‘I flew to sunny Benidorm for a night – it was cheaper than getting a train to London'
A travel influencer has revealed how she flew to sunny Benidorm for a trip that was cheaper than getting a train to London. Carole Rees, from Rhondda, spent £200 on a trip to Benidorm in Spain compared to a day out in London, which she said would have set her back considerably more.
While Carole's flight to the sunny Spanish coastal resort cost £35, the cost of a return train ticket from Cardiff to London can cost up to £170.
The 45-year-old explained: 'I took a 6am flight from Bristol airport to Alicante, and stayed in a full board hotel in Benidorm overnight.'
READ MORE: Our daughter had her whole life ahead. This must never happen to another family
READ MORE: Long train queues as thousands attend first-of-its-kind event in Cardiff
Carole added: 'You can do the trip much cheaper by not staying overnight but I think it was worth every penny. I had the most amazing 24 hours there.
'If I went for a night out back home or took a day trip to London I would have spent a lot more – plus you get to soak up the sun!'
Not only was Carole's trip cheaper than a day out to London, it turned out to be pretty quick as she boarded a 45-minute shuttle bus transfer from Alicante airport to her hotel in Benidorm. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here
The savings don't stop at the airport - something that Carole has also discovered on her travels. She went straight to her hotel restaurant and enjoyed a Spanish buffet, included in her full-board £76 hotel price for one night.
After refuelling she couldn't wait to explore the city. Carole said: 'I went on a stroll through the city and it felt so good to feel that sun on my skin. It was stunning. I then walked along Llevant Beach, Benidorm's main beach, and went shopping along the seafront. After my walk, I went back to my hotel's rooftop bar and enjoyed the stunning view of Benidorm's seafront."
At no point did Carole feel like she was rushing her trip. Carole used her spare time to go on a night out on the famous Benidorm strip - a 1.3km long street known for its lively nightlife and bars, and made the most of two for one cocktails for 7€ (less than £6).
She said: 'It was the perfect trip which I finished off by going back to my hotel to gaze at Benidorm's beautiful views while sipping red wine – and I was back in bed by 10pm.'
The next morning, Carole also made a special trip to Benidorm's Old Town – an area with traditional Spanish architecture dating back to the 14th century and walked through the town before her 4pm flight.
'I worked out I spent £200 in total. All my food was included so I only spent around £40 on wine, and cocktails as well as a bit on tips.'
Carole added: 'If you're considering doing a trip I'd say do it. It's so much fun. I can't wait for my next one.'
Carole's price breakdown for her extreme Benidorm trip:
£30 from Cardiff to Bristol Airport (return) with Airport Tavern.
£35 flights with Ryanair from Bristol Airport.
£20 airport transfer from Alicante to Benidorm (return) with Beniconnect.
£76 full board accommodation at Port Benidorm Hotel & Spa with Booking.com.
£40 on drinks.
Maximillian Schwerdtfeger, who works for money saving group EcoExperts, told WalesOnline: "Aviation contributes to 2.5% to global carbon emissions, and that won't come down until alternative means of travel are cheaper. The UK has some of the highest-priced train tickets in Europe.
'Companies and governing bodies should do more to make aviation transport cheaper.'
Karen Marin Reyes, owner of Cardiff travel agents La Vida, explains: "With return train tickets costing up to £110 from Cardiff, it's not surprising to see so many UK travellers going abroad. We're seeing more people attend our travel agents who swapped their domestic travel plans for a holiday in Spain or Greece.
"We have deals from Bristol to Barcelona return flights at £95 - nearly £100 cheaper than return train tickets from Cardiff to London. It's still cheaper once you factor in a £10 train to Bristol from Cardiff Central.
