Layover hotels in Alicante airport – costs, cheaper alternatives, and what to do at the airport

Gert Svaiko

If your flight plans involve a long layover at Alicante airport, you might need somewhere to get some sleep.

Read on for our essential guide to layover hotels in Alicante airport. This includes hotels closest to the airport, plus a few options for accommodation in Alicante itself. So if you have some time to spend in this pretty Spanish port city, you’ll have somewhere central to stay overnight.

If you plan on spending some money at the airport, in Alicante, or during your travels outside the UK in general, check out the Wise debit card. Wise’s customers enjoy spending British pounds abroad at a fair mid-market exchange rate and transparent fees. Skip the line at the airport’s currency exchange desk and save money on exchange rates with Wise.

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Hotels in Alicante airport

Unlike some other international airports, Alicante airport doesn’t have its own hotel.

But while there isn’t a hotel on the airport grounds, there are a couple of good options a couple of kilometres away in Torrellano. Let’s take a look:

HotelPriceCapacityFacilities
Hotel Areca Alicante-Elche£86 a night¹72²
  • Restaurant
  • Spa, gym and swimming pool
  • Meeting rooms
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Sun deck, terrace and gardens
  • Airport shuttle service
Hostal La Posada£58 a night³20³
  • Bar/restaurant
  • 24hr reception
  • Free WiFi

Cheap hotels near Alicante airport

Head a little further away (but still just a short drive) and you’ll find a couple of affordable options for an overnight stay near the airport.

These are Hostal Meseguer and Hostal Pensimar, located on the same street in El Altet close to the beach.

A taxi there from the airport should cost around €15/£12.64* each way⁴. Alternatively, you can get the L1 bus. The bus journey takes just a couple of minutes and costs around €1.45/£1.22* each way⁵.

*1 EUR = 0.8429 GBP (16-08-2022)

Hostal Meseguer

A great value lodging house in the village of El Altet, Hostal Meseguer has a 24-hour reception. It also offers a handy 24-hour snack service if you’re feeling peckish. The hotel has air conditioning, free Wi-Fi in all areas and some rooms even have a balcony.

A twin room with flat screen TV and inner courtyard view at the Hostal Meseguer starts from £46 a night⁶.

Hostal Pensimar

Just down the street from the Hostal Meseguer, the Hostal Pensimar offers simple accommodation in the village of El Altet. The lodging house has a breakfast room and bar, along with a 24-hour reception.

In the room, you’ll get a work desk, flat screen TV, air conditioning and free Wi-Fi. A deluxe twin room with inner courtyard view at the Hostal Pensimar starts from £61 a night⁷.

Cheap accommodation options in Alicante

Rather than having just a flying visit, you may want to build a night or two in Alicante into your trip’s itinerary.

Here are a few options for cheap hostels and Airbnb accommodation in Alicante city centre.

Motels and hostels in Alicante

  • The Market Hostel Alicante - located in the neighbourhood of San Anton, the hostel is right next to the Central Market of Alicante and not far from the old town. It has accommodation in mixed dorms, with air conditioning, bed linen, lockers and Wi-Fi. There’s also a shared common area and kitchen. A bed in a Standard 10 Bed Mixed Dorm costs just over £20 a night, and a private twin room with a bathroom around £50 a night⁸.

  • Urban Rooms Alicante - the hostel is close to the beach, as well as the central market where you can get some of the best tapas in the city. It has fast Wi-Fi, air conditioning and a dining area. Urban Rooms Alicante has private and family rooms with shared bathrooms starting from around £63 a night⁹.

Airbnb options around Alicante

To experience Alicante like a local, Airbnb has some nice options available on their platform. Since the options on the site are constantly changing, the described accommodations might not be available during your stay. But, you can still get the gist of the price and quality relationship.

  • City centre loft - a 1 bedroom loft flat** **located right in the heart of the city, close to the Central Market. It has a kitchen, laundry facilities, TV, Wi-Fi and balcony, all decorated in charming Spanish style. Stays start from £114 a night¹⁰.

  • Penthouse with private terrace - a 2-bedroom penthouse apartment close to the Barri Vell - Santa Creu area. It has a kitchen, dining area, air conditioning and a huge terrace with views of the Santa Bárbara Castle. Stays start from £130 a night including service and cleaning fees¹¹.

