We booked last minute and it was our first experience of self catering.
The apartment was lovely. Very light, spacious and well equiped for a weeks holiday. However, it was so far from any amenities that you definitely needed a car to get anywhere.
We even had to use the car to get to the swimming pool as it was just that bit TOO far to walk (as well as being very hilly).
We went to the swimming pool around 9.30 each day and had it to ourselves until 11.30. It was never crowded. The strange thing was though, that there were no chairs, loungers, parasols-nothing. Which was another reason we were glad that we'd hired a car, as we took 2 chairs from the apartment each day.
The complex was residential, mostly owned (we were told) by English people who just went over to Spain when they could make it. Subsequently, it was virtually empty everywhere, so much so, that I drove a left hand drive car for the first time abroad!
It did make a difference, we felt quite isolated and cut off. We had intended to visit restaurants each evening for dinner but because of the distance (approx 2-3miles) we only did this twice during the week.
We drove to La Zenia beach and that was lovely although quite crowded. Drove right along the coast road looking at the sights.
They are building hundreds more apartments in this area. But I found it rather sad, that of the ones already bought, there were so many closed up until owners visited.
I guess I would try self catering again, but I would choose the complex and area more carefully next time.
I would just like to say a little about car hire. When we arrived at Alicante airport there were approximately 8 car hire firms that had desks there. All were empty except one. This one had a queue snaking around this area, and, you guessed it, this is who the travel company had booked us with! It took us nearly TWO HOURS to be served! I don't know if this company was any cheaper than the rest, but I would gladly have paid the extra and not had to queue for this long. The company had a number of names--Record, Holiday Autos, Club Record, Primercars. There were also German and Dutch people in the queue. A popular company! Hertz, Avis, Sixt, Europcar,Centaro and Aurigacrown were the nigh on empty desks. Hope this will be of some help to someone at sometime.