We booked the El Trebol through Traverepublic on the morning of our departure as a very last minute booking for a short winter break. I was familiar with the location - opposite Hotel Presidente, and the reviews seemed to back up the price paid - £70 for four nights in a one bedroomed apartment. Bargain at £35 each! That is less than £10 each per day. With that in mind you really can't expect anything more than basic accommodation. We arrived by taxi late in the evening and were greeted by a very pleasant Spanish guy, manning the reception. He spoke good English, he was polite, funny and most importantly, expecting us. This was a relief given the lateness of our booking. We were given our key to an apartment on the seventh floor and pointed in the direction of the lifts. We had read our reservation advisory notes and were aware of a €150 deposit being required. We were not asked for this, perhaps they check you out before deciding whether you may trash the place or maybe they just apply the deposit in the busier summer months. The lifts can only fit three people, or two with small suitcases, there are two lifts and although they were creaky and old they did work and were fast when summoned. The electric was not working but this was quickly remedied by flicking the switch on the fuse box in the hall. Possibly a cost saving measure of the hotel when not full. We had a good sized lounge diner with three seater sofa which is used as the third and fourth bed when required. We had a table and four chairs, TV with ITV1 shown during the day until about 9pm followed by True Movies until about 6am. The kitchen like the apartment generally showed its age, but was fully functional and clean, basically fit for purpose. We had a four ring gas hob and full electric oven. Plentiful pots, pans, crockery and cutlery. You really could prepare a proper meal if you wished. There was a small wash-room off the kitchen with sink and clothes airer as well as the hot water tank. The sliding Patio doors lead onto a sizeable balcony with plastic table and chairs. There are four apartments to each floor, lettered A,B,C and D. I would say that the A lettered apartments get the most of the sun due to their situation in the block and not in the shadow the block casts on itself. We had the sun from about noon until 3pm. No sea view. The bedroom was a fair size, two beds, a chair and bedside table. Built in wardrobe with 15 hangers and two pillows and blankets for each bed. The linen and towels were of good quality and embroided with the hotel logo. Bathroom in our apartment had bath with shower over, plentiful hot water, a toilet, bidet and sink with mirror and shelf. One hand and one bath towel provided. These were not changed during our four nights. A drawback of our bathroom was the location of the window, centered at the broad-side of the bath, on the opposite side of which was the landing and lifts, so when showering you can be seen from outside even though the glass is frosted. The bonus of the El Trebol was underfloor heating in the lounge and bedroom. When you go out keep the door's closed and when you return you really do feel the benefit in the room and not just underfoot. There is a pool onsite with a small terrace but not used due to the cold weather. The main lounge of the hotel had TV and two internet kiosks where €1 got you twenty minutes. I would not bother with them. I lost €3 as they crashed or froze. Parking is not a problem at these apartments if you hire a car, they have a secure car park available at the side. Or on the street at this time of year is not a problem.

Benidorm at this time of year is quiet. A lot of the bars were not open, with signs explaining they were on holiday and back either February or March. Loch Ness was open next door and the Outback bar opposite but the main show bar's were Stardust or Morgans. There were few people on the streets at night, I read locally while there about the epidemic in street crime, and dubious people can be seen out and about, so do take care. I've been to Benidorm many times and have never seen it so quiet. There certainly is something about safety in numbers and you did feel a bit vulnerable. However don't be put off by this. Benidorm can only continue and thrive with tourists. I would stay at the El Trebol again, but perhaps in the summer months. I felt that being in apartments at this time of year you were cut off. A hotel would have been much better but for the budget it was a good choice nontheless. In the summer this apartment block would be ideal for a lively holiday due to the central location (bars on doorstep and beach just five minutes away). It will be much noisier then however. We had no problem with noise during this winter stay. Beds comfortable, Reception secure with CCTV and 24hr help if required (it is becoming increasingly common to find apartment blocks with no reception facilities at all in Benidorm). I would definitely recommend the El Trebol. If you expect basic, expect dated but clean, expect a good location, then you can expect to be not disappointed.

Basic but clean apartments, central location in new part of Benidorm.
24hr reception was nice as not many apts have this.

Me and my partner went to benidorm at the end of October 2011 I booked this for his birthday & it wasn't dirt cheap so I couldn't even say I got what I paid for we literally walked down the pathway were it was dark & gloomy & I wanted to cry got into the reception which consisted of a very rude man beside a wooden desk with a huge dirty red boiler on the left hand side with spiders & everything running round it, he then demanded 80 euros of us & acted like he was doing us a favour by lowering the price got to the room were there was no proper lock, blood up the curtains pubes in the coners a horrible smell all over & when my partner set down on the sofa dust came of it, the rooms are also nowhere near the size they look in the pictures & they are so dark gloomy and unsafe I literally cried bare in mind were 21 & not overly fussy, my partner who would sleep wherever he landed normally also refused to sleep here we went across to hotel presidente facing el Trebol were the staff were so helpful in giving us a decent price for a new room & made us half board! When checking out of eltrebol the man was so rude and refusing to give us our passports without an explanation as of why we did not want to stay.. If u have this booked cancel trust me I Duno how any1 has wrote a good or even decent review on the place I've never wrote a review before but had to warm holiday makers before they booked.

The location is great, if you don't like noise at night, don't stay here! 24Hr very obliging reception. Large rooms, very clean with underfloor heating to lounge and bedroom. 24Hr hot water as each apartment has own boiler and tank. All south facing balconies. All facilities needed including large outside pantry. Towels changed. Yes - fittings and fixtures are dated, but serviceable. Will stay here again and recommend to family and friends. At £60 per week it takes some beating when all considered.