"Personally, I've decided not to travel to London go abroad instead. You have to pay up to £110 for a return ticket, but then I've also spent up to £200 while I'm there- eating out and going for drinks."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Skift
7 hours ago
- Skift
Hilton's Twin Hotel Project in Delhi: Waldorf Astoria Coming to Aerocity
India's booming travel space is a beckoning call for all players, and Hilton is no exception. The latest signing in Delhi is testament that the Indian travel landscape has capacity to support every possible brand strategy, provided it comes at the right time and with the right gusto. Hilton on Wednesday signed two new hotels set to come up in Delhi Aerocity, including a Waldorf Astoria-branded property. The other hotel will be developed under the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand. The signing, done in partnership with GMR Group-led Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), will mark the debut of both the brands in New Delhi. This is also the second Waldorf Astoria property in India, after Jaipur. Collectively, these two hotels will have an inventory of 500 keys: 150 rooms in Waldorf Astoria and 350 rooms in Hilton. According to Chris Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton, the signing is a part of Hilton's long-term strategy in India. 'As we continue to accelerate our growth in South Asia, these landmark properties and partnerships play a pivotal role in expanding Hilton's portfolio,' he said. 'This signing is another step in our goal to grow our India portfolio to 10 times its current size in the next decade, supported by vast infrastructure investment and increasing appetite for travel,' said Alan Watts, president, Asia Pacific at Hilton. Hilton's India Ambition: Last month, Hilton announced its ambitious expansion plans in India. At present, the company has 32 hotels in India with 29 more in the developmental pipeline. If all goes as planned, this figure will increase to 300 properties in 10 years. Supplementing this growth, Hilton is also planning to introduce five new Hilton brands in the country, including Curio Collection by Hilton and Signia by Hilton this year, LXR Hotels & Resorts in 2026, and Waldorf Astoria by 2028. India will also be the first market in Asia Pacific to debut Hilton's entry-level brand - Spark by Hilton, under which the company plans to have 150 properties starting with Goa. 'There's no market with more opportunity and higher growth than India,' Nassetta said during the Hilton Brand Showcase last month. 'What's been happening in the hospitality market in India over the l
Forbes
8 hours ago
- Forbes
Norwegian Cruise Line Credit Card Review 2025: Cruise Rewards That Leave Loyalty Adrift
The Norwegian Cruise Line World Mastercard* is designed for frequent sailors, but no matter how much you love the onboard experience, you'll likely be disappointed by the credit card. This no annual fee card offers elevated earnings on cruise expenses but stops short of offering any VIP perks like stateroom upgrades, free drinks or discounted excursions. You won't pay annual fees with the Norwegian Cruise Line World Mastercard*. And even better, there are no foreign transaction fees. That makes this a good option for your tours, meals and souvenirs ashore, regardless of where your cruises take you. Although the standard earning rates on this credit card lean more toward basic than exciting, Bank of America Preferred Rewards members get a pretty sweet boost. You can earn 25% to 75% more on every purchase, depending on your average account balances with Bank of America and Merrill. Why you can trust Forbes Advisor Our credit card editors are committed to bringing you unbiased ratings and information. Advertisers do not and cannot influence our ratings. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and companies, so all are measured equally. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and the credit card methodology for the ratings below. The WorldPoints you earn from this credit card are most interesting when used toward Norwegian Cruise Line redemptions—which you might consider exactly the point. But some redemption options, like cruise discounts or onboard credit, are no better than what you'd get from a cash-back card but without the flexibility. Even if you limit your search to no annual fee credit cards, you'll find numerous options for credit cards that earn rewards at higher rates or with more bonus categories (or both). The Norwegian card is best, unsurprisingly, for Norwegian Cruise Line charges but not much else. The NCL credit card is best for transactions made directly with Norwegian Cruise Line but earns WorldPoints® Rewards on all purchases: Earn 3 points for every dollar spent on Norwegian purchases, 2 points per dollar spent on eligible air and hotel purchases and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. Bank of America Preferred Rewards members may earn 25% to 75% more points on eligible charges. These are great earning rates for transactions with Norwegian Cruise Line, such as your actual cruise fare and any onboard charges. However, the other purchase categories aren't particularly competitive. New cardholders can also earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening. The Norwegian Cruise Line Mastercard earns WorldPoints rewards, which are best used toward awards with NCL. Options include: When redeeming for upgrades or free