Renovating a bathroom in Benidorm: the city where every square metre counts
Benidorm is unlike any other city in the Valencian Community. Or in Spain, probably. With its skyscrapers facing the Mediterranean — including the Intempo, which at 47 floors was for years the tallest residential building in the EU —, its more than 70,000 permanent residents and a floating population that can triple that figure in summer, it is a city designed around tourism and life by the sea.
And that shows in its bathrooms. Benidorm has thousands of apartments built between the 1960s and 80s, the golden era of Spain’s tourism boom, with 2-3 m2 bathrooms designed for short summer stays. Many of those apartments have not had a serious renovation in decades. If you own one — whether to live in, to rent seasonally or to run as a holiday let — this guide gives you the real information you need.
Check our Benidorm bathroom renovation page for designs specific to coastal apartments and to request a quote.
Two markets, two ways to renovate
Benidorm has two types of owners with completely different needs. Understanding which group you belong to is the first step to getting your renovation right.
The permanent resident
If you live in Benidorm year-round, your bathroom is the one you use every morning. You want comfort, durability and a design you enjoy seeing. You are willing to invest more because it is your home, and you need materials that withstand coastal humidity 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Your priorities: tap quality, good finishes, efficient ventilation, sufficient storage, thoughtful lighting.
The investor / holiday rental owner
If your Benidorm apartment is an investment — whether holiday rental, long-term rental or personal use for a few weeks a year — your calculation is different. You need a bathroom that photographs well on Booking or Airbnb, that resists intensive use by rotating guests and that cleans easily. The budget needs to make sense against your expected return.
Your priorities: modern appearance in photos, materials resistant to intensive use, easy cleaning, minimal maintenance. If this is your case, you will be especially interested in our article on bathroom renovation for Airbnb and its impact on nightly rate and our guide on bathroom renovation for rental: ROI analysis.
Benidorm’s housing stock: an overview
Playa de Levante
Playa de Levante is Benidorm’s most iconic area. Residential towers from the 1960s-80s line the beachfront, with 30-60 m2 apartments designed as holiday accommodation. The bathrooms are a perfect reflection of the era:
- Size: 2-3 m2, sometimes even less
- Short bathtub (1.40 m) squeezed in
- Small tiles in colours now faded
- Corroded taps from decades of salt exposure
- Poor ventilation: many have no window and the building’s ventilation shaft does not draw properly
Buildings on Playa de Levante face an additional challenge: owners’ communities are fragmented (Spanish, British, Nordic owners, some investment funds) and coordinating works or requesting permits for communal waste stacks can be a slow process.
Playa de Poniente
Playa de Poniente had its expansion somewhat later, in the 1980s-90s, and has a mix of towers and lower-rise blocks. Apartments are generally slightly larger than Levante’s and of better build quality:
- Bathrooms of 3-4 m2 on average
- Better ventilation in many cases
- Somewhat more modern plumbing (less lead, more galvanised and copper)
- More permanent residents than Levante, which simplifies community management
Rincon de Loix
Rincon de Loix is Benidorm’s main residential area, set back from the beachfront but just minutes’ walk away. Here you will find everything from apartment towers to family housing blocks. Purchase prices are more accessible than the front line and bathrooms tend to be somewhat more generous:
- Bathrooms of 3.5-5 m2 in many properties
- Less direct salt exposure (though ambient humidity remains high)
- Construction from the 1980s-2000s with installations in better condition
- Good option for mid-range renovations on a moderate budget
Old Town
Benidorm’s old town, between the two beaches, is a small area with its own character. Narrow streets, low whitewashed houses, traditional tapas bars mixed with fish and chip shops. Properties in the old town are:
- Town houses of 2-3 floors with bathrooms added later
- Very small bathrooms (1.5-2.5 m2) with impossible layouts
- Difficult access for materials and waste
- Aesthetic charm that many owners want to preserve when renovating
Bathroom renovation prices in Benidorm
| Area | Small bathroom (2-3 m2) | Medium bathroom (3-5 m2) | Large bathroom (5+ m2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playa de Levante | 3,800 - 5,500 euros | 5,500 - 8,000 euros | 8,000 - 12,000 euros |
| Playa de Poniente | 3,500 - 5,000 euros | 5,000 - 7,500 euros | 7,500 - 10,500 euros |
| Rincon de Loix | 3,200 - 4,500 euros | 4,500 - 7,000 euros | 7,000 - 9,500 euros |
| Old Town | 4,000 - 5,800 euros | 5,800 - 8,500 euros | — |
Prices include coastal-environment-resistant materials, labour, waste management, cleaning and VAT. Large bathrooms are uncommon in Benidorm, especially on the front line.
