logo
I'm a Brit in Marbella - there's a €350 beach club rip-off tourists need to be aware of

I'm a Brit in Marbella - there's a €350 beach club rip-off tourists need to be aware of

Daily Mail​17-07-2025
A British tourist with a holiday home in Marbella has warned of dramatically rising costs in the Spanish party town this summer.
Nadia Abraham, who's been visiting the Costa del Sol resort since she was a child, says some beach clubs in the city are ripping off tourists with high prices.
Daybeds on the sands have been particularly hit, she says, claiming one club has more than doubled its prices, now charging couples 350 euros - around £303 - per day.
Filming on a tourist beach in the popular destination, Nadia warned people to be wary of price hikes.
She said: 'If you are coming to Marbella this summer then I just want to put this video up here to warn people not to be scammed by some of these beach clubs.'
Explaining her knowledge of the resort and prices, she revealed she has been 'coming here every year since I was four-years-old. Every single summer I spend here. The prices have just gone up like crazy.'
Panning the camera around a beach, she tells those watching the TikTok post , which has had more than 7,000 likes, how tourists are being exploited.
She said: 'It's an expensive place, you expect things to be expensive...but there's one thing paying a premium and another thing absolutely scamming people and I feel like they just do it to the tourists, not the locals.'
The holidaymaker says the price of day beds at one resort have risen in price from 150 euros (£129) per day to 350 euros.
A furious Nadia said: 'Bearing in mind this isn't a minimum spend so you can't put this towards drink or food, it's just the day hire cost of the beds.'
She adds: 'They're now charging 350 euros...what the actual F? That is like daylight robbery. Ridiculous.'
How can tourists get the same experience without paying through the nose?
Find a public beach, she advises: 'Single beds are 12 euros each - and you can come up here for lunch, get a drink at the bar but you'll save yourself 350 euros - it's the same beach, the same sea!'
Earlier this month it was revealed that a sneaky wine scam has made a comeback in bars and restaurants across popular European holiday destinations, with experts warning it could cost unsuspecting tourists far more than just their money.
Wine 'repotting' involves staff quietly collecting unfinished glasses and bottles of wine left behind by customers, mixing the contents together, and reselling it as high-end varieties such as Rioja, Chablis, or Albariño.
The mixed wine is often poured into generic, unlabelled bottles and passed off as premium products - sometimes at eye-watering prices.
The scam has been reported in tourist hotspots across Spain, Italy, and France, particularly in Paris, but similar incidents have also emerged in parts of the US and Asia.
Insiders say the scam is often set up at management level, with restaurant owners and managers instructing staff to carry out the practice to discreetly increase profits, as reported by EuroWeekly.
Speaking to French newspaper Le Parisien, one veteran waiter said: 'When it's quiet, we collect the leftovers from open bottles and present them as a "superior" white wine.'
A wine expert who joined the publication's investigation added: 'You couldn't tell a rioja reserva from a generic red unless you really study the body and the fruity notes.'
Experts further warn that the scam goes beyond the loss of money - it carries potential health risks, too.
With no control over what goes into the mix, customers may be unknowingly consuming wine with undisclosed or unidentified additives or allergens.
People with sulphite sensitivities, intolerances or allergies may be especially at risk.
Though local food and drink regulators have stepped up inspections in cities like Paris, enforcement remains inconsistent in busy tourist areas where customer turnover is high.
The scam is particularly prevalent in high-footfall areas where visitors may be unfamiliar with local wine labels or pricing, and therefore less likely to notice when something is off.
Wine experts have since advised travellers to take simple precautions to reduce the risk of being served repotted or counterfeit wine, as highlighted by EuroWeekly.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The six new holiday rules for summer
The six new holiday rules for summer

