Alicante Beach Clubs: Where to Book a Sunbed Day

What a Costa Blanca beach club day involves

Think of a beach club as a hybrid of beach and restaurant. You arrive, take a table or a lounger, order drinks and food through the afternoon, and stay until the light goes soft. The pool and sunbed side comes first at some clubs and the kitchen comes first at others, so decide before you book whether you want a full day in swimwear or a long lunch with a swim on the side.

The distinction that matters most around Alicante is between garden and mountain clubs outside the city and harbour-side clubs within it. Garden clubs trade convenience for setting: you drive, you park, and you spend the day in one green, sheltered spot. Harbour clubs trade space for location: you can walk from the city, but the atmosphere is waterfront urban rather than rural retreat.

LuLu Beachclub, Xàbia: a garden terrace under the Montgó

LuLu Beachclub sits north of Alicante in Xàbia, positioned between the Montgó mountain and surrounding lemon groves, with a botanical garden terrace as its centrepiece. It describes itself as an oasis-style venue with views, a cooling rain wall and a dining focus, aimed at friends and families. That garden setting is the reason to choose it over a town-beach club: you are committing to a destination rather than a quick stop.

According to its own site, the club is at Carrer Benitachell, 183, 03739 Xàbia, Alicante, and it lists private parking as part of the offer. Private parking is a real advantage in this part of the Costa Blanca, where roadside parking near popular coves fills quickly in summer. The published opening hours run from 12:30 to 00:00 every day of the week, which makes it a lunch-through-dinner venue rather than a morning beach stop.

Because the hours start at 12:30, plan LuLu as an afternoon and evening rather than an early swim. Booking a table in the restaurant and reserving a sunbed are separate transactions at clubs of this type, so be clear about which you are asking for when you contact the venue. The site runs a book-a-table function and lists a phone number, which is the practical route for confirming what your booking includes.

Nalú Beach Club, San Gabriel harbour, Alicante

Nalú Beach Club is based in the port of San Gabriel in Alicante and presents itself around a bohemian concept, mixing relaxed design with the natural setting of the harbour. Its appeal is location: this is a city waterfront club rather than a country escape, so it works well as part of a day that also includes the town. Nalú describes itself as a beach club in the port of San Gabriel, which is the detail to use when planning how to reach it.

The boho styling points to a lounging-and-drinks kind of day rather than a formal dining room, and the harbour position means sea views without a drive into the hills. What the club advertises is the concept and the setting; the specifics of sunbed numbers, pool access and menus are things to confirm directly with the venue when you book. For a wider sense of the city's beach scene, the Alicante beaches guide sets out how the town beaches and coves compare.

How the two settings compare

LuLu gives you green space, mountain views, a garden terrace and private parking, but it requires a drive north from Alicante to Xàbia. Nalú gives you a harbour position inside the city, which is easier to combine with sightseeing and public transport. If your group wants a full-day destination with shade and a garden, the Xàbia option is the more natural fit; if you want to drift in from the city and back out again, the harbour club is the practical choice. It is the same garden-versus-city decision you will weigh at Malaga beach clubs.

Families with older children tend to do better at a garden club with space to move around and a dining focus, while adult groups often prefer the urban waterfront for its shorter transfer and later energy. Neither style is inherently better; the trade-off is time in the car versus time in the city. Decide which one you would rather spend, then choose the club to match.

What a sunbed day includes and what it costs

A sunbed day normally bundles a lounger, shade and food and drink service, with pool access where the venue advertises one. What each club includes, and whether a lounger carries a rental charge or a minimum spend, varies by venue and season, so ask LuLu Beachclub or Nalú Beach Club when you book. LuLu and Nalú publish their contact details and booking routes on their own sites, which is the right place to check what your reservation covers.

Rather than guessing at figures, treat the bill as three parts: the lounger or sunbed charge, the food and drink you order, and any minimum spend attached to the table. Clubs with a full restaurant service tend to see the food and drink line dominate, especially over a long lunch. If you want to keep the day affordable, book a table for lunch rather than a full day of loungers and order from the shorter menu.

Booking and timing

July and August are the months to book ahead, particularly for weekend afternoons and for groups larger than four. The shoulder months of late spring and September and October are quieter, and a garden club like LuLu is especially pleasant then because the terrace shade matters less and the light lasts. Sunset slots are popular at waterfront venues, so ask for an early-evening table if you want the view without the peak lunch crowd.

Book directly with the club through the contact details it publishes, and confirm the day before you go. For LuLu, the site gives an address, phone number and email alongside its daily hours, which is the fastest way to settle questions about sunbeds, parking and table times. Nalú's own site is the place to ask about its harbour setting and what a booking includes.

Getting there and parking

LuLu lies in Xàbia, north of Alicante along the Costa Blanca coast, and the club lists private parking, which makes driving the sensible option for that venue. Allow for the drive back if you are staying in Alicante city and plan a designated driver or a taxi for the return leg. Nalú's San Gabriel harbour position puts it within the city, so a taxi or local bus from the centre is straightforward.

If you would rather not drive, build the day around the city club and use taxis for the short harbour transfer. If you want the garden setting, treat the drive as part of the outing and leave earlier than you think you need to. The Alicante beaches guide is useful for matching a club day with a beach stop on the same route.

Nearby beaches to combine with a club day

A club day pairs well with a morning on the sand before your booking starts. Playa del Postiguet is the city's main town beach, which makes it the obvious pre-lunch swim if you are heading to the harbour club. For a longer day out, Benidorm beaches to the south offer a very different resort scene if you are driving down the coast.

If your club day is in Xàbia, the northern Costa Blanca coves are within reach for a morning swim, and Calpe beaches are a reasonable add-on if you are driving between Alicante and Xàbia. Tabarca island, reached by boat from Santa Pola, is a full-day alternative rather than a quick add-on, so keep it for a separate outing.

Practicalities for the day

Bring swimwear, a cover-up and your own high-factor sun protection, because shade at a club is limited and often reserved. Carry both cash and a card, since smaller venues may have card minimums, and keep a light layer for the evening if you are staying for sunset. Check the flag and any current warning before you swim, and follow the venue's own instructions on where swimming is permitted.

Sea conditions on this coast change with the wind and swell, so treat the water as you find it rather than as a promise. If you are visiting with children, agree a meeting point and keep them within sight, particularly at harbour venues where the water's edge is busy. For a full picture of the region's beaches and their access, the Alicante beaches guide and Benidorm beaches pages are the natural next reads.

Plan Your Visit

Choose LuLu if you want a garden setting, mountain views, private parking and a long afternoon that runs into the evening. Choose Nalú if you want a harbour-side boho atmosphere inside the city and an easier transfer. Either way, book through the club's own contact details, confirm what your table or sunbed includes, and leave room for a morning swim before you settle in.