Why is Playa de Levante more expensive?
Three factors combine: the buildings are older (more surprises), the lifts are small (materials often need to be carried up stairs) and vehicle access is complicated during high season. Additionally, salt corrosion is more aggressive on the front line, requiring premium materials that are not optional but essential.
The challenges of renovating in Benidorm
1. Minimal spaces
The number one challenge. Bathrooms of 2-2.5 m2 are the norm in 1960s-70s tourist apartments. In that space you need to fit a shower, toilet, basin and some storage. There is no margin for design errors.
The solution lies in compact elements: wall-hung toilet with concealed cistern (gains 15 cm in depth), narrow vanity unit (35-40 cm instead of the standard 45-50 cm), shower with fixed frameless glass panel (avoids the box feeling) and recessed niches instead of shelves. For ideas applied to these spaces, see our compact wet room designs.
2. Salt corrosion
Benidorm is literally next to the sea. On Playa de Levante, the windows of many apartments face the Mediterranean at less than 100 metres. The salty air corrodes any unprepared metal: chrome taps that pit in 3-4 years, aluminium shower screen profiles that oxidise, door hinges that seize.
Mandatory materials on the first and second line:
- AISI 316 stainless steel or PVD-coated taps
- Stainless steel or anodised aluminium shower screen profiles
- Stainless steel screws and accessories (not zinc-plated)
- Marine-grade sealants and silicones
- Epoxy grout instead of cement-based
3. Logistics in high-rise buildings
Benidorm’s skyscrapers are its hallmark. But renovating a bathroom on the 25th floor is not the same as on the third. The lift may not accommodate a shower tray (it needs to go up the stairs or be dismantled), material and waste transport times multiply and community rules on work hours in residential towers tend to be stricter.
4. International owners’ communities
This is a challenge specific to Benidorm that does not exist in other cities. Many owners’ communities have British, Nordic, Belgian and Dutch members who do not speak Spanish. Minutes are translated, meetings drag on and getting approval for work on waste stacks or communal areas can take months. If your renovation needs to touch any communal element, plan well in advance.
5. Apartments closed for months
A beach apartment used only in summer spends 8-9 months closed, without ventilation and without heating. Humidity builds up, sealants deteriorate and mould takes hold. A well-done renovation must include passive ventilation solutions that work even with the apartment empty.
Renovation for holiday rental: the investment that pays for itself
According to INE tourism data, Benidorm receives more than 4 million tourist overnight stays per year. The holiday rental market is strong, and the price difference per night between an apartment with a renovated bathroom and one with a 1970s bathroom can exceed 15-20 euros per night in high season.
What guests look for in a bathroom
After analysing hundreds of reviews on holiday rental platforms, these are the factors guests mention most:
- Spotless cleanliness: An old bathroom with darkened grout never looks clean, even when it is. A renovated bathroom with light or epoxy grout always looks clean.
- Shower instead of bathtub: Tourists prefer a spacious shower. The bathtub in a holiday apartment is uncomfortable and dangerous.
- Decent water pressure: Many older Benidorm buildings have insufficient pressure on upper floors. A pressure booster pump can solve the problem.
- Modern appearance: It does not have to be luxury, just current. Medium-to-large format white tiles, matte black or clean chrome taps and a mirror with integrated light already make the difference.
Estimated renovation ROI
For a tourist apartment on Playa de Levante:
- Renovation investment: 3,800 - 5,500 euros (2-3 m2 bathroom, mid-range)
- Estimated increase per night: 12-20 euros (depending on season and platform)
- Rental nights per year: 120-180 nights
- Investment recovery: 1.5 - 3 seasons
This is not a theoretical calculation. It is what we see with owners who renovate and update their listing photos. The bathroom is the second photo guests look at (after the view from the terrace), and an old bathroom drives away bookings.
