The dirt cheap hotels in 7 top holiday destinations that guests actually RAVE about with rooftop pools & private beach

LET’S be honest: booking a cheap hotel is easy. But booking a cheap hotel that previous guests actually rate is where things can get really tricky, because the lowest price very rarely equals the best value. Holiday expert Rob Brooks has identified seven European resorts where hotels are not only cheap, but rank very highly in guest reviews Credit: Rob Brooks The Princesa Guayadeque in Puerto del Carmen feels like a glamorous boutique hotel Credit: onthebeach.co.uk A bargain hotel becomes considerably less impressive the second you see reviews mentioning cold chips, paper-thin walls, and a swimming pool that was clearly photographed with a deceptive wide-angle lens. To find the ultimate value holiday location, I’ve crunched the numbers on hotel prices across Europe’s favourite package destinations and cross-referenced them with each hotels’ average TripAdvisor ratings. One caveat though: while the deals in this article are all brilliantly cheap, this isn’t just a list of rock-bottom prices. That’s of no use to you at all. I’ve also factored in the volume of positive hotel reviews, the choice of properties, and what you actually get for your cash on arrival too. I’ve ranked my final seven picks by their average score, counting down to the destination that statistically had the absolute happiest guests for the absolute best value. 7. Costa del Sol, Spain (Average Rating: 3.82/5) TripAdvisor reviewers have given the Helios Costa Tropical a 4.8/5 rating Credit: Tripadvisor The Costa del Sol has been dominating the package market for decades, and that breadth of experience really shows in the data. Because there’s massive competition between hotels to fill beds every year, prices stay ruthlessly competitive… which is great news for you. While its hotel’s 3.82 average score sits at the bottom of our final seven, it makes the cut because it’s a destination that is incredibly easy to get right, with massive flight capacity from across the UK keeping travel costs low. For example, I spotted a five-night, room-only stay at the Helios Costa Tropical in Almunecar, flying from Bournemouth in September, from just £270pp. This three-star property is completely outperforming the regional average with a staggering 4.8/5 TripAdvisor rating. And the hotel sits right on the San Cristobal promenade, meaning you can walk straight out of breakfast and onto the sand without paying the inflated room premiums usually charged by the big chain resorts in neighbouring Nerja. Book a holiday: Costa del Sol, Spain If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue Book a a five-night, room-only stay at the Helios Costa Tropical in Almunecar from September 27, flying from Bournemouth, from £270pp. BOOK HERE 6. Fuerteventura, Canary Islands (Average Rating: 3.85/5) Stay in Fuerteventura’s Higos Beach hotel for five nights from £385pp – flights included Credit: onthebeach.co.uk Fuerteventura is one of the best holiday spots for making a modest holiday budget feel significantly larger. Resorts here specialise in huge pool complexes and massive, wide beaches that never feel crowded, even during peak school holidays. Caleta de Fuste is a top-tier shout for families due to the sheltered bays, while Costa Calma is built for world-class lounging. You can lock in a five-night self-catering stay at the three-star R2 Higos Beach in Costa Calma, flying from London Gatwick in early September from £385pp. This hotel even pulls in a brilliant 4.6/5 guest rating because it sidesteps the sterile, high-rise block feel of the island’s mega resorts. The apartments also come with fully equipped, modern kitchens, with the hotel situated right next to a local market, meaning you can prep cheap breakfasts on your private terrace and keep your daily spending money completely intact. Thrifty. Book a holiday: Fuerteventura If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue Book a five-night self-catering stay at R2 Higos Beach from September 3, flying from London Gatwick, from £385pp. BOOK HERE 5. The Algarve, Portugal (Average Rating: 3.88/5) The Aura Village Apartments in Albufeira are rated a very respectable 4.7/5 on TripAdvisor Credit: onthebeach.co.uk The Algarve tracks at a solid 3.88 average hotel score, but it’s the value in Portugal mixed with the unbelievable scenery you get for your money that earns it a spot on the board. The dramatic golden cliffs and hidden coves make even a basic walk to the local bar look cinematic. Albufeira provides the largest pool of cheap apartments, while Alvor and Carvoeiro handle the quieter family pace. I dug out five nights at the Aura Village Apartments in Albufeira from just £260pp, with direct flights from London Stansted in late September. It’s a self-catering setup at this hotel, which makes its stellar 4.7/5 review score all the more impressive. This hotel is near-perfect for a Portuguese holiday as it offers guests a quiet, central apartment that can be used as a launchpad for the rest of the resort. Which means you can camp here all day, then head out in the evenings, walk a couple of streets back from the main strip and find independent tavernas hidden in the back alleys that will serve you authentic Piri-Piri chicken for half the price of the tourist traps on the front. Book a holiday: The Algarve If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue Book a five-night self-catering stay at the Aura Village Apartments from September 27, with direct flights from London Stansted, for £260pp BOOK HERE 