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PROPERTY SEARCH

Date Published: 10/09/2025

Every week a British tourist gets lost in Benidorm thanks to alcohol

The Benidorm Police’s Lost Property Office has managed to return more than half of the 900 objects found this summer

The famous accordionist María Jesús once sang, “If I get lost, let them look for me in Benidorm.” Whether they know the song or not, the British seem to be living by its lyrics.

Local estimates suggest at least one British holidaymaker goes “missing” in the party capital of the Costa Blanca every week, with alcohol the main culprit.

While some people come for sun, sea and sangria, others appear to lose not only their balance but also their bearings. The result is regular appearances at the Lost Property Office of the Local Police, which this summer alone collected more than 900 misplaced items.

Let us start with what is most valuable: the tourists themselves. It’s become commonplace to meet a confused Brit wandering around the streets of Benidorm in search of a hotel they cannot name. After a heavy night, they often wake up unable to remember their accommodation at all.

Sometimes the disorientation lasts more than a day, giving families and friends quite a scare when their companion vanishes. According to the British Traders Association, chaired by Karen Cowles, 99% of these cases end happily.

The reason is usually simple. Visitors come in groups but if one of them drops behind after too many beers, the rest often fail to collect him. This leaves the stranded tourist stumbling through the city, unable to recall where they are staying.

But alcohol-induced forgetfulness doesn’t stop at hotel names. Wallets, passports and mobile phones are regularly abandoned on the footpaths. So many things are lost that a Facebook group called “Lost and Found” was set up to keep track. The page contains all kinds of stories, from travellers taking the wrong suitcase at the airport to people misplacing wedding rings with inscriptions.

The group is also full of photos of missing partygoers and their possessions, ranging from the trivial, such as a lone shoe, to the essential, such as identity cards and smartphones.

One of the most memorable cases dates back eleven years, when a British man managed to mislay his false teeth during a night out. He was delighted when he eventually got them back.

According to Ms Cowles, the combination of a relaxed holiday spirit and Benidorm’s large crowds is to blame for the frequent loss of both people and property. There’s a chance she might be forgetting about the cheap booze.

Also of interest: Rain, what rain? The orange storm alert that fizzled out in Alicante

Image: Policia Local

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