Didn't really expect the Express Holiday Inn in Alicante to be a typical Holiday Inn Express sort of hotel that we see in the US. But, it fell a little lower on that quality scale than we thought likely. We chose it for it's proximity to the Alicante airport (a 5-6 minute drive) and for its price, we payed 80E for one night in June. From other reviews we knew dining options would really require a drive towards the City Centre.

The room was very small for a HI Express room, though did offer a great view of the Mediterranean Sea. The AC was marginal at best, though by the time we left the following morning it had caught up with itself. The bath towels were, by any standard, tiny. We thought perhaps we'd have done better getting nothing but bathmats instead of bath towels. Of the two liquid soap dispensers, only one was loaded. Probably both in room 220 are now empty!

Checkout in and check in went very well with no problems. We did find the morning continental b'fast to be good. Chose to eat dinner in the Hotel Ibis restaurant next door, but can't recommend it other than just one of two options within walking distance. (The HI dining room was the other option.)

Like I said, this is a place to stay close to the airport, but otherwise not sure why it would be a choice given its lack of amenities and driving distance to attractions.

We visited Alicante the last w/e in May 2007. I booked the Holiday Inn due to it's established name and brand and it did not disappoint. Friendly accomodating staff, good food and good clean air conditioned rooms. Location could be better but not a reason not to go back. The area was VERY quiet but largely due to it being pre-season. Outside of the hotel and in Alicante in general you can expect the language barrier to be an issue - much to our surprise. It helps to have some Spanish phrases.

Tips:
Walk out main gate of hotel and turn left. Stay straight & 10 mins later you're on the beach. Beach was perfect, as good as it gets.

The marina is a ten minute taxi ride (anywhere between €10 - €13) which is where you need to be for the good restaturaunts. The no. 21 bus is a cheaper alternative @ € 1 and the bus stop is DIRECTLY outside the hotel. Ask to go to "Puerto Del Mer" (Marina)

Overall a great affordable break and I would recommend.

HBW & B
Ireland

Recently returned from a 6 night say at The Holiday Inn Playa de San Juan. Before booking I checked previous reviews which seemed to indicate this would be a good choice. Thanks to openness of Trip Advisor, it proved to be spot on.

Arrival was early evening and the desk staff had everything to hand to ensure a swift check in except that they checked us in to a no smoking room. When they checked on the computer to see if they could switch us they were unable to do so. This proved to be no problem though, as they produced an ashtray and said it would be fine to use the given room as a smoking room !!!!.

Room size was above average and very clean as indeed was the bathroom complete with over bath shower. An efficient air conditioning controller provided the opportunity to have the temperature "just right".

A small sofa and coffee table along with satellite TV, an in room bar / fridge and a self operating safe completed the room. The only let down (and this is no reflection on this individual hotel) is the lack of tea and coffee facilities in room. Surely it is just not us Brits who like to "get the kettle on" as soon as we get up in the morning. However, coffee was available via room service for around 2 Euros a cup. Not that bad a price, but 2 cups + a tip works out at 5 Euros a time. Do that say 3 times a day for six days and suddenly you are 90 Euros lighter. We found it more economical to buy a kettle (10 Euros) and use the spare coffee sachets I always keep in reserve.

The in room bar / fridge was well stocked with the usual beers, colas, spirits, water etc along with nuts and chocolate. Prices, although obviously more expensive than buying in a shop, were probably the cheapest "in room" I have come across.

As we had booked the hotels special bed & breakfast rate, and further to earlier reviews, breakfast was eagerly anticipated. We were not to be disappointed. An excellent help yourself buffet choice of fruit juices, cereals, fresh fruit, cold meats, cheeses, pastries, yoghurts and breads were offered, along with a hot selection of scrambled and fried eggs, bacon, usually two types of sausage, "some vegetable type thing" (never did try it to find out what is was) plus mushrooms on a good day. A self operated toaster allowed you to toast the bread of your choice. Along with tea and fresh brewed coffee, was a constant supply of hot water to enable you use the sachets of Nescafe thoughtfully provided for those who do not like their coffee quite as strong as the fleshly brewed.

Due to the time of our visit (mid October), the pool area was lightly used, although the temperature certainly brought a few out to sunbathe, but the pool itself was virtually unused for the duration of our stay. However, even during busier times, it is spacious enough never to be overcrowded. As with everything else at the hotel, the area was clean and well maintained.

Earlier reviews indicated the hotel was some way out of Alicante, which indeed it is, but depending what you are looking for, we found it to be in an ideal location. Being in a respectable residential area it was certainly quiet with little or no risk of “noise” from near by bars or discos, simply because there are no nearby bars or discos. Never the less, a ten minute walk takes you to the main shopping / restaurant area of San Juan and a similar time takes you to the beach. Tip…..do not go out of the hotel by the main vehicle entrance / exit. When you come out of the front door hotel, head to the wall opposite in the car park. Here you will find a gate which is operated by your room key card. The gate is at right angles to the wall and is not easily spotted. Turn right at the bottom of the steps and take the second on your left for the main shopping / restaurant street, or continue straight ahead for the beach.

Getting to Alicante is very easy. Again leave the hotel by the gate as mentioned above and cross the road and the number 21 bus (every 12 to 20 minutes) stops a few yards up to the road, and takes you into Alicante. You can pay the driver (0.95 Euro flat fare) or as we did, buy a card of ten tickets for 5.50 Euro from the news kiosk where you turn left for the main shopping / restaurant street. Returning from Alicante, the bus stops over the road to the hotel vehicle entrance / exit.

We did not use the hotel restaurant for dinner, but other guests we spoke to said their meals were fine. We tended to use an assortment of restaurants in San Juan, and as mentioned by an earlier poster, not many displayed menus in English. One in particular that offered no English was the Restaurante Los Charro which is situated near the top of a side street on the right of the main street. Between ourselves who spoke no Spanish and the staff who spoke no English we managed to order two of the best steaks we have enjoyed in a long time. A Chinese restaurant situated over the road to the Los Charro also provided an excellent meal and we managed to order this from a Chinese girl who spoke no English and what sounded like limited Spanish !!!!.

All in all, a hotel I would recommend to anyone who wants to enjoy a relaxing quiet location without the traditional British boozers and fish and chip shops.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn at Playa de san Juan in September. This is a nice hotel, with a good, though smallish pool which is usually quiet, good for getting sunbeds. Hotel provides towels for pool area. Avoid the pool lunchtime menu though, over priced and undercooked food. Located in a residential area with lots of surrounding concrete, so a car is recommended. Cool and clean rooms and staff were pleasent enough without being overbearing. Make sure you have good walking legs, as there is plenty of walking to get to nearby amenities.

Hotel is a good 10 minute walk to one of the best beaches I've been to. The beach is long, sandy, clean and scattered with nice fish restaurants. Close by are lots of bars, other restaurants and shops. The Frontera bar is excellent, real American feel with a superb choice of whiskys.

This is definately a Spanish tourist resort though, not many English accents here, so make sure your Spanish is up to speed, my wife speaks it fluently so restuarant menus weren't a problem.

Get to the beach - it's a must!