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Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
I went to Benidorm, ignored all the warnings and found an absolute bargain
One of the first pieces of travel advice I read online when I was researching my visit to Benidorm was to avoid temptation at all costs and never trust the €1 drinks When planning a trip to Benidorm, heed this crucial tip I stumbled upon online: steer clear of the €1 drink offers at all costs. The Spanish holiday hotspot is brimming with bars and eateries tempting tourists with seemingly irresistible deals - from buckets of beer to cheekily named cocktails and mysterious shots. With over 830,000 Brits flocking to Benidorm annually, it's no shock that pub and bar owners are dishing out enticing promos to pull in the punters. Strolling through the resort, you'll spot numerous spots touting €1 beers and pints, often as part of bucket bargains or happy hour treats, while some serve them up solo round the clock. However, locals warn that these too-good-to-be-true offers might not be all they're cracked up to be. A viral TikTok clip, now viewed over 450,000 times, features Frank the Stag Man—a chap with a hefty 227k followers advising holidaymakers that with these drinks, you truly 'get what you pay for', labelling them 'absolute rubbish'. "Do not waste your time going to places that advertise €1 a pint because you're getting the absolute... you're getting the bottom of the barrel, do you know what I mean?" he cautions viewers, reports the Manchester Evening News. However, I must confess, I stumbled at the first step, throwing caution to the wind after a delightful sunny afternoon amble along Levante Beach. This is probably exactly why these establishments offer beer at such ludicrously low prices in the first place. With plans to explore the Old Town, I happened upon La Parada lounge bar, which boasted €1 beers and even €1 Pintxos dishes. Although I wasn't quite ready to gamble on the food offerings, I was more than willing to sample the bargain beer - all in the name of journalism, naturally. The bar, situated just a bit further from the beachfront near Tiki Town Beach Club, had a decent local crowd. Its location in a pleasantly shaded area away from the beach meant it wasn't overly crowded during my afternoon visit. The friendly server was more than happy to take my order for a €1 beer. As I waited, I pondered what would soon be delivered to my table and whether it would be as diluted or dubious as social media had led me to believe. Within minutes, a small glass of beer arrived at my table. It was pretty much as anticipated: definitely not a pint, possibly not even a half (perhaps closer to a third). But it was a freshly poured serving of Amstel, so it certainly wasn't the worst beer choice. The chilly beverage was perfection in a glass – an ice-cold delight that had the distinct upside of not tasting diluted in the slightest. But what truly took my breath away was the price: a mere 84p, a sum fanciful enough to make any Mancunian pub-goer's jaw drop. I couldn't resist inquiring why such a steal existed when the server came by, and with a shrug and a light-hearted chuckle, she merely quipped: "It gets people in." By this logic, the establishment hopes to win patrons over for future visits, expecting them to delve deeper into offerings like €3 hotdogs and €5 smoothies, which were conspicuously advertised venue-wide. After settling comfortably into the vibe of the place and nursing my pint over an admittedly leisurely half-hour, I found myself grappling with a conundrum that has haunted me since: The guilt of paying just 84p for a quality beer felt akin to thievery in broad daylight. Despite being a publicly available deal, and far from unique in its generosity, parting with so paltry a sum gave me pause. I toyed with leaving a euro on the table and escaping without further ado, avoiding the awkwardness of forced cordiality – yet the idea struck me as brusque. I did consider leaving an extra euro as a tip to assuage my guilt, which I realise is the very definition of a first world problem. However, it was their promotion, they chose to sell it, and they decided to advertise it to attract customers - and it certainly worked, even if I didn't venture into the realm of €5 smoothies. While I wouldn't fancy spending an entire afternoon guzzling €1 beers, my experience at La Parada was positive. It wasn't one of the rowdier spots in town, rather it was relaxed and quiet, so there might be other popular choices for those looking to save a few quid on their pints. Naturally, I can't vouch for the quality of €1 beers at other pubs and I'm sure some warrant a degree of caution. It goes without saying that responsible drinking is always crucial, whether you're in Benidorm enjoying €1 beers or elsewhere.
