I am recommending a way to find Budget Accommodation in Spain.

The economy in Spain has been hit very hard and now one in six Spanish are unemployed. The result of this is that many Spanish have had to move back in with their parents in order to save costs.

This means that this summer there are a lot more properties available on the rental market.

How does this benefit you? Property owners need to rent their properties out in order to pay their mortgage. Consequently now is a great time to book a self-catering apartment or villa in Alicante or on the Costa Blanca.

Villa and apartment owners advertise their weekly rate, but they would rather take a reduced rate than not fill their apartment or villa at all.

So if you know where you would like to stay in Alicante or on the Costa Blanca then I recommend contacting the property owners directly and negotiating with them.

There are several ways to contact the owners directly. A number of owners now advertise on www.ebay.co.uk. Another website is www.ownersdirect.co.uk which lists a huge number of properties for rent in Spain and allows you to contact the apartment or villa owner directly so that you can negotiate with them.

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This is not the sort of place you will come upon by accident - unless you get lost. Run by German born Arnold and his English wife Helen, this is a tiny, relatively new winery in the Xalon Valley in the Alicante region of Spain.

Although grapes have been grown in the region since Roman times, the Bodega del Garroferal was only set up in 2002 when the pair relocated to Spain from South Africa. They offer a small range of delicious wines - three reds, three whites and one rose. Try Rhapsody, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend mix with depth and complexity. The grapes are grown just across the road from the bodega and, after handpicking, are fermented in open topped tanks.

Helen offers a sumptuous range of tapas to complement an arranged wine tasting and then you can play with the family cats and chickens.

www.peterarnoldwines.com/

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La Sella is a really upmarket golf resort on the Costa Blanca. It's at a small place called Jesus Pobre, which is about half-way between Valencia and Alicante. If you're looking for a really luxurious resort that genuinely specialises in golf, then you wouldn't go far wrong with this place.

It's not cheap and it's full of Brits, but the standard of service you receive is second to none. It's got a five-star hotel, holiday apartments, lots of restaurants, and a course that was apparently designed by Olazabal.

c/Alqueria de Ferrando,
03749 Jesus Pobre,
Espana
+34 96 645 4054
www.lasellaresort.co.uk

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My family and I spent a fabulous two weeks in Villa Martin on holiday. We used a company called:
www.costa-blancarentals.com

They were very helpful and guided us to a perfect villa in the area to stay in.

Costa Blanca Rentals www.costa-blancarentals.com

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This is a really well-equipped and comfortable little house to rent on the top of this lovely little mountain village, 18 km from the sea and perched between two peaks.

Although it´s only an hour from Alicante airport, there are no tourist hordes, no souvenirs, no Tetley´s bars, just the friendly locals, good rural food in uncompromising Spanish bars and miles of high level (3-4000 ft) paths, tracks, biking, walking etc.

The views can be breathtaking. Go up behind the village on a three-hour walk along the Sella ridge and look across the mountains as far as the Mar menor and inland to Alcoi.

If CasaRoc is full, try Villapico over the road. Both places also do B&B. Owners, Steve and Liz, will do airport pick up and have other places in the village.

www.casaroc.com
0034965879281
0034696100819
02071932949
Villajoiosa is 18 km away with train link to Alicante.

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Inland from the dreadful Costa Blanca, the Alicante countryside turns mountainous and is the most wonderful place for hillwalking.

I'm used to Yorkshire and the Dales - well, this is limestone too but rugged and forested with the advantage of excellent trails and routes for walking or biking.

Sometimes there are even waymarks. But wandering shepherds with herds blessed with goatbells! Of the many little villages I pick out Sella because it's just 12k from the A7 motorway (exit 66) has several bar restaurants (lively! No tourist stuff, little English) and there are even a couple of excellent B&Bs, one of which does self-catering stays too. In winter you´ll bump into rock climbers here but spring and autumn are the best times.

Sella, Alicante www.casaroc.com www.villapico.com www.sella-alicante.com

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