Where can we get Christmas dinner in Benidorm?
Dear Brenda
It's our first Christmas in Benidorm. A few of us are staying in the Old Town on half board, and we'd love a proper traditional Christmas Day lunch somewhere, nothing too posh, maybe with a bit of entertainment after. Is it too early to book? Will the hotel's gala dinner cost extra? And will anywhere do a turkey dinner on Boxing Day?
No, it isn't too early: book your Christmas Day lunch now, because since 2023 the popular places have filled weeks ahead and some ask for a deposit. Before you book out, ask your hotel whether its Christmas gala is part of your half board or a supplement, and get the answer in writing: some hotels charge extra, and in 2025 one visitor's hotel tried to charge long-stay guests on top. For a not-too-posh traditional lunch, the British-run bars with set menus are your best bet, about €50 for five courses at Christmas 2024; then walk down to Levante, where the bars keep their acts going over the holiday. Boxing Day is easier: some bars keep a Christmas menu going and take walk-ins, so ask when you book Christmas Day, and Benidorm Palace runs a Boxing Day special night with its own prices.
Who the regulars recommend
- Yorkshire PrideFive courses for about €50 at Christmas 2024; check which branch is open.
- Ibrox BarTook walk-ins at two courses for €20 in 2024, handy if you leave it late.
- GustoNamed by visitors for a Christmas meal; ask for this year's menu.
- Tapas Alley (Calle Santo Domingo)For a change from turkey on the days around Christmas; always buzzing.
- Benidorm PalaceA Boxing Day special night with dinner and a show, at its own prices.
Watch out for
- Christmas menus can cost several times a normal meal; ask what's included before you pay a deposit.
- Hotel galas are often for residents only, and some charge a supplement on ordinary board.
- Leave it late and the better places will be full; walk-ins are possible, but your choice shrinks.
- Taxis add a €3 supplement on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve; book or plan your way home.
When should we book?
As soon as your flights are booked. Visitors start asking in the summer, and since 2023 the better-known places have filled well before December, with only the odd table left nearer the day. Some ask for a deposit to hold a booking. Contact two or three places and ask exactly what the price includes: number of courses, drinks, and whether there's an act or a disco afterwards.
Does the hotel gala dinner cost extra?
Sometimes, so ask. Many big hotels hold a Christmas gala dinner with a free bar or a show, and on a Christmas package it's usually built into the price. On ordinary half board it can be a supplement. In 2025 one visitor said their hotel tried to charge long-stay guests extra because they hadn't paid Christmas rates. Get it in writing before you travel. The upside: the big hotels put on a full evening of entertainment after the gala, which few restaurants do.
Where can we get a traditional Christmas lunch, not too posh?
The British-run bars and restaurants. Yorkshire Pride did five courses for about €50 at Christmas 2024 (check which of its bars is open), and the Ibrox Bar did two courses for €20 for walk-ins in 2024. Gusto is another name visitors put forward. From the Old Town, the bars along Levante are a short walk, and most have an act on in the evening. If you'd rather avoid turkey, the Indian and Chinese restaurants charge normal prices on Christmas Day and are easier to get into.
Will anywhere do turkey on Boxing Day?
Yes, but fewer places, and it's less of a scramble. Some British bars keep their Christmas menu going on the 26th, so ask when you book Christmas Day. Benidorm Palace runs a Boxing Day special night with its own prices, so check its listings before you go.
What's the weather like at Christmas?
Mild but not reliable. December averages 17.0°C by day and 10.2°C at night, with rain on about four days in the month. Visitors have spent Christmas Days on the beach in the sunshine, and in 2025 others had a wet one. Book your dinner indoors, bring a jacket for the evening, and remember taxis add a €3 supplement on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
What the regulars say
- Book Christmas dinner as soon as your flights are booked; popular places fill and may want a deposit.
- On half board or all-inclusive? Ask whether the Christmas gala is included or extra.
- Want a show after dinner? Hotel galas do it best, but often only for residents.
- Ask exactly what the price covers: courses, drinks and entertainment.
The numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Set Christmas menu, five courses | about €50 | visitor reports, 2025 (for Christmas 2024) |
| Walk-in Christmas dinner, two courses | €20 | visitor reports, 2024 |
| Christmas week hotel package, 16–23 Dec | about €900 | visitor reports, 2022 |
| December hotel average, per room per night | €90, 106 hotels open | benidorm.co.uk/benidorm-in-december (INE, Dec 2025), checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| Taxi supplement, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve | €3 | benidorm.co.uk/alicante-airport-to-benidorm (Radio Taxi Benidorm 2026 tariffs), checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| December average day / night | 17.0°C / 10.2°C | benidorm.co.uk/weather, 2016–2025 averages |
Reader figures are what visitors reported in that year. We have not checked them ourselves unless the source says so.
Your other questions, answered
2026Does this hotel put on a Christmas gala dinner?
Most big hotels do, usually for residents. Ask the hotel whether it's included in your board or charged extra.
2025Where serves Christmas Day dinner with entertainment?
Hotel galas do dinner and a show best. Few restaurants pair the two, so eat at a British bar and move on to the Levante bars for the acts.
2025Is it too early to book in the summer?
No. Popular places fill weeks ahead and some take a deposit, so book as soon as you know your dates.
2024Which hotel is best for Christmas dinner and a show for an older solo traveller?
Choose a big hotel with a Christmas package that includes the gala; then the dinner, the show and the company come with the room.
2024Where's good for Christmas Day dinner near the Old Town, not too posh?
A British-run bar with a set menu, about €50 for five courses at Christmas 2024. Book early.
2023Will anywhere serve a traditional Christmas dinner on Boxing Day?
Some British bars keep the menu going on the 26th; ask when you book Christmas Day. Benidorm Palace has a Boxing Day special night.
Read next
Benidorm in December · Benidorm Palace: show times and prices · What's on in Benidorm tonight · Where the locals eat · What's the weather like in winter?
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Get the table booked early and the rest of Christmas can be as lazy as you like.
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