Spain's 'worst seaside town' loved by millionaires but branded a 'seedy dump'

seaside towns are known to be among the top dogs when it comes to vacations, but over the years some have lost their lustre, leaving a salty taste in travellers' mouths. So much so, some Spanish seaside towns have been perceived as being "seedy" rather than desirable, with some noting how they've seen a stark decline when it comes to their overall quality.

A survey asked 1,200 travellers for their thoughts on certain popular holiday destinations in Spain. One sun-drenched spot, home to luxury fashion brands and high-end cars, was deemed to be "a seedy dump" despite its wealthy visitors.

The unflattering accolade of worst seaside town in Spain was given to Puerto Banus in the Costa del Sol region after the survey participants rated their list of criterias which included safety, quality of the seafront and the , accommodation, food and drink and value for money. Puerto Banus, a region synonymous with luxury and wealth, scored particularly low with a score of only 55 %.

This seaside resort town is said to be one of the most exclusive enclaves in southern Spain, filled with high-end properties, designer boutiques, upscale restaurants and a marina home to a number of multimillion-dollar yachts.

However, according to the survey, Puerto Banus, alongside Marbella and Costa del Sol, is really just a place that is completely "overpriced".

This was evident in the value for money criteria, scoring a measly one star and making it the only destination featured in the survey to receive such a dismal score.

A one star score was also given to the resort town when it came to their tourist attractions on offer and two stars for the safety, friendliness and attractiveness category.

Puerto Banus's seafront and beach, food and drink and shopping offerings fared better than other categories earning itself three stars in all categories with users calling the town as having a "great atmosphere" with a "great range of restaurants".

Other Respondents however were less enthused with one saying how the town had "deteriorated" over the years with another calling it "a seedy dump" and another bemoaning how it was still just a "place for the rich and to be seen but has become tacky".

These sentiments were echoed by a TripAdvisor reviewer who wrote of their experience at Puerto Banus describing it as being "a village for the nouveau riche with opulent bad taste, as proven by the many over the top yachts and vehicles in the Marina".

On the other end of the spectrum, the Spanish city of San Sebastian scored top prize and was praised for being among the best spots with an impressive overall score of 88 %

According to the survey, San Sebastián earned a cool full five stars for its beach, attractiveness, and food and drink, declaring it the best seaside destination in Spain.

It also scored an impressive four stars in the categories of attractive seafront, safety, friendliness, accommodation, tourist attractions, and shopping. One respondent described San Sebastian as being "small enough to walk round easily," and another said, "The beach and surroundings were beautiful, and it felt very safe."