Staying at Alicante airport

If you’ve decided to stay within the airport, here’s some essential information you need to know. This includes airport facilities, sleeping options and airport contact details too.

For shopping and spending British pounds at the airport, get a Wise debit card and save money on currency exchange rates. Wise lets you spend your hard-earned money abroad with a mid-market exchange rate and transparent fees. You can simply tap your card at the shops and restaurants, and Wise automatically converts your GBP to EUR at the fairest exchange rate.

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What can I do in the airport during my layover?

  • Duty free. You’ll have a choice of three Alicante Airport duty-free shops. The main area is on the second floor of the departures area (after security), but there’s also an express duty-free closer to the departure gates. An additional duty-free shop is in arrivals, on Level 0 after baggage reclaim¹².

  • Shops. Alongside duty-free outlets, the** **Alicante Airport shops list also includes Sunglass Hut, WH Smith, InMotion (electronics), Victoria’s Secret, The Fashion Place and a choice of pharmacies and tobacconists.¹³

  • Lounges/VIP areas. The Alicante Airport lounge is called Costa Blanca. It’s a VIP lounge in the boarding area, between gates C45 and C46. It has runway views, catering, complimentary drinks, Wi-Fi, computer access and a children’s play area. Entry costs €35.95 (around £30) per adult¹⁴.

  • Restaurants/cafés. The wide range of Alicante Airport restaurants and cafés includes Lavazza, Tim Hortons, Burger King, EAT, Subway, Starbucks, La Tagliatella, Exki and the Food Market (featuring several food stalls).¹⁵

  • Bars/Pubs. If you want to grab a drink before your next flight, settle down in the Budweiser or Orenes sports bar, both on Level 2 of the airport.¹⁵

Can I leave Alicante airport during a layover?

UK citizens don’t need a visa for travel to Spain for stays of up to 90 days¹⁶, so you should be fine to leave the airport during a longer layover.

However, make sure you check the requirements for entering Spain before you leave the international zone of the airport.

As well as having a valid passport, you may need to meet certain Covid-19 regulations and other requirements¹⁶. You can find out more on the UK Government Foreign Travel Advice website.

Can I stay at Alicante airport overnight?

You can stay at Alicante airport overnight. However, you may not find it the most comfortable experience unless you book a pass for a VIP lounge. Even then, the maximum stay is 4 hours¹⁴ , so you may need to find a hotel for an overnight stay.

Can I shower in Alicante airport?

Unfortunately, Alicante airport doesn’t have any shower facilities for passengers.

Does Alicante airport have sleeping pods, and how much do they cost?

There aren’t any sleeping pods or dedicated sleeping zones within Alicante airport. There is a rest zone within the Costa Blanca VIP Lounge, but you’ll need to buy a pass and even then the maximum stay is just 4 hours¹⁴ .

Contact options and a phone number for Alicante airport

Need to get in touch with the airport? Here’s the Alicante Airport contact number and other key details¹⁷:


After reading this guide, you should have all the information you need to plan your layover at Alicante airport. You can stay overnight in nearby hotels or take a trip to the city centre itself and stay at some cheaper hotels. You can also choose to stay at the airport to shop and have a meal while you wait for your next flight. Have a great trip!


Sources used:

  1. Hotel Areca booking page
  2. Kayak - Hotel Areca
  3. Hotels.com - Hostal La Posada
  4. Alicante Airport website - nearby hotel information
  5. Vectalia - bus ticket prices
  6. Booking.com - Hostal Meseguer
  7. Booking.com - Hostal Pensimar
  8. Hostelworld - The Market Hostel Alicante
  9. Hostelworld - Urban Rooms Alicante
  10. Airbnb - City Centre Loft
  11. Airbnb - Penthouse with Private Terrace
  12. Alicante Airport - Duty Free
  13. Alicante Airport - Shops
  14. Alicante Airport VIP Lounge
  15. Alicante Airport - Restaurants
  16. UK Government - Foreign Travel Advice for Spain
  17. Alicante Airport - contact information

Sources last checked on date: 16-08-2022


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This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.

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