Benalmádena Holidays All Inclusive: Resorts, Weather and Tips

On an all-inclusive board, your meals are included, typically buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with local drinks such as house wine, beer, soft drinks and spirits poured from the hotel's standard brands. Most hotels add snacks between meals, often by the pool, so you are not reaching for your wallet every time someone is hungry at four o'clock. Premium brands, bottled wine from the list and à la carte restaurants are often charged separately, so read the board description on each deal before you book.

In Benalmádena the arrangement makes particular sense for families and anyone who wants to fix most of the holiday cost before leaving the UK. That said, the town is compact enough that you can still eat out now and then: the old quarter around Benalmádena Museum, the beaches and Arroyo de la Miel are all within a few miles of one another.

Benalmádena itself is the hub, a coastal town of nearly 59,000 people with the Castillo Monumento Colomares about half a mile from the centre and the caves of Cueva de la Zorrera and Cueva de los Botijos close by. If you are browsing all inclusive hotels in Benalmádena, Spain, the beachfront strip around Playa Malibu Palace and Playa de Carvajal, which runs towards Fuengirola, is the natural place to look for bigger pool-and-buffet properties near the sand.

Arroyo de la Miel, about 2 miles away, is the busy family end of things. Sea Life Benalmádena, Selwo Marina and the Castillo de Bil Bil are all here, as are Playa de Malapesquera and Playa Saltillo, which makes it the obvious base when comparing Benalmádena all inclusive family hotels with children in tow.

Mijas, around 4 miles off, is the largest of the three by population and has a different feel, with its bullring, the Castillo de Mijas, the Museo de Miniaturas and the Mijas Ethnological Historical Museum. Staying on the coastal side gives you beach time with a straightforward day out to the sights.

The best months run from April to September. April and May are the gentle option, at 21°C and 23°C with only three or four rainy days, ideal if you want warmth without the full heat. June climbs to 27°C, and July and August peak at 31°C by day and 21°C at night, with almost no rain at all.

September still averages 26°C and is a good shout once the school holidays are over. October is the wettest month on record here, with around 117mm across ten rainy days, so treat it as a gamble. Winter highs sit at 16°C to 17°C: pleasant for walking around Mijas or the castles, but not the season for long pool days.

Most British travellers book all inclusive holidays in Benalmádena on the Costa del Sol as a package, meaning flight, hotel and airport transfer in one booking. Málaga is the airport to aim for: about 8 minutes to Arroyo de la Miel, 10 to Benalmádena and 13 to Mijas. Gibraltar also has direct UK flights, but it is around 75 minutes' drive, so it only makes sense if the flight times suit you much better.

Families should expect prices to rise during UK school holidays, especially in July and August, so booking early or travelling in May, June or September can help. Check the board basis carefully, since half board and all inclusive are sometimes listed side by side for the same hotel. You can compare live all-inclusive deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach on this page, alongside hotel prices, tours and tickets, and car hire if you plan to explore beyond the resort.