Puerto Banus, hotspot for the rich and famous, finishes bottom in Which? survey of Spain’s best and worst seaside towns, with San Sebastian ranked No.1

San Sebastian has come top in a new Which? overview of Spain’s best and worst coastal towns, as flashy Puerto Banus hits rock bottom and holidaymakers write it off as ‘tacky’ and ‘a seedy mess’.

The consumer champion invited more than a thousand travelers to rate their experiences in Spanish seaside resorts. These were scored on eleven criteria, including beach and coast quality, safety, food and drink, accommodation and value for money.

An overall score was calculated based on overall satisfaction and likelihood of recommendation. Then? received 2,259 responses to its survey.

Superyacht hotspot Puerto Banus comes last in the table with a score of just 55 percent and receives less than impressive consumer reports, despite its reputation ‘as a glamorous place to see and be seen and a playground for the rich and famous’, say Which? trip.

It adds: ‘It’s a suburb of Marbella and the streets are lined with designer shops, while the marina has some of the most expensive yachts in the world, but that couldn’t stop the resort from being ranked bottom. ​of the thirty seaside resorts in Spain. ‘

The consumer champion explains that the marina’s opening party in 1970 – which saw Julio Iglesias sing to guests such as Hugh Hefner, the Aga Khan and Princess Grace of Monaco – “set the tone for the party-loving city and it continues to attract tourists today.” famous guests’.

However, survey respondents were not really impressed, according to their testimonials.

Puerto Banus scores just one star for value for money – the only destination in the Which? survey to do this.

The high price tag attached to a meal or a day of shopping was a recurring theme in the survey responses, with one visitor describing their experience as ‘too expensive’.

According to survey responses, it also scores only one star for tourist attractions and has little to do with cultural sites. Instead, people-watching and partying are the main draws, says Which?, reflected in the one-star score for peace and quiet.

It also gets just two stars for safety, attractiveness and friendliness, with one respondent saying their experiences of the city have ‘deteriorated’ over their years of visiting.

They lamented that ‘it is still a place for the rich and must be seen, but it has become a tacky place’, while another holidaymaker who visited told the inquiry ‘it is a seedy mess’.

It fared slightly better for its beach, seafront, food and drink offering and shops, achieving three stars in each of the categories, with some respondents praising its ‘great atmosphere’ and ‘wide range of restaurants’.

Just before Puerto Banus, with a score of 56 percent, is La Manga, known for its location on the Mar Menor, a saltwater lagoon on the coast.

It gets just one star for tourist attractions, and two stars for the coast, overall attractiveness, tranquility and value for money.

While some lamented that the city looked ‘washed out’ and ‘bland’, with ‘too many high-rise hotels’, others said it felt like a ‘home from home’ and appreciated the ‘traditional Spanish restaurants, cafes and bars’.

San Sebastian comes first with an ‘excellent’ city score of 88 percent.

It is rated no less than five stars by visitors for its beach, attractiveness and food and drinks. The latter is an area of ​​’particular excellence’, with the second highest number of Michelin stars per capita in Europe.

Visitors were enthusiastic about the local snacks, pinchos (which are small portions of food served with cocktails) and the choice of top restaurants.

It scores four stars for seaside, safety, friendliness, accommodation, tourist attractions and shopping – dropping to three stars for value for money.

One visitor summarized that ‘it was small enough to walk around easily, the beach and surroundings were beautiful and it felt very safe’, while another said: ‘I wish I could have stayed longer’.

Nerja comes in second place with a score of 81 percent and according to Which? the perfect place for people who want to fly and crash on the beach.

It easily ‘outdid’ its better-known neighbors on the Costa del Sol, such as ‘Blackpool in the sun’ Benidorm (12th), Marbella (17th) – often seen on TV hosting luxury celebrity parties – and Torremolinos (18th), which finish in the bottom half of the table with scores of 68 and 66 percent, while Fuengirola is in the bottom five with a score of just 58 percent.

Which? says: ‘Development is limited compared to other resorts on the coast, and Nerja still feels like an Andalusian town from decades gone by, with whitewashed houses and swaying palm trees.’

It gets a four-star rating for its coastal location, safety, friendliness, food and drink and accommodation. Respondents say it felt like a ‘traditional, unspoilt Spanish town’.

In third place are Cartagena, Javea and Sitges, with combined scores of 80 percent.

Rory Boland, editor of what? Travel said: ‘This research shows that there are plenty of fantastic Spanish seaside resorts that can easily beat the best-selling destinations such as Marbella and Torremolinos. You don’t even have to look far, because beautiful Nerja and its picturesque whitewashed streets can also be found on the Costa del Sol.

‘For those looking for a city break with a dose of sea and sun, San Sebastian can’t be beat; it is rightly famous for its excellent restaurants and authentic cuisine, and comes complete with a beautiful old town and fantastic beaches.”