Calpe holiday villa: La Fustera

We stayed at El Romeral in June 2008 and again in September 2009, and will almost certainly be back next year. If you're looking for value then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this place. We (3 couples in mid 20s) paid less for the week than the cost of one night in a hotel, when split between us. We hired 2 cars from Alicante airport which allowed us to visit some of the delights in the vicinity - a bit of an expense but well worth it as there's lots to see and do.

Although you couldn't describe it as superbly luxurious - it was certainly clean and comfortable with everything you need for your stay. The pool was spotlessly clean and was plenty big enough for all six of us. The pool man even came round mid week to top it up and hoover the bottom! There were sun loungers complete with cushions for all and believe me we made use of them. The kitchen is of a nice size and contains all necessary utensils. We love our fresh coffee in the morning and so got our moneys worth from the filter coffee machine. There is a built in barbecue on the upper terrace - charcoal and a whole range of fresh meat and fish (and wine!) is available in the local supermarket at very reasonable prices. The bedrooms are functional - were again clean and complete with mosquito nets on the windows.

When we weren't in the pool or cooking on the barbecue we were mainly at the local marina. The wake boarding and water skiiing are good value at
£25 for 15 minutes. There are a couple of local English bars with fry ups and Sky Sports, but we preferred the more local Spanish places. Try the paella at Casa Manolo just down from La Fustera - the best I've ever had. Restaurant Timon came recommended but was overpriced and the staff were rude - maybe they were having a bad day.

I don't have time to give details all the local towns, but Javea, Moraira and Altea are all nearby and worth a visit. Calpe has the night life with a few bars/clubs to choose from. Make sure you take a trip to Altea and have lunch up the hill - views are absolutely breathtaking. Valencia is about 90 minutes drive away but again I would recommend if you want to visit a Spanish city for the day.