It’s one of the Costa Blanca most famous attractions and it’s been a success for decades.  Molly Warwick visited with some friends recently to find out why The Benidorm Palace continues to pull in the crowds year after year...

‘There’s no business like show business’…as the song goes - and no one knows show business on the Costa Blanca better than Vicente Climent Llorca, the president and founding manager of the Benidorm Palace.
Using the best professionals in the business, the Benidorm Palace continues to produce show after show of stunning quality at an unbeatable price to the audience with productions that rank amongst the best not only in Spain but the whole of Europe. And this year’s summer show Bravo! is no exception.
With its usual stunning combination of gorgeous costumes, fabulous sound and lighting and the most talented dancers and entertainers plus an incredible dinner with wine and champagne, this has to be the ideal way to spend an evening.
When we visited last Saturday the place was buzzing as usual but the carefully arranged seating arrangements mean you can enjoy your meal and the show without feeling hemmed in.
There are two types of tickets for the Palace – a dinner and show pass (39 euros) and an entrance price that lets you enjoy the spectacular and a drink (24 euros). Both these are incredible value for money. 
We had decided to enjoy the full dinner and show and took our seats near the front as the band was playing a selection of songs.
Warm bread rolls were delivered and we were asked for our choice of wine just as our soup arrived. To follow this there was a generous portion of smoked salmon with salad and delicious prawns. The main course of fillet steak with potatoes and vegetables is superb – a large piece of beautifully cooked tender steak was a real hit with our party. 
Whilst your dinner is being served you are never short of a drink with the incredibly hard-working and attentive staff constantly bringing new bottles of wine to the table. A delicious lemony, caramel ice-cream concoction rounded off the meal with two half bottles of champagne. 
The standard of catering at The Benidorm Palace is really high and it is probably because of this that they have stood the test of time. Consistency and attention to detail are what makes a good meal and if you can achieve this night after night when you are serving several hundred people you are on to a winner.
As we relaxed the show got underway and this year’s summer spectacular is absolutely stunning with costumes and rhythms that mesmerise you with their complexity and audacity.
Starting off gently with some flamenco ballet and working up to some of the most wonderful costumes and routines you will see anywhere, this show beats most West End productions.
As well as the dancing there are acrobats, a stunning trapeze act and a comedian that had the house down.  My own particular favourite was the Celtic dancing that gave River Dance a serious run for its money, whilst the Russian dancing was also a big hit with our tables. At the end of the show the audience are on their feet as balloons fall from the roof to celebrate the sensational finale.
The public relations manager Fernando Fuertes told us that people come from all over the world to see the show and revisit countless times and it is easy to see why.
With a professionalism that is amazing Vicente Climent, Cristina and their team deserve every continued success for a formula that works and an evening that you will never forget.