4. Lanzarote, Canary Islands (Average Rating: 4.00/5) Although the Princesa Guayadeque is a 2-star hotel, guests rave about the pristine property and its luxurious feel Credit: onthebeach.co.uk Lanzarote is the only Canary Island on our radar where hotel reviews hit a flawless 4.0 average. Because development on the island was historically controlled by strict low-rise building laws, you get whitewashed, low-density resorts instead of towering concrete blocks. Puerto del Carmen is the great all-rounder for value, while Costa Teguise routinely drops some of our heaviest package discounts. One of the best-reviewed hotel loopholes I found was the Princesa Guayadeque in Puerto del Carmen, with five nights self-catering and flights from Bristol right at the end of September from £320pp. It’s a two-star hotel, but don’t let that fool you. This spot pulls an exceptional 4.7/5 score from guests who rave about its pristine cleanliness. And because of the hotel’s high-up position, it sits just a short, flat walk away from the main strip, giving you completely peaceful nights away from the bar noise without forcing you to budget for local taxis. Book a holiday: Lanzarote If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue Book a five-night, self-catering stay at the Princesa Guayadeque in Puerto del Carmen from September 23, with return flights from Bristol, from £320pp. BOOK HERE 3. Costa Blanca, Spain (Average Rating: 4.07/5) Rob recommends visiting Spain’s Costa Blanca for hotels that are both cheap and highly-rated Credit: Getty The Costa Blanca might be the most complete package bargain in Europe. The sheer volume of hotels in hubs like Benidorm keeps prices brilliant year-round, and despite that, Costa Blanca hotels still pull in an immensely impressive 4.07/5 average rating. If the main neon strip feels a bit too lively, nearby Albir offers a completely relaxed alternative under the shadow of the Sierra Helada cliffs. A standout value option here is the three-star MC Amalia Apartments in Benidorm, where five nights self-catering costs just £255pp, with flights from London Gatwick in late September into early October. The hotel has a strong 4.5/5 rating, not least because of its brilliant positioning near Levante beach. It also sits right on the edge of the historic Old Town, meaning you can skip the commercial tourist restaurants and eat like a local at the traditional, wood-fired tapas bars hidden down the famous “Tapas Alley” for a fraction of the cost. Book a holiday: Costa Blanca If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue Book a five-night, self-catering stay at the MC Amalia Apartments from September 30, with return flights from London Gatwick, for £255pp. BOOK HERE 2. Malta (Average Rating: 4.14/5) Qawra in Malta is a wallet-friendly destination with three-star hotels that feel more like five-star Credit: Getty Malta delivers an incredible mix of excellent accommodation, historical city walls, and a massive 4.14 average review rating for hotels. Despite the numbers, it still gets routinely overlooked by Brits who automatically type Spain or Greece into Google, meaning there is excellent value hiding in plain sight. And if you do fancy it, I’d look around Qawra and Bugibba for the steepest discounts. For a central base however, St Julian’s Scirocco, Affiliated by Melia is sitting at £340pp for five nights room-only, flying from London Stansted on September 25. And the best bit: this three-star hotel cleans up with a 4.6/5 score. This hotel even boasts a rooftop pool deck, giving you panoramic views over the local Mediterranean bays while you lounge, letting you enjoy a premium, high-end city-beach aesthetic without paying the luxury waterfront resort prices down the road. Book a holiday: Malta If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue Book a five-night room-only stay at St Julian’s Scirocco, Affiliated by Melia from September 25, with return flights from London Stansted, from £340pp. BOOK HERE 1. Antalya, Turkey (Average Rating: 4.30/5) Rob recommends a stay at the Grand Uysal Beach & Spa Hotel, which ranks 4.6/5 on TripAdvisor Credit: .onthebeach.co.uk Antalya takes the number one spot on my board by proving that “cheap” and “basic” do not have to live in the same sentence. The resort has earned an exceptional 4.3 average guest rating at hotels – the highest in Europe. And because these massive Turkish resorts are locked in a permanent race to out-spec each other with on-site waterparks, private beaches, and the very-best restaurants, the biggest people who benefit are you and me. This deal highlights the sheer value here perfectly: five nights all inclusive at the 4-star Grand Uysal Beach & Spa Hotel in Alanya is available from just £415pp, flying from Liverpool this September. The hotel also carries a brilliant 4.6/5 on TripAdvisor, making this deal even more of a find. While self-catering elsewhere looks cheaper on paper, going all inclusive in Antalya is the smart holidaymaker’s move because it covers your food, drinks, snacks, and waterpark access in one single bill. The Grand Uysal even has its own private beach that’s accessible via a private underpass, meaning you can step from the pool bar onto the sand in thirty seconds without ever navigating the main coastal road traffic. Easily my pick of the bunch. Book a holiday: Antalya If you click on a link in this box, we will earn affiliate revenue Book a five-night all-inclusive stay at the Grand Uysal Beach & Spa Hotel from September 30, including flights from Liverpool, for £415pp. BOOK HERE Prices correct at the time of publication.