A British couple has visited Benidorm 25 times in just seven years, spending an estimated £30,000 on their holidays. Mark and Karen Gregory, both 50, first went to the Spanish resort in 2018 and have returned repeatedly ever since, often to the same bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.
The couple, from Swansea, typically go outside summer to save money, noting that winter visits are 30 to 40 per cent cheaper. They appreciate low prices for drinks, such as pints for 80 cents and bottles of cava for €2, though they say they are not big drinkers. They favour quieter spots away from large stag and hen parties.
Their favourite haunts include the Western Saloon, Country Ribs, Katmandu Curry House, and Hotel California Bar. They enjoy tribute acts, particularly a Meat Loaf impersonator known as "Meatloaf Benidorm" at Jokers, as well as Pink Floyd, Tom Jones and comedian Tony Scott tributes.
Mark and Karen stay in a self-catered apartment they visit several times a year, discounted for loyalty. They have only ventured elsewhere once—to Tenerife—but found it inferior. They have considered relocating permanently to Benidorm.
Mark said: 'Whenever you go to a new place it takes a few days to find your feet – whereas going here, it's like coming home.' He added that critics who have never visited should not judge: 'If people want to tar us with a certain brush because of where we holiday, that's fine – but we love it.'
