Can I swap dinner for lunch on half board in Benidorm?
Dear Brenda
We've booked half board for a week. We land late on the first night: will we miss dinner altogether? We'd like to eat out some evenings, so do hotels let you swap dinner for lunch? And my friends are in an apartment nearby: can they pay to join us at the hotel buffet one night?
Yes on all three, as long as you ask the hotel first. Landing late: email the hotel with your flight time and many will leave out rolls, ham, cheese and fruit, as visitors found at several big chains in 2024 and 2025, but don't count on hot food. Swapping dinner for lunch: most hotels let half-board guests do it if you tell reception, and it's easiest from autumn to spring, when the dining room serves lunch anyway. Your friends: many hotels sell the evening buffet to non-residents, booked and paid at reception; visitors paid about €10 to €18 in 2025, and about €25 with a drink at Hotel Don Pancho on Levante in 2026.
Who the regulars recommend
- Hotel Don Pancho, LevanteThe hotel visitors name most for a non-resident dinner: best food and service, about €25 with a drink in 2026. Check it still sells dinner to non-residents.
- Servigroup hotelsVisitors say they're good with late arrivals, leaving out snacks for guests who miss dinner.
- Hotel Pueblo, Rincón de LoixA 2024 visitor emailed ahead and found a buffet selection left out after a late arrival.
- Sandos MonacoAbout €17 with drinks for non-residents in 2023, with a good Friday gala spread. Check current price.
- Rio Park, LevanteAbout €10 for non-residents in 2025, and the same group lets half-board guests swap lunch for dinner.
Watch out for
- Don't count on hot food after a late flight; ask for a cold plate in writing.
- Swap and non-resident rules vary by hotel and season; confirm at reception each time.
- Friday is often gala night: dearer and busier, so book non-resident seats early.
- Cheaper buffets vary a lot in quality; ask what's included before you pay.
- Keep your bag on you, not on the chair, at the buffet; dining rooms were targeted by thieves in 2026.
Can I swap my evening meal for lunch?
Usually, yes: just tell reception. Guests at several hotel groups say they have always been allowed to swap. It's easiest in the winter months, when hotels serve lunch as well as dinner, so the dining room is open anyway. In high summer, when some hotels only serve breakfast and dinner, ask before you book.
What if we arrive after dinner has finished?
Email ahead and ask for a cold plate. Visitors at Servigroup hotels and others say staff left out rolls, ham, cheese and fruit after a late flight. If the hotel can't help, the New Town around Avenida Europa has pizza and fast food a few minutes' walk away, and visitors say it stays busy past midnight.
Can non-residents eat at a hotel buffet?
Yes, at many hotels, and it's a favourite trick for people in apartments. Book at reception and pay in advance. The hotel named most is Hotel Don Pancho on Levante, rated for food and service: about €24 with a drink in 2023 and €25 in 2026. Cheaper buffets ran from about €10 to €18 in 2025, with Friday gala nights at the top end.
What time is dinner?
Usually from about 19:00 to 21:30, but check your hotel. Times visitors reported in 2025 and 2026: breakfast from 08:00 to about 10:00 or 10:30, lunch from about 13:00 to 15:00, dinner from about 19:00 to 21:30. Some hotels change their evening times between winter and summer, and few start at 18:00.
Is half board better than all-inclusive?
For people who like eating out, usually yes. Visitors who know the town often choose half board, or even bed and breakfast, because Benidorm is full of bars and restaurants. All-inclusive suits people who plan to stay by the pool. Of the 71 hotels we track, 28 offer half board.
What the regulars say
- Email your flight time if you'll land after dinner and ask for a cold plate.
- Ask reception on day one how swapping dinner for lunch works.
- In an apartment? Book a hotel buffet at reception and pay in advance.
- Friday is often gala night at hotel buffets: dearer, but a bigger spread.
The numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident dinner at Hotel Don Pancho, with a drink | about €24 (2023) / €25 (2026) | visitor reports, 2023 and 2026 |
| Other hotel buffets for non-residents | about €10–€18 | visitor reports, 2025 |
| Friday gala night, non-resident | about €18 | visitor reports, 2025 |
| Typical meal times | breakfast 08:00–10:30, lunch 13:00–15:00, dinner 19:00–21:30 | visitor reports, 2026 |
| Hotels on our list offering half board | 28 of 71 | benidorm.co.uk/hotels, checked 14 Oct 2026 |
Reader figures are what visitors reported in that year. We have not checked them ourselves unless the source says so.
Your other questions, answered
2026Hotels where you can walk in and pay for the buffet?
Many sell it if you book at reception. Hotel Don Pancho on Levante is the most recommended, at about €25 with a drink in 2026.
2026Full-board meal times in late January?
A 2026 visitor reported breakfast 08:00–10:30, lunch 13:00–15:00 and dinner 19:00–21:30 at one Levante hotel. Check at check-in, as winter times can differ.
2025Arriving at 22:30: any fast food near the hotel?
Yes. In the New Town around Avenida Europa there's pizza and fast food a few minutes' walk away, and it stays busy past midnight.
2025Does this hotel still let non-residents in for dinner?
Policies change by season, so email or ask at reception. Most will say yes if there's space.
2024Can I change dinner for lunch on half board?
Usually yes: tell reception. It's easiest in winter, when the hotel serves lunch anyway.
2024Late dinner for full-board guests arriving late?
Email ahead with your flight time. Visitors at Servigroup hotels say snacks were left out after dinner service.
2022Any hotels serving the evening meal from 6pm?
Very few: most start at about 19:00. Ask before you book if an early dinner matters.
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