Esmeralda Hotel

Esmeralda Hotel details

“The pop art-inspired Esmeralda Hotel is a funky gay-friendly hideaway in the heart of it all.”

Step inside this gay-friendly seafront hotel and you know you’re in for something unique. Billing itself as a ‘living canvas, both inside and out’, it’s a riot of colour and contrasting styles. Take the 68 individually designed bedrooms, for starters. Based on a blend of classic Mediterranean style and contemporary pop art, each one offers up a mix of bold primary colours, modern wall prints and jazzy soft-furnishings. Every comfort has been thought of, too, with things like air-conditioning, mini-fridges and TVs as standard. Private sea-view balconies add the finishing touch.

Things are just as impressive on the location front. The Esmeralda sits directly opposite Poniente Beach and overlooks Elche Park, so you’re just a few strides from the sand. What’s more, Benidorm’s Old Town, the good-looking epicentre of its gay scene, is just a couple of minutes’ walk away. Brimming with friendly watering holes and open-air terraces, it’s a fabulous place for bar-hopping. Head to Café Refuel, a terraced bar overlooking Poniente Beach, for sundowners. Or call in at the Lovers Pub if you’re after a real glitterball fest later on in the evening.

In terms of where to dine, the hotel restaurant is just as playful as the bedrooms. Big blackboards chalked up with pictures of the tapas on offer cover one wall, so just point to what you fancy if your Spanish isn’t up to scratch. As for the ingredients used, the emphasis is on fresh, seasonal produce. Think seafood, locally grown vegetables and a regional wine list of fruity reds and crisp whites.