Fucking hell. Just been reading through them - how the place hasn't been shut down yet is madness. Scummy bars are part and parcel of Benidorm, but this one sounds like unbridled chaos. If you escape without taking a beating or being robbed you're one of the lucky ones.The online reviews are something else, one minute it’s people being offered drugs, getting battered and gas leaks, then you get reviews giving a 5 star rating on the food.
I read one where someone dropped their phone in the gents and someone picked it up but then menacingly asked for €40 to give it back.
Around villa Martin golf course costa blanca its rifeI live in Spain, it’s rife and we call them hugger muggers, they are renowned for it and always have a getaway car with a “heavy” standing by. One particular woman, Eastern European, has her picture all over the local forum and pictures of the car registration but the police refuse to act unless “they” catch them in tbe act.
I used to go regularly to Benidorm when the kids were younger but stayed up in the hillside at a friend’s villa. La Cala and Poniente beach are (or were, I haven’t been for years) nice places. There seemed to be a lot more locals out there but there wasn’t much nightlife. Benidorm during the day wasn’t too bad.I travel via Alicante 6/7 times a year, the flight is full of youth, boys and girls on their way to sample the delights of Benidorm. Some on their first trip abroad.
I go South, they get their connection to paradise.
The return flight is different, one or two missing, black eyes ,swollen faces. Tales of how on the first night they were honey potted, led astray, and robbed. Normally with full wallets.
Spain is such a wonderful place, not short of bars, why are people attracted to the wart on the arse of the coast.
A fair few blues live in Alicante and I am sure they would give the same advice, stay away from Benny, unless you are not getting slaughtered , then there would be no pint in going there.
I live 3hrs south of Benidorm, only ever been once and got my first tattoo at 68 !I travel via Alicante 6/7 times a year, the flight is full of youth, boys and girls on their way to sample the delights of Benidorm. Some on their first trip abroad.
I go South, they get their connection to paradise.
The return flight is different, one or two missing, black eyes ,swollen faces. Tales of how on the first night they were honey potted, led astray, and robbed. Normally with full wallets.
Spain is such a wonderful place, not short of bars, why are people attracted to the wart on the arse of the coast.
A fair few blues live in Alicante and I am sure they would give the same advice, stay away from Benny, unless you are not getting slaughtered , then there would be no pint in going there.
At least, he got a reply. If he had called the ticketing helpline, he would be still in the queue ;-)I heard he borrowed a phone, rang somebody but realised he'd got the wrong number when the person said, "Is that West Ham?"
So the women grab you then demand money ?I live in Spain, it’s rife and we call them hugger muggers, they are renowned for it and always have a getaway car with a “heavy” standing by. One particular woman, Eastern European, has her picture all over the local forum and pictures of the car registration but the police refuse to act unless “they” catch them in tbe act.
So the women grab you then demand money ?
Wow lovely...The Women have different roles, spotters, honey traps, dippers , then the heavy move in ,rob, then the getaway, as "standup" explained, they are actually easy to spot as long as you haven't had 10 pints, a line and too much Sun.
I use hire cars, first thing I do is rip the hire company's stickers from the Windows. They used to follow people from the airport, often to a golf resort, identify where people were staying, and rob them when they went for a pint. There was also a period where they used to gas people at night in the villas before robing them.
i once got gripped by Las Ramblas...So the women grab you then demand money ?
I think it's great advice to be wary of all these things when going to Benidorm. And for any holiday resort for that matter, although I appreciate that the issues might not be as bad in other places.I am sure it's still possible to have an event free time in Benidorm, the issue is there are teams of professional thieves preying on the easiest victims. The gullible, less experienced, most intoxicated , who are ripe for picking.
They scout , identify, follow and when they isolate a target they pounce.
Probably make a decent living out of their trade.
I chat to those returning in the airport, or flight back and the story is always the same.
It was great with 100-150+ blues bouncing around in the Red Lion to be fair! But I agree - I'd try and avoid the strip under any other circumstances. Like you say, there are other nice parts to it.It’s a hell hole, the average punter has less teeth than Wirtz has goals and assists and more wrongly spelt tattoos than Haaland has goals.
That’s just the women..
On the plus side the old town is fantastic with nice restaurants and bars and considering only a 10 minute walk from the bright lights of muggers alley and crackhead corner it’s like two different worlds.
The main strip though, god no, it makes some of the shanty towns I visit in Mexico look like a stroll through Hyde Park.
The thing is you need those type of numbers in The Red Lion because you’re left well alone. Not so much if there’s only a couple.It was great with 100-150+ blues bouncing around in the Red Lion to be fair! But I agree - I'd try and avoid the strip under any other circumstances. Like you say, there are other nice parts to it.
I had no idea where Muggers Alley was until last week. Once I found out the location, I was wary of getting too pissed and inadvertently ending up on there!
Yeah, that was kind of my point - if there's enough of you, it gives you safety in numbers. Without those numbers it can make you vulnerable. I've read some horrendous stories of the bouncers beating up women and stuff in some of those bars.The thing is you need those type of numbers in The Red Lion because you’re left well alone. Not so much if there’s only a couple.
I know most of the door staff along there, mainly Romanian and Albanian crime gangs. Deeply unpleasant and dangerous bullies. Take them away and the strip could be a fun place again.
The fact a police station overlooks muggers alley sums up the whole place tbh.I had no idea where Muggers Alley was until last week. Once I found out the location, I was wary of getting too pissed and inadvertently ending up on there!
Indeed. Isn't it closed at night time when all the muggers come out to play though? I read one review about a hotel that backs on to there. The reviewer said they witnessed a security guard from the hotel being in on some of the muggings as they saw the muggers handing him some of the cash they'd robbed off someone. The hotel responded saying it was bollocks and they were mistaken!The fact a police station overlooks muggers alley sums up the whole place tbh.