Avenida Marina Baixa 10, Cala de Finestrat, Finestrat, Spain | (888) 551-4925
Across street from the small, sandy Cala Finestrat
15-minute bus ride to the center of Benidorm
All rooms have flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and AC
Many of the rooms have sea views and balconies
Renovated rooms are contemporary and attractive
Guests appreciate the buffet breakfast
Business center and TV lounge
Free and paid parking available
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Some rooms have dated decor
Location too far removed from Benidorm's nightlife for some
No swimming pool or gym
No full restaurant
The two-and-a-half-pearl Hotel La Cala is ideally located for guests looking for a beachside vacation, as it's across the street from the golden sands of the Cala Finestrat. Set just outside of Benidorm, the property is 15 minutes away by public transport. The 40 rooms are undergoing renovation slowly but surely, so there is some variation between them. Those that have been renovated are clean and contemporary, plus all have flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and hairdryers. Many, but not all, have balconies and sea views. On the downside, there's no pool on-site and it may be too far from the action of Benidorm for some. It's worth considering the more central Hotel Lido, which has modern rooms and a pool.
Scene
Value hotel with views over the golden sands of Cala Finestrat and the Mediterranean beyond
A funky architectural design about the Hotel La Cala is the fact that guests enter into the lobby along a bridge that spans from the clifftop to the roof of the property. Reception itself is a small, modestly decorated room lined with polished limestone and a couple of wrought-iron chairs. The breakfast room is painted a cheery shade of goldenrod, and it has black, marble-effect tabletops and white melamine chairs, plus a small serving bar with attractive mosaic tiling. The hotel does not have a pool, but rather, the closest hotel to Cala Finestrat, a cove with golden sands. The hotel tends to attract British tourists looking for a simple beach vacation.
Location
Just across from the beach, but a but removed from the center of Benidorm
The Hotel La Cala is ideally located for guests looking for a beach vacation, as it has the closest access (just across the street) to the soft, golden sands of Cala Finestrat, a small but well-formed cove in the town of Finestrat, just outside Benidorm. Finestrat itself is home to a number of shops, bars, and restaurants, but guests looking for more serious nightlife may want to take a 15 minute journey by bus or taxi into the center of Benidorm. Expect a 45-minute transfer time to Alicante airport.
Rooms
Mix of dated and contemporary rooms, many with sea views
The hotel’s 40 rooms are slowly but surely being renovated, meaning that they are in various states of style. The older rooms are painted in a bright shade of yellow, which might be cheery to some and overwhelming to others. They also have white tile floors, basic wood furniture, and dated patterned bedspreads that match the curtains. Amenities, however, include modern flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and air-conditioning units. Safes and free Wi-Fi come standard, plus kettles are available upon request. Their bathrooms are equipped with shower/tub combos, bidets, hairdryers, and toiletries. The renovated rooms have the same amenities, but much more contemporary and attractive decor consisting of white wooden furniture with glass tops, metallic desk chairs, chrome lamps, and blue geometric-print bedding. Behind the beds are futuristic glowing blue LED strips. Their bathrooms have either walk-in shower cubicles or shower/tub combos. Most rooms have a decent-sized furnished balcony, although not all of them have a sea view -- some of the rooms face inland, and have views of the cliff face. These rooms can, understandably, be pretty dark.
Features
Easy beach access and buffet breakfast, but no full restaurant, pool, or gym
Given this is a budget property, the Hotel La Cala is light on amenities. The hotel does not have a swimming pool, a situation which is perhaps ameliorated by the presence of the sandy Cala Finestrat right across the street. Guests tend to appreciate the continental buffet breakfast offered for a fee, but there are no other meals served on-site. No gym is available either. There is, however, a small TV lounge up at the top of the hotel, with sofas and couches, and a terrace that overlooks the cove. Free Wi-Fi is accessible throughout, and both free and paid parking are available.