ain't been that high for more than half a day!

Winter does get cold especially February and March but I only used my small gas fire a couple of times to remove the chill then turned it off. I think modern caravans are well insulated and should be able to keep warm. The campsites here are well away from any exposed "sea front" areas.

Steve

rspltd

it certainly has not been an "average" of 36c in the daytime over the last few weeks

It goes with the 'never rains in summer ' comments!!

Horlics

You gotta laugh. Don't go to Benidorm because it's too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer.

Uhhh, they're from the UK! Like they don't already budget for heating.

Rosemary

If you go to Benidorm in the winter it is so easy to pick out the Brits over for their dose of winter sun, they are the ones stripped down to very light summer clothes, soaking up the sun and going red. Those Brits who live in Spain have slightly more clothes on but will venture out into the sun occasionally. The Spanish are normally in full winter gear and continue to walk in the shade whenever possible but on the sea front this is impossible so they may be forced to remove their heavy winter coats for a while.

Rosemary

noelrosie

I actually own a home near Denia (not far away) and have done so for the last 12 years ... I stand by my comments that it can be chilly in the winter (10 years ago it snowed and the A7 had to be closed and there was also snow last year!) and there have been several severe heat warnings over the last few weeks with temperatures on our drive reaching 36C! Perhaps Benidorm has its own micro-climate, or all those sky-scrapers pump out heat in winter and keep things cool in summer?

noelrosie

Many British people are convinced that it never gets cold in Spain and that all winter days are balmy, hence the push to do away with the 'winter fuel allowance' for British expat pensioners...

tebo53

It's also been 36c in Benidorm but you was saying that was an "average" daily temperature which is not strictly true. It's only 26c at the moment.

Its true, Benidorm does actually have its own micro climate due to mountains surrounding the city, can't quite work out your logic about the skyscrapers

Fantastic place., warm in winter, warm in summer

Steve