I've just had another birthday (29th March, not 29th birthday!)

As we are in Spain currently & yet another birthday was due I booked us into a hotel in Denia for two nights (28th/29th) & we had a really great time with fantastic weather.

Denia is a 2 hr drive up the AP7, it cost over 10€ in tolls with it being Sunday  but it got us there fast & we travelled back along the N332. So many new roadworks around Alicate though that our satnav managed to get us lost!! Suddenly the toll charge seemed menial.

The hotel wasn't recommended by a friend, I just was Googling for hotels in Denia/Javea area & it came up & Tripadvisor had good reviews. It was LA RACONA HOTEL (click blue link) & it was so quiet & beautiful set amongst pines by the sea, with friendly staff.

We had half board served from 8.30pm but would have preferred B & B as the dinners were not that great. In Denia along the front there were endless cafes serving a good MDD for 8.50€ upwards till late afternoon which would've been ideal. But the rest of it was wonderful.

We booked a double room with a terrace overlooking the pool. We had free wifi in the lounge too so I could keep in touch with friends on my birthday & Skype with family which made the day more special.

Look at the website, we had the room shown at the top of the page you see first. I certainly would not have missed staying there, a real 'find'.

Sounds great More, I've made a note of it.

Hope you had a great (29th )  birthday.

Justin

Hi More

Of course we realised that it wasn´t your 29th birthday - you were only 21 weren´t you?!

Sue

Hi More - happy 29th birthday!  Glad you enjoyed it. 

I know what you mean about the road at Alicante.  I've been to visit friends in Gandia, very near to Denia.  We took the motorway on the way back as we had got so lost taking the N332 on the way there that it took much more than the 2 1/2 hours it should have.    I think we're really lucky to have the Autopista Mediterraneo so close to us, we can get get to loads of places so easily, but you do miss seeing the local sights that way.  PS enjoy the sunshine - it's been snowing here in Wales today!

I forgot to say the owner of the hotel, Vincent, had a bottle of Cava Reserve in a bucket full of ice & on a stand brought to our table at dinner on my birthday, compliments of the hotel. As we had been sitting out on our terrace drinking red wine just before dinner we had opted for water at dinner & I didn't really enjoy the Cava actually, always thought Cava was like Andrews liver salts. Later I said thank you to Vincent & told him we'd already had over a bottle of red wine & he just winked  & said 'it will make you frisky then!'

When we drove home along the N332 we stopped off in Javea, such a pretty place with a small port. There are many cafes along the front there & we stopped at one for coffee for my better other half & beer for me, as I don't drive.  The cafe had English newspapers so we sat there almost an hour reading & basking in the hot sun.

We also walked past a cafe with a notice board outside which said something like 'March offer, seafront double rooms, ensuite 30€' & we looked up & saw little balconies each with two chairs & a small table with French doors on a few floors. Talk about picture postcard stuff! We did ask if we could view a room with the idea of going next month or maybe on another trip but, to our amazement, (there was only one customer sitting outside already served with her coffee) we were told they couldn't do that as it meant leaving the cafe unattended & they asked us to return some hours later! The guy who owns it & who spoke to us was Mike Walsh, ex footballer for Bolton & Everton. He said to look on their website so obviously I expected to see a room but no! 

Anyway, it was in a great position so I will do another plug, it's LA MARINA PENSIONS (click coloured link) & the rooms are reasonable priced, just wished we had been able to see one. SEE PRICES HERE (Site took ages to load for me BTW).