San Jose is a small town on the Costa Almeria in Andalucia. Originally home to just 175 people, it has become more and more popular as a small resort town, and its size means it is great for kids and perfect for a family holiday. A Spanish beach holiday can be expensive, but using money saving tips such as booking rented accommodation for your stay, and using the self-catering facilities to bring down the cost of your food budget.

San Jose is a family friendly village, with lots to offer on a family holiday. The beaches are wild and unspoiled, particularly the striking Playa de Mónsul with its mixture of volcanic rocks and fine grey sand. The kilometre long Playa de los Genoveses is probably more in line with the average family's expectations of a Spanish beach holiday, however. If you are keen to do more than simply soak up the sun, however, San Jose offers many other activities, such as opportunities to go cycling and horse riding, or even boat trips and windsurfing sessions for the more nautically inclined members of the family! The small size of San Jose itself also means that it's a lovely unspoiled Andalucian town to explore, with a lovely park and sandy streets, with none of the high rise hotels that blight many other areas along the coast of Andalucia. Another lovely village in the area is Los Esculios, northeast of San Jose, and the track to visit the hamlet is a very popular walk in the area and highly recommended.

To escape from bland and expensive hotel rooms, rent one of the many apartments and villas around San Jose and the Costa Almeria for a low cost holiday. Rental homes large enough for a family of four are available from around £325 a week, and many come complete with private pools and jacuzzis, as well as TVs, DVD players and broadband to keep the kids entertained in the evenings. Plus, with more room than the average hotel room, there's plenty of space for the kids to let off steam without letting them out of your sight.