“A seedy dump”: Puerto Banus, hotspot for the rich and famous, finishes bottom in Which? survey of Spain’s best and worst seaside towns
The consumer champion invited more than a thousand travellers to rate their experiences of Spanish seaside towns, which were rated on eleven criteria including the quality of the beach and seafront, safety, food and drink, accommodation, and value for money. An overall city score was calculated based on overall satisfaction and likeliness to recommend.
Taking last place in the table with a score of just 55 per cent is superyacht hotspot Puerto Banus.
Developed as a playground for the rich and famous, Puerto Banus pitches itself as a glamorous place to see and be seen. A suburb of Marbella, its streets are lined with designer shops, while its marina boasts some of the world’s most expensive yachts. The marina’s opening party in 1970, which featured Julio Iglesias crooning to guests including the likes of Hugh Hefner, the Aga Khan and Princess Grace of Monaco, set the tone for the party-loving town - and it continues to attract celebrity guests.
Survey respondents however were less than impressed. Puerto Banus scored just one star for value for money - the only destination in the survey to do so. The high price tag attached to a meal out or shopping trip was a recurring theme in survey responses, with one visitor describing their experience as “overpriced”. It also scored just one star for tourist attractions, with little in the way of cultural sites - instead people watching and parties are the key draws, something reflected in its one star score for peace and quiet.
It also received just two stars for safety, attractiveness and friendliness, with one respondent saying how their experiences of the town had “deteriorated” over their years of visiting, lamenting that “it’s still a place for the rich and to be seen but has become tacky” while another said “it is a seedy dump”.
It fared moderately better for its beach, seafront, food and drink and shopping offer, scooping three stars in each of these categories, with some respondents praising the “great atmosphere” and “great range of restaurants.”
Just ahead of Puerto Banus, with a score of 56 per cent is La Manga, well known for its position on the Mar Menor, a coastal saltwater lagoon. It received just one star for tourist attractions, and two stars for its seafront, overall attractiveness, peace and quiet, and value for money. While some lamented that the town appeared “faded” and “tacky”, with “too many high-rise hotels”, others said it felt like a “home from home” and appreciated the “traditional Spanish restaurants, cafes and bars.” At the other end of the table, San Sebastian took the top spot with an excellent city score of 88 per cent. It was rated a full five stars from its beach, attractiveness and food and drink - the latter being an area where it particularly excels, having the second highest number of Michelin stars per capita in Europe. Visitors raved about the local snacks, pinchos, and choice of top tier restaurants.
It scored four stars for its seafront, safety, friendliness, accommodation, tourist attractions and shopping - dropping to three stars for value for money. One visitor summarised “it was small enough to walk round easily, the beach and surroundings were beautiful, and it felt very safe” while another said “I wish I could have stayed there longer.”
Nerja took second place with a score of 81 per cent, and is the perfect spot for those looking to fly and flop. It easily surpassed its better known neighbours on the Costa del Sol - Marbella and Torremolinos for instance finished in the lower half of the table with scores of 68 and 66 per cent, while Fuengirola was in the bottom five with a score of just 58 per cent.
Development has been reined in compared to other resorts on the coast, and Nerja still feels like an Andalusian town of decades gone by, boasting white washed houses and swaying palm trees. It received a four star rating for its seafront, safety, friendliness, food and drink and accommodation, with respondents saying it felt like a “traditional unspoilt Spanish town.”
Tied in third place are Cartagena, Javea and Sitges with a joint score of 80 per cent.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said:
“This survey shows that there are plenty of fantastic Spanish beach resorts that will easily beat the best-marketed destinations like Marbella and Torremolinos. You don't even need to look far, with beautiful Nerja and its quaint white washed streets also to be found on the Costa del Sol.
“For those looking for a city break with a dose of sea and sunshine, San Sebastian can’t be topped - it's rightly famous for its excellent restaurants and authentic cuisine, and comes complete with a pretty old town and fantastic beaches.”
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:- In November 2023, Which? surveyed 1,287 members about their experiences of Spanish coastal towns in the last year, receiving 2,259 responses.- Which? only included destinations that received 30 or more responses, and Spanish towns and cities with a population of more than 350,000 were excluded.
-Average hotel prices based on data from Kayak.
Full table of results:
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