Telegraph

timean hour ago

  • Telegraph

The six new holiday rules for summer

Holiday rules are already a confusing plethora of official regulations and local customs. And earlier this month, officials in the Italian town of Portofino threw a handful of googlies into the mix when it announced that tourists can no longer walk through the town's cobbled streets barefoot, in swimsuits or indeed topless. Alcohol can only be consumed in bars and restaurants, and God forbid you take a snooze on a wall. The new rules are targeted with precision at uncouth holiday makers and follow similar pan-European crackdowns, which include Vigo in Spain banning peeing in the sea, stealing pebbles in Sardinia and mooning in Grecian town squares. To navigate these regulations and others, here's my essential six new holiday rules. Don't leave home without it. Disguise the pee-at-sea I can't see how the Spanish authorities will effectively police their law against 'physiological evacuation at sea' as I doubt a band of uniformed snorklers will be taking to the waves to catch those worthy of a £650 fine. But they could spot you from the beach. So if you've decided that the beach loo is so foul that it's worth risking a fine, at least pee while you swim. Do not be a cruise bore Heavy fines await anyone who strikes up conversations with strangers on holiday on the subject of cruises, particularly while travelling on cruise ships. Your knowledge of deck numbers, cabaret, restaurant facilities, excursions, staff-to-passenger ratios, hull strength or balcony-laden floating condominiums are not topics for public consumption. Do not take iPads to restaurants If you're foolish enough to own such a device, do not let it leave the bedroom in the evening. On no account bring it to a taverna with the idea that it will keep the kids quiet unless, of course, you wish to be perceived as a regressive gimp. It's better for humanity if your offspring engage in food fights and it's grotesquely offensive to continental culture that favours conversation. But books, card games and colouring-in is very much allowed. Learn some local lingo You must pay respect to the locals and learn the following few crucial sentences so that you can fit in and pleasantly surprise the natives. 'Six beers, please', 'Can you re-heat these chips?', 'I can't afford Château Minuty, do you have any retsina?' 'I have no money but my son will do the washing up', 'What's the Wifi code?', 'Can we get free drinks if we tag you on Instagram?' Enjoy hire car roulette Post-Brexit, it is now harder to gain access to European resolution systems so just enjoy the game for what it is. Thus simply treat the following as a cultural lesson as you discover the hire car is a shuttle-bus-ride away from the airport, there's a queue outside the office with no shade, the staff are competing to see who can display greater nonchalance and there are no water or loo facilities. Their office is closed on the day of your flight home so you'll have to bring it back the day before, oh, and it'll need to be returned with a full tank although the nearest petrol station is 50 miles away. Holiday like you're on holiday Terrible punishments will be meted out to those who confuse holiday with travel. Travel is what occurs to and from the holiday; it's the nightmare bit, no longer some romantic interlude of discovery. A holiday is about no washing up, or shopping or cooking. It is not about the news, or emails, or X or Trump, but about the pool and your sunbed in relation to it. And, endeavouring against my better judgement to adhere to much of the above, I hope to see you back here in two weeks if I return.

These are the most common holiday scams you need to look out for - and how much money you could LOSE
These are the most common holiday scams you need to look out for - and how much money you could LOSE

Daily Mail​

time7 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

These are the most common holiday scams you need to look out for - and how much money you could LOSE

With the summer holidays in full swing and millions of Brits preparing to head away, there's certain scams tourists keep on falling for. From being overcharged in taxis to making bookings on websites that aren't legit, travellers overseas are often swindled out of money during their trips. Research conducted by Compare the Market has identified the top tricks to look out for, and calculated how much money is at risk. The number one scam that keeps catching holidaymakers is overpriced taxi rides. Almost a third (32 per cent) of travellers fall victim to being charged too much for a lift abroad. Nearly £17 is lost per journey, on average, and it is recommended to book in advance, – through a hotel if possible – to avoid paying the top rate. Another money-draining scam to look out for is street sellers attempting to entice tourists into purchasing fake or inflated products, which places second. This can involve the trader insinuating the item is 'free' but once the tourist accepts it, demands money. Another example is selling products that claim to be real leather or silk, and not being legitimate. Some 20 per cent of holiday-goers surveyed by Compare The Market admitted to falling for the trick, with an average of £17.39 lost each time. The third most common issue is restaurants overcharging and inflating the final bill for a meal. A fifth (18 per cent) of Brits surveyed say they have experienced this and 25% of those hit with an overpriced meal contested it and paid less, However, 54 per cent ended up paying the full amount, and on average lost more £22.58 the last time it happened. Another problem people have faced is fake booking websites swindling tourists out of cash and pretending to be real companies. One in 10 (12 per cent) of holidaymakers have fallen victim to this trick, and have lost an average of £113.30. Phishing scams also cause issues for travellers, ranking fifth, and 11 per cent of those surveyed admitted to clicking on a hoax email before their trip. It can involve a scammer pretending to be a hotel and requesting money from the recipient. The common trick has cost tourists £75 on average. While the sixth most common scam is money exchange tricks, which can happen when a tourist uses an unofficial money exchange service. They can be hit with poor rates, short-changed from a vendor or have their card skimmed by an ATM. One in ten of those surveyed admitted to falling victim to this, losing £28 on average. Travel insurance expert Guy Anker urged holiday-goers to 'remain vigilant' during their travels. He said: 'With nearly one in three (30 per cent) Brits noting an uptick in the number of potential scams they're coming across when travelling abroad, it's more important than ever that holidaymakers remain vigilant to protect themselves against any potential losses. 'The traditional holiday scams are still coming up time and time again, be that overpaying for a taxi or paying inflated prices to street sellers in tourist hot spots. 'The average amounts lost on these are generally smaller, while the amounts lost to phishing attempts and fake booking websites – though less common – are much larger, with some unlucky travellers claiming to have lost thousands. 'There are ways you can protect yourself against travel-related purchases such as paying on a credit card if you can, as it may offer additional protection if something goes wrong with a purchase. 'Travel insurance won't typically cover online fraud, but it is still highly important as it could cover a multitude of other issues.'

