Hotel Torremar

The Hotel Torremar is the four star option that is not on the promenade. It stands on Calle Saladero Viejo, a couple of streets back, which in this town means three minutes to the water and one minute to the pedestrian centre where people actually eat.

It holds a 4.0 across more than a thousand reviews. I read that pairing the way I read any large house with a long history of guests: plenty of people have stayed, most left satisfied, and the ones who did not tend to write about the room rather than the service. Breakfast is included in the offer, and for a town where kitchens open late that is worth more than it sounds.

Why I would pick this street over the sea front

Being one row back is the trade I would make every time in July and August. You lose the balcony view and you gain a night without the promenade under your window, and the beach is still closer than the car park of most coastal resorts. It also puts you inside the town rather than beside it, which changes what your week looks like.