Recommended materials for bathrooms in Benidorm
For the permanent resident
- Low-absorption porcelain (< 0.5%) for floors and walls
- Epoxy grout throughout
- Inox 316 or PVD taps for maximum durability
- Glass shower screen with anti-limescale and anti-salt treatment
- Extractor with humidity sensor (20-min post-shower timer)
- Certified anti-condensation paint for ceiling
For the tourist apartment
- White or light grey porcelain in 30x60 or 60x60 format: clean, modern, photographs well
- Light epoxy grout: does not darken with use or mould
- Durable chrome taps (mid-range minimum): guests do not treat taps gently
- Ultra-flat non-slip shower tray: safety comes first with guests who do not know the bathroom
- Fixed frameless glass screen: quick cleaning between guests, minimalist look
- Mirror with integrated LED: the listing photo will thank you
The renovation process in Benidorm: planning and seasons
Best time to renovate
Benidorm has very marked seasonality that directly affects renovations:
- October-February: Low tourist season. The ideal time to renovate holiday rental apartments. Professionals have more availability and the community tolerates works better.
- March-May: Good timing if the work is quick. Many owners want the bathroom ready for Easter or the start of the season.
- June-September: High season. Renovating in summer in Benidorm is possible but inadvisable: communities restrict hours, professionals are saturated and the heat inside an unventilated bathroom is brutal.
Coordination with the community
Before starting any renovation in a Benidorm building, you need to:
- Notify the property manager at least 15 days in advance
- Check internal rules on work hours, lift use and loading areas
- If it affects waste stacks or communal elements, obtain authorisation from the owners’ meeting (this can take months if the next meeting is not imminent)
Execution timeframe
- Full renovation small bathroom (2-3 m2): 6-8 working days
- Bathtub-to-shower conversion: 3-4 working days
- Full renovation medium bathroom (3-5 m2): 8-10 working days
Frequently asked questions about bathroom renovations in Benidorm
Can I renovate my apartment’s bathroom without being in Benidorm?
Yes. Many of our Benidorm clients live in Madrid, Barcelona, the UK or other countries. We handle everything: key collection, complete renovation management, progress updates with photos and handover with cleaning. It is a very common option and we have the process perfected.
Is stainless steel tap ware much more expensive than chrome?
Yes, it is more expensive. A chrome shower tap set costs 120-250 euros; the same piece in inox 316 costs 250-450 euros. But the chrome lasts 3-5 years on the seafront; the inox, over 15 years. In the long run, inox is cheaper.
Is it worth renovating a 1960s apartment or is it better to sell it?
It depends on your objective. If it is for holiday rental, a bathroom + kitchen renovation (8,000-12,000 euros total) can increase your rental income by 25-40%, paying for itself in 2-3 seasons. If it is for sale, a renovated bathroom can raise the sale price by 10,000-15,000 euros on Playa de Levante. In most cases, renovating makes financial sense.
What do I do about ventilation if the bathroom has no window?
This is the most common situation in Benidorm apartments. The solution is an extractor fan with a duct to the exterior and an automatic humidity sensor. If the apartment is closed for months, also installing a passive ventilation grille in the bathroom door and another in a nearby external wall creates minimal air circulation that prevents mould.
Do you also work in La Vila Joiosa, Altea and Alfaz del Pi?
Yes. We cover the entire Marina Baixa: Benidorm, La Vila Joiosa, Altea, Alfaz del Pi, Polop, La Nucia and Finestrat. Each municipality has its own characteristics, but the experience with coastal environments and tourist buildings is the same.
Your Benidorm apartment deserves a bathroom that works
It does not matter whether you spend all year looking at Playa de Levante from your terrace or only come for three weeks in August. It does not matter whether your apartment is your home or your investment. What does matter is having a 1970s bathroom with rusty taps, chipped tiles and a bathtub nobody wants to get into.
Benidorm is a city that lives on tourism and quality of life by the sea. Your bathroom should reflect that, with materials that resist salt and humidity, a design that makes the most of every last centimetre and workmanship that lasts two decades without needing to be touched.
Calculate your budget in 2 minutes with our configurator, visit our Benidorm renovation page for designs created for coastal apartments, or explore our full design catalogue to find the solution that fits your space. We work with a fixed price, 3-year warranty and the experience of people who know what the Mediterranean demands.
