When my friend got a new job as a holiday rep, I promised to go and visit her, as long as she wasn’t stationed in Benidorm. She was, of course, stationed in Benidorm. My son was eight months old, I needed a break and when I saw a cheap package deal, I took a deep breath and booked.

My heart sank as the trademark tower blocks loomed on the approach to the resort.  The streets of Benidorm were spotless though and so was the beach. Where were the shoulder-to-shoulder sunbathers I had seen on the postcards? The lager louts causing trouble after dark? It was November and, out of season,  the resort is a world away from its brash, drunken summer self. Here is a relaxing, sedate holiday destination, basking beneath the gentle winter sun and only two hour’s flight from the UK. During our visit, we frolicked on flawless beaches and even swam in the sea. Benidorm is popular with Spanish pensioners, especially in the winter, who gave my son and I a friendly Mediterranean welcome and shared their shady, boarded beach shelter with us.

I was pleasantly surprised to be able to browse early-evening markets on rustic streets in the Old Town. We were there during the Fiesta, but this part of town is just as pretty any time of year. Just out of the resort centre, on a hill overlooking breathtaking countryside, families can enjoy a day trip to Mundomar marine zoo. City lovers will be pleased to learn that they can pack in a trip to beautiful Valencia during a stay in Benidorm; it’s only a couple of hours’ drive away. The journey takes in steep mountains, cacti and orange groves.

Of course, there are discos and bars open in Benidorm all year round, but there seem to be far fewer in the winter. Evenings can be as relaxing as simply eating dinner in your hotel before retiring to your room with a good book. Outside of the hotel, head away from the main drag and discover pristine Italian restaurants or wander into the Old Town for delicious Spanish tapas. Of course, if you’re really missing good old English chips, you won’t have to look far.

When I got back from Benidorm, people asked me how it had been and as much as it pained me to admit I’d been wrong, I couldn’t help but smile and admit that it had been the perfect family holiday.

Emily Morris

Be Travel Savvy:  Stay at one of Benidorm’s most prestigious apartment complexes. Situated in the more sedate Poniente area, the low-rise Terralta attracts rave reviews and is still within reasonable distance of the main town.

Hays Travel have 7 nights at the Terralta, departing Gatwick on the 8th March from £189 each, based on two adults sharing a one bedroomed apartment. Return flights to Alicante and return coach transfers in resort are included. Click here to book, or for a quote to suit your dates. Call 0800 408 4130 to speak to a Hays Travel expert

Prices are correct at the time of bloggng but are subject to availability and change.

There's more to Benidorm than tower blocks and chippies.