All Inclusive Costa Blanca: Resorts, Weather and Booking Tips

In general terms, all inclusive means your meals, local drinks and snacks during the day are included in what you pay before you travel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are typically served buffet-style in the hotel, with soft drinks, beer, wine and local spirits poured at the bars, and snacks in between. Premium branded drinks, some à la carte restaurants and extras such as spa treatments are often charged separately, so it is worth reading the board description on each deal before you book.

On the Costa Blanca this set-up works well because so much of what families want sits within easy reach of the coast. You can eat and drink at the hotel, then spend a day at Mundomar or Aqualandia in Benidorm, or climb to Santa Bárbara Castle above Alicante, without worrying about the cost of every meal out.

Benidorm is where most people start looking for all inclusive resorts on the Costa Blanca, and with good reason. It is the coast's most searched resort by a wide margin, it has two long beaches in Platja de Llevant and Platja de Ponent, and it is home to Terra Mítica theme park, Aqualandia water park and the Mundomar marine park. That concentration of big attractions is what makes it the natural home of larger, resort-style hotels aimed at families and groups.

Torrevieja, in the south, is a sizeable town of around 82,600 people and the closest resort to Murcia airport at 38 minutes, or 31 minutes from Alicante. Calpe, beneath the rock of the Penyal d'Ifac Natural Park and with Platja de la Fustera on its doorstep, is a good middle ground. Alicante itself suits those who want a city break feel, with its castle, the Co-Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari and the Archaeological Museum, while Santa Pola and El Campello are both under 20 minutes from Alicante airport.

Further north, Altea, Dénia, Jávea and Moraira are smaller places; Moraira has fewer than 2,000 residents. Dénia's castle and El Montgó Natural Park appeal more to walkers than to pool-and-buffet holidaymakers, so expect a quieter choice of all inclusive hotels on this stretch of the Costa Blanca, Spain.

The main season runs from May to November. July is the hottest and driest month in Benidorm, with highs of 31°C and only around 5 mm of rain, and August is barely cooler at 30°C. June and September both reach about 26°C, which many families find more comfortable for days by the pool.

September and May are the wettest months of the season, with around seven rainy days each, so a stray shower is possible. October still averages 25°C and November 21°C, making autumn a sound choice for couples. From December to April highs sit between 16°C and 20°C: fine for walking and sightseeing, less so for sunbathing.

Most Costa Blanca all inclusive holidays are sold as packages that bundle the flight, hotel and airport transfer. Alicante airport is the busier option, with direct flights from the UK and short transfers: 9 minutes to Alicante or Santa Pola, 19 minutes to El Campello and 31 minutes to Torrevieja. Murcia airport also has direct UK flights and is 38 minutes from Torrevieja, but 73 minutes from Alicante, so check which airport your package uses if you are staying further north.

Compare board basis carefully: half board or bed and breakfast can make sense in Alicante or Altea, where eating out is part of the appeal, while all inclusive pays off for families planning long pool days. School holiday weeks are always in higher demand, so travelling in June or early September can be kinder on the budget. You can compare live all-inclusive deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach on this page, as well as hotel prices, car hire and tours and tickets.