European holiday hotspot loved by Brits issues strict rules for tourists - with huge fines if you break them
European holiday hotspot loved by Brits issues strict rules for tourists - with huge fines if you break them

Daily Mail​

time7 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

European holiday hotspot loved by Brits issues strict rules for tourists - with huge fines if you break them

The Spanish city of Malaga is taking a firm stance on unruly behaviour from tourists this summer by issuing a 10-point guidance plan that encourages appropriate dress, the respecting of local customs and keeping the noise down after hours. The Costa del Sol destination, known for its links to Picasso, beautiful old town and sweeping beaches, has put its Improve your Stay campaign front and centre across the city. The straight-talking ads are aimed at curbing behaviour that has angered locals in recent years, especially during the peak tourist season. Signage across the city spells out expectations, with posters - on buses and billboards, written in English and directly addressing antics often attributed to British holidaymakers. There's also a social media campaign reminding tourists they must follow municipal bylaws or face fines of up to €750 (£655) for violations. In Malaga's city centre, residents have objected to foreigners walking around the city wearing only bikinis or shorts. One of the Improve your Stay city hall signs reads: 'Dress completely. Both on the street and in public places always wear an upper garment out of respect and hygiene.' Billboard posters ask visitors to wear full clothes while in town - demanding they 'dress properly', 'dress appropriately' and 'dress completely'. The campaign, promoted by Malaga's tourism department, highlights four major issues: inappropriate attire, littering, excessive noise, and reckless e-scooter use. Another sign focuses on noise pollution, urging visitors to 'respect the sleeping hours' of residents, including the elderly, students, and essential workers. The sign advises against shouting, singing loudly, or playing music at high volumes in public areas, adding: 'Don't be conspicuous.' Littering is another sore point for locals, with signs asking tourists to 'Keep the city clean' by using rubbish bins and taking care of historical monuments, gardens, and public seating. Meanwhile, scooter riders are reminded that 'pavements are for pedestrians. If you use scooters or bicycles, do so in the legally authorised areas, in compliance with municipal ordinances.' The measure is an attempt to combat visitors who ride indiscriminately in cycle lanes, invade pedestrian areas and have been involved in more than one serious incident. With the summer season now in full swing, overtourism has become a major issue in many European resorts and cities. Italy's Dolomites were compared to Disneyland last week by fed-up locals, as the beauty spot became overloaded by swarms of selfie-snapping tourists and so-called influencers. Images and videos shared on social media shared by furious residents showed crowds of holidaymakers clogging up a cable car station in the Seceda area of the Alpine mountain range, which has become increasingly popular thanks to social media. Another sign focuses on noise pollution, urging visitors to 'respect the sleeping hours' of residents, including the elderly, students, and essential workers Littering is another sore point for locals, with signs asking tourists to 'Keep the city clean' One particular video shows a lengthy queue of visitors at the station over-spilling onto a nearby cafe, while some tourists are seen blocking a staircase as they wait in line. Another clip showed how a hiking trail came to a standstill as it became overwhelmed by tourists trying to reach the cable car. The video, which was shared on an Instagram page, was captioned: 'Something incredible even just to be told. 'Hours in line waiting for your turn to go up the Seceda to admire the meadows, ridges, the most beautiful mountains of the Alto Adige, being careful not to step on each other's feet, not to clash, to take the selfie as 'freely' possible in the presence of other tourists.' Such is the surge in visitors that the operator of the cable car that takes hikers up to the summit of the Seceda mountain has put in a request to triple the capacity of the chairlift, Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera reports. But recent scenes of overcrowding at the UNESCO World Heritage Site has sparked anger among locals and environmentalists who say large crowds could put wildlife at risk.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store