Nothing to lose on Costa de la Luz

Running from the whitewashed Moorish town of Tarifa at the southern tip of Spain up to the border with Portugal, the "Coast of Light" has wide open beaches backed by sand dunes, lowrise resorts and an interior of

Most of the resorts offered by British tour operators are concentrated at the southern end of the Costa, south of Cadiz. The lack of a charter airport means flights arrive into either Seville or the sherry town of Jerez, though you can also fly into Gibraltar. British visitors are fourth in numbers behind those from Spain, Germany and Belgium, although the coast has proved so popular that Thomson is expanding its programme in 2003.

So which resort do you choose? Here are the five most popular resort hotels as offered by Magic of Spain, The Real Spain and Mundi Color, as well as those available for booking with Thomson from next year (and with flights into Jerez, as opposed to Seville). All prices are for seven nights in August 2002.

Hotel Melia Atlanterra
(www.solmelia.com)
Which brochures? Magic of Spain, Mundi Color, The Real Spain.
One week in August: £919pp B&B with car hire and return flights from Heathrow to Seville (Mundi Color).
Best for: families.

Originally a small tuna-fishing village, Zahara now has a spread of development along its six-mile beach. At the southern end of the bay (and three miles out of town), the Melia is the best resort on the Costa for babies, toddlers and children. Full series of programmes: Club 4 (aged 0-4) includes a nursery service eight hours per day; Mini Club (ages 5-12) has beach games, crafts, competitions, a mini disco and painting. English-speaking staff. Separate supervised shallow children's pool and baby paddling pool; interconnecting family rooms.

The four-storey main building is Andalucian in style, with a shaded courtyard, marble pillars, arches, fountain and elaborate tile work, with most rooms in one of six identical three-storey blocks centred around the large central swimming pool. These pale yellow buildings have flower-filled window boxes, while the attractive grounds are full of matures trees and walkways shaded by vine-entwined trellises.

There are two restaurants, one a la carte, and a buffet serving Andalucian cuisine (lots of fish). No specific child menus. Direct access to the safe-swimming beach is via a boardwalk. There's a further inexpensive beach restaurant (Coke E2.15, ice-cream E2.25) as well as a watersports centre for older children (supervised).

Fuerte Conil
(www.hotelfuerteconil.com)
Which brochures? Magic of Spain, Mundi Color, The Real Spain, Thomson à la Carte.
One week in August: £700pp B&B, including return flights from Heathrow to Seville and car hire (Magic of Spain).
Best for: couples who want the option of nightlife.

Conil is a pretty, whitewashed fishing village with new hotels opening all around it, including the Fuerte Conil, 10 minutes' walk from the town, just above Fontanilla Beach. Popular with couples, honeymooners and families, the low-rise resort has the advantage of its proximity to Conil, perfect for late evenings dining or drinking.

The complex has a tasteful Andalucian design: stone-effect columns, terracottatiled floor, old wrought-iron chandel iers, period-effect furniture, maroon walls and thick darkwood doors. Families come for the supervised pools and summer children's club. The hotel has both outdoor and indoor pools (useful, since the Costa de la Luz does not have as many sunny days as the Costa del Sol), an a la carte restaurant for lunch by the pool (mainly rice dishes, salads and fish) and a Cadiz-style buffet dinner, with fish and seafood in the dining hall. Access to the excellent beach is by several flights of stairs.

Hotel Flamenco
(www.hotelflamenco.es)
Which brochures? Magic of Spain, Mundi Color, Thomson Small and Friendly.
One week in August: £670pp B&B, including flights from Heathrow to Seville and car hire (Magic of Spain).
Best for: empty nesters after peace and quiet.

Three miles outside Conil, above red cliffs and with a walkway down to a beach, the Hotel Flamenco has a slightly older clientele (popular with Germans and Spanish) who come for a peaceful time and the intimate, friendly atmosphere. The two restaurants serve local cuisine (good on fish).

There are two bars - one halfway down the cliff with excellent views of the beach, the other in the hotel, with leather armchairs and low tables. There's also a tea salon at the centre of the hotel with an atrium, Moorish keyhole arches, colourful tiling, pottery lampshades and whitewashed brick walls.

Traditionally furnished rooms (floral bedspread covers) have views of the sea or established lowrise villas on the outskirts of Conil. No interconnecting rooms. Indoor and outdoor pools.

Hotel Melia Sancti Petri
Which brochures? Magic of Spain, Mundi Color, The Real Spain, Thomson à la Carte.
One week in August: £839pp B&B with car hire and return flights from Heathrow to Seville or Gibraltar (Mundi Color).
Best for: golf enthusiasts.

Set in a huge new development just outside the town of Chiclana on a long beach, Novo Sancti Petri has a shopping centre and more than a dozen hotels as well as timeshare apartments. The five-star Hotel Melia is the best: the reception has a stained-glass atrium, marble floors, tapestries and glass doors out to a large courtyard of Moorish arches and fountains.

Opened three years ago - its grounds have yet to mature - there's a 60m central swimming pool and access to a giant sweep of beach via a boardwalk through the dunes. Good-size gym, heated indoor pool and 27-hole championship course designed by Seve Ballesteros. The rooms can seem impersonal, though spacious (only nine interconnecting rooms). Most have views over the gardens to the sea.

Playa de la Luz
(www.playadelaluz.com)
Which brochures? Magic of Spain, The Real Spain.
One week in August: £759pp B&B with car hire and return flights from Heathrow to Seville or Gibraltar (Real Spain).
Best for: couples and beach bunnies.

The Playa de la Luz is on the beach two miles north of Rota, close to a huge American naval base (thus attracting a disproportionate number of American visitors), but is a very Spanish resort, built around a series of courtyards to give the impression of being a village. Lots of flowers, pine trees, window boxes, wisteriacovered wooden trellises, Moorish arches, wrought-ironwork detailing, and attractive tilework around the splashing fountains. Rooms are either ground or first floor, simply decorated in bright colours of white and mustard. Free weekly activities include flamenco lessons, Spanish cooking, Spanish lessons, painting and aerobics which are popular with couples.

Tom Otley hired a car through Avis (0870 6060100; www.avis.com); seven days' fully comprehensive Group A car hire from Algeciras costs £127.