La Era Park Apartments

This 19-floor, masonry hotel sits among other high rise properties in the area. La Era Park Apartments are best suited to those travelers on a budget who wish to stay up late with fellow revilers. The hotel is routinely booked by British tourists for bachelor and bachelorette parties. Beach attire is the norm, whether by the pool or in the dining area. The outdoor pool is the nicest-looking area of the hotel, fringed by palm trees, with its large terrace of pavers and tile, umbrella tables, and loungers near an outdoor snack bar. Inside the lobby, guests will find a tile floor, drop ceilings, some fluorescent lights, and a few clusters of black leather club chairs around inexpensive coffee tables. There's a rack of brochures and a reception desk with patterned, drum-shaded pendant lights hanging over it. Off the lobby is a cafeteria-style dining room with views to the pool and another drop ceiling. Glass tables and plastic patio chairs provide seating. In one corner, edged by green, indoor/outdoor carpeting, there's a bar trimmed in aluminum and diagonal pine boards. Crowded with beer taps and mixers, this is a popular gathering spot for young foreign guests. Nearby is a game room, with pool and foosball tables and a few arcade-style games. A plastic cup of beer is rarely out of sight, and past guests have reported slamming doors and loud voices throughout the night. 

La Era Park Apartments sits on a hill with a good view of its surroundings. There are other hotels and apartments, the city of Benidorm below, and in the distance, a 10-minute walk away, Levante Beach. There's a nearby market, the Park Aiguera is a four-minute walk, and the center of Benidorm is 11 minutes on foot. A car is pretty much essential to explore the Costa Blanca farther afield. Golf Bahia is a 14-minute drive or 55 minutes by train. In 15 minutes by car, guests can reach Terra Mitica, a popular amusement park. Serra Gelada Nature Park is 17 minutes by car. Mundomar, a tropical aquarium, is a 26-minute drive or one hour and 42 minutes by train. The stunning falls at Algar are a 41-minute drive. It's a 42-minute drive to explore the old city of Xabia or two hours and 22 minutes by train. To reach the Alicante Airport, it's a 42-minute drive or 65 minutes by train. There is parking at the hotel for a fee.

There are 72 apartments at La Era and in most the layouts, beds, and sofa beds can accommodate as many as four people. Two apartments at the property have the capacity for six guests. All of the rooms have balconies furnished with plastic tables and chairs and views of the city and the pool. For views of the sea, and the mountains beyond, a higher-floor room is necessary. Each apartment has air-conditioning, safes, and flat-screen TVs. Rooms are spacious and decorated with white walls, shiny tile floors, and sliding-glass doors framed with blackout curtains that lead to the terrace. The kitchens feature small refrigerators, cooktops, toasters, and microwaves, plus cookware and dinnerware. Countertops are typically in dark green and walls are all-white, including cabinetry, although some units include accent tiles. The beds and sofa beds have tired-looking coverlets in primary colors, made of inexpensive materials. Past guests have complained about uncomfortable mattresses. Bathrooms are adequately sized and outfitted with fluorescent lights, counter sinks, and glass blocks that separate the toilets from the shower/tub combos. Fittings, like everything else, are inexpensive and toiletries are limited to pump soap dispensers. Housekeeping is included with each room.

There are a variety of amenities at La Era Park Apartments, geared primarily to young people touring Costa Blanca on a budget. The property has a large pool spanned by a small bridge and a small waterfall. There's a massive terrace around the pool with umbrellas, plastic sun loungers, and cobalt blue plastic tables and chairs. A snack shop serves coffee, alcohol, and light meals. Inside, the restaurant is cafeteria-style with meals for a fee and simple plastic chairs and glass-topped tables. A large bar sits in the corner and has multiple beer taps and limited counter seating. Past guests have complained about mediocre food. Nearby is a games room with pool and foosball tables and a few arcade-style games. A cupboard in the lobby holds books to borrow. Wi-Fi is accessible for a fee and the property has a coin-operated laundry room. The front desk is open 24 hours and includes a currency exchange. The property has two elevators and is handicapped accessible.