Carole Rees, from Rhondda, spent £200 on a trip to Benidorm in Spain compared to a day out in London, which she said would have set her back considerably more
A travel influencer explained how her jaunt to sunny Benidorm was more cost-effective than catching a train to London. Seasoned traveller Carole Rees, from Rhondda in Wales, managed to spend only £200 on her Spanish escapade as opposed to splashing out more on a day trip in the UK capital.
While the reasonably priced £35 flight whisked her from Bristol airport to Alicante, a staggering train fare of up to £170 could be the cost for a return journey from Cardiff to London. Carole, 45, said: “I took a 6am flight from Bristol Airport to Alicante, and stayed in a full board hotel in Benidorm overnight.
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“You can do the trip much cheaper by not staying overnight but I think it was worth every penny. I had the most amazing 24 hours there.” Carole asserted with joy: “If I went for a night out back home or took a day trip to London I would have spent a lot more – plus you get to soak up the sun!”
Not only was Carole’s trip cheaper than a day out to London, it turned out to be pretty quick as she boarded a 45-minute shuttle bus transfer from Alicante airport to her hotel in Benidorm.
The savings don’t stop at the airport – something that Carole has also discovered on her travels. She went straight to her hotel restaurant and enjoyed a Spanish buffet, included in her full-board £76 hotel price for one night.
After topping up her energy, Carole was eager to see what the city had to offer, reports Wales Online. She explained: “I went on a stroll through the city and it felt so good to feel that sun on my skin. It was stunning.
“I then walked along Llevant Beach, Benidorm’s main beach, and went shopping along the seafront. After my walk, I went back to my hotel’s rooftop bar and enjoyed the stunning view of Benidorm’s seafront.”
Carole never felt like she was racing against time. She spent her evening on the well-known Benidorm strip – a buzzing 1.3km stretch known for its vibrant nightlife and bars, taking advantage of 7€ (less than £6) two for one cocktail deals.
Recounting the closure of her day, she said: “It was the perfect trip which I finished off by going back to my hotel to gaze at Benidorm’s beautiful views while sipping red wine – and I was back in bed by 10pm.”
In the morning, Carole also visited Benidorm’s Old Town, a district boasting historic Spanish architecture from the 14th century, where she meandered before catching her 4pm flight.
“I worked out I spent £200 in total. All my food was included so I only spent around £40 on wine, and cocktails as well as a bit on tips.” Carole concluded: “If you’re considering doing a trip I’d say do it. It’s so much fun. I can’t wait for my next one.”
Below is how Carole broke down the costs for her whirlwind Benidorm getaway:
- £30 from Cardiff to Bristol Airport (return) with Airport Tavern.
- £35 flights with Ryanair from Bristol Airport.
- £20 airport transfer from Alicante to Benidorm (return) with Beniconnect.
- £76 full board accommodation at Port Benidorm Hotel & Spa with Booking.com.
- £40 on drinks.
Maximillian Schwerdtfeger, a representative from the money saving group EcoExperts, said: “Aviation contributes to 2.5% to global carbon emissions, and that won’t come down until alternative means of travel are cheaper. The UK has some of the highest-priced train tickets in Europe.
“Companies and governing bodies should do more to make aviation transport cheaper.”
Meanwhile, Cardiff’s Karen Marin Reyes, who runs the travel agency La Vida, offered her insights: “With return train tickets costing up to £110 from Cardiff, it’s not surprising to see so many UK travellers going abroad. We’re seeing more people attend our travel agents who swapped their domestic travel plans for a holiday in Spain or Greece.
“We have deals from Bristol to Barcelona return flights at £95 – nearly £100 cheaper than return train tickets from Cardiff to London. It’s still cheaper once you factor in a £10 train to Bristol from Cardiff Central.”
Expressing her own travel psyche, Karen adds: “Personally, I’ve decided not to travel to London go abroad instead. You have to pay up to £110 for a return ticket, but then I’ve also spent up to £200 while I’m there- eating out and going for drinks.”