Irish Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
'I had a €1 beer at a bar in Benidorm - despite bottom of the barrel warnings'
One of the first pieces of travel advice I read online when I was researching my visit to Benidorm was to avoid temptation at all costs and never trust the €1 drinks. The Spanish resort has an abundance of bars and restaurants that lure tourists in with a temptation of special offers - varying from buckets of bottles of beer, cocktails with cheeky names and special shots that could contain pretty much anything. With more than 830,000 British tourists visiting Benidorm each year, and with the number of sports bars, Irish pubs, and other themed venues all trying to welcome in customers each day - there's no surprise that owners have turned to lucrative offers to draw in the numbers, reports The Manchester Evening News. Walking along the resort, there are a number of bars that will offer €1 bottles of beer and pints - sometimes as part of bucket deals or happy hour specials, with others available on their own all the time - but those living in Benidorm have suggested that they are not as good as they seem. In one popular TikTok video which has been seen more than 450,000 times now, Frank the Stag Man, who has 227,000 followers on the platform, warned that tourists 'get what you pay for' and described the drinks as 'absolute rubbish'. He said: "Do not waste your time going to places that advertise €1 a pint because you're getting the absolute... you're getting the bottom of the barrel, do you know what I mean?" However, that being said, I practically fell at the first hurdle and ignored all warnings after a very sunny afternoon stroll through Levante Beach. It's perhaps the very exact reason why these bars have beer at such a ridiculous price point in the first place. With the intention of heading into the Old Town, I spotted the La Parada lounge bar, which offered both €1 beer and even €1 Pintxos dishes. Whilst not feeling brave enough to try my chances with the culinary options, I was prepared to give the very cheap beer a go - all in the name of journalism, of course. The bar, which is just a little further up from the beach front by Tiki Town Beach Club, had a fair few locals in but being located in quite a nice shaded area away from the beach meant that it wasn't too packed out at my time of visit in the afternoon. The very lovely server was happy to take my order for a €1 beer and, not quite knowing what I had set myself in for, I contemplated what would be arriving at my table and whether it would be as watered down or ominous as social media had suggested it would be. Arriving at my table within minutes, the dinky little glass of beer was pretty much as expected: certainly not a pint, and perhaps not even a half (maybe more of a third). But it was a freshly-poured serving of Amstel, so it certainly wasn't the worst choice of beer. Sipping it, it was ice cold and it tasted normal - I didn't get the impression it was watered down. Most impressively, it was an absolute bargain of a drink for €1. When the server did the rounds, I stopped her to ask why the beer was so cheap. With a little laugh and a shrug, she just said to me: "It gets people in." With that principle, they're counting on repeat custom and customers wanting to explore the menu - like the €3 hotdogs and €5 smoothies (five times the price of a beer!) that were being promoted on the signs around the venue. Having quite relaxed into my surroundings and spent around half an hour sipping my beer (quite a long time, to be honest), then came the moral dilemma that has been playing in my mind ever since: how do you pay for a €1 beer without feeling like you've just committed daylight robbery? Sure, the bar advertised it, and they are not the only ones doing such an offer, but it just felt crazy that it was paying so little for the beer. I considered leaving the euro on the table and just making a dash for it in order to avoid having to make any pleasantries, but that just felt rude. I also contemplated tipping an extra euro in order to lessen the guilt I felt, which I appreciate is the very epitome of a first-world problem. But, ultimately, it was their offer, they chose to sell it, and they decided to promote it to get punters in - and it certainly worked, even if I didn't stay to branch out into €5 smoothie territory. Whilst I definitely wouldn't want to spend a whole afternoon stocking up on €1 beers, my time at La Parada was good. It certainly wasn't one of the rowdier venues in the town, it was chilled and quiet, so I am sure there might be other popular options for people when it comes to going cheap on the beer. Of course, I cannot vouch for €1 beers at the other bars and I'm sure there are some which warrant the level of caution. It also goes without saying that it is always important to drink responsibly too, whether you are in Benidorm drinking €1 beer or not.