cruises, the value of your redemption will vary based on the precise costs of that sailing. Full category upgrades, like going from an oceanview to a balcony, cost 30,000 points for cruises longer than five nights. Therefore, when the cost to upgrade with cash is $300 or less, you'd be better off redeeming your WorldPoints for a discount on the cruise fare and booking your preferred room directly. When the cost is higher, though, there's some room for strategic arbitrage and getting an impressive return on your points. The ability to redeem points for a free cruise is where you could potentially get an oversized return for your points—assuming you want to travel to the Bahamas, the Caribbean or Mexico. Redemptions could be worth more than 1 cent per point, especially if you're traveling on peak dates or new ships where cruise fares are typically higher. Some sailings or dates may be excluded. Forbes Advisor uses estimated spending amounts to simulate the number of points you might earn from this card in one year. Based on data from multiple government agencies, our research shows that a household earning in the 70th percentile brings in $127,200 of income and can reasonably charge $40,398 to a card annually across the following categories: Norwegian Cruise Line World Mastercard* Rewards Potential The more multipurpose Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (rates & fees) is another no-annual-fee travel rewards card with no foreign transaction fees, making it a viable alternative for some cruisers. Its rewards are far more flexible than the Norwegian Cruise card's: You can redeem Capital One miles to reimburse yourself for any travel expenses charged on the card (including cruise expenses) or transfer them to airline or hotel partners to cover other elements of your vacation. The earnings structure on the VentureOne is quite different from the Norwegian card. Sadly, you won't earn any bonus miles on cruise charges but you might be able to make up for that with its base earnings rate of 1.25 miles per $1 spent. That extra 25% on general spending could go a long way toward your next trip. Another major advantage of the VentureOne is its low intro APR offer of 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, 19.24% to 29.24% variable APR after that; 3% balance transfer fee for the first 15 months, 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you. Ironically, you can earn a stronger rate on your cruise fare with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card than with a co-branded cruise credit card. This fan-favorite travel card earns 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on other purchases. There is one major caveat, though—to earn 5 points per dollar on your cruise fare, you'll need to book through Chase Travel (otherwise, you'll only earn 2 points per dollar spent, which is also what you'll earn for onboard charges). When redeeming points to pay for a cruise or other travel, your Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are worth 1.25 cents each when booked with Chase Travel, which is better than most Norwegian Cruise Line WorldPoints redemptions. You can also transfer your points to over a dozen airline or hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. The Sapphire Preferred also shines for its generous included travel protections, like complimentary trip delay reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and primary auto rental coverage. Simplicity is the name of the game with the Citi Double Cash® Card. It earns cash back at a flat rate of 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they're paid off, and earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel. If your spending habits are varied and not disproportionately focused on Norwegian cruise expenses, rewards could add up faster. This is primarily a cash-back credit card, so redemptions are easy and flexible. There's a major downside to this card to consider. Namely, the card charges a foreign transaction fee. Norwegian uses the U.S. dollar for its cruise fare and all onboard charges, so you won't need to worry about foreign transaction fees for anything you buy on the ship. However, the Double Cash would be a poor choice to use for charges you make on shore while docked at international ports of call. The Norwegian Cruise Line card offers modest value, but its lack of cruise perks means you might want to look twice before applying. If you're willing to save up your points for free cruises or if you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, there could be an interesting case to get this card. Otherwise, more general travel credit cards could be more rewarding, even if you limit your search to cards with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including: We give greater weight to the card features we believe cardholders will use most frequently. These factors combine to generate a star rating for each card. To learn more about our rating and review methodology and editorial process, check out our guide on how Forbes Advisor rates credit cards. *The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: Norwegian Cruise Line World Mastercard. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Wall Street Journal
10 hours ago
- Wall Street Journal
This site can't be reached
This site can't be reached The webpage at might be temporarily down or it may have moved permanently to a new web address. ERR_TUNNEL_CONNECTION_FAILED
