Where to stay for the Santa Pola Half Marathon 2027: areas, real prices and alternatives

The Santa Pola International Half Marathon is on Sunday 24 January 2027 (the 10K on Saturday 23 in the afternoon), and it has a problem city races don’t: Santa Pola is a small town, and in January there are few beds. We measured it: on 1 November, for race weekend (Friday 22 to Sunday 24), Booking listed 70 places to stay in Santa Pola and Gran Alacant with free cancellation and a score of 7 or more, almost all of them apartments, at a median of €205 a night for two people. For 7,000 half marathon runners and 1,500 in the 10K, that is very little.

The good news is that prices have not gone up yet: the same property costs the same as the following weekend. The bad news is that with so little choice, availability runs out before prices rise. Up here you can see how many places are left, updated every week; below, which parts of town let you walk to the start and what the alternatives are if nothing is left.

Where everything is over the weekend

• Start and finish: on Calle Fernando Pérez Ojeda, next to the port. The half starts on Sunday at 10:30 and the 10K on Saturday at 17:00.
• Bibs: at the Runners’ Fair tent next to the Castle-Fortress, about 200 metres from the start. Friday 22 in the afternoon (17:00 to 20:00), Saturday 23 from 10:00 to 20:00 and Sunday until 9:00: you can come on race day itself.
• Car: the organisers set aside several runners’ car parks in town (El Castillo, Polamax, Institutos and Viguetas).
• Bag drop and massage: in the same fair tent.

Everything is within a few hundred metres of the port and the castle, so what decides where to stay is whether you want to do everything on foot or move the car.

Accommodation map for half marathon weekend

The map shows what is still available for race weekend, with prices. You can move it towards Elche or Alicante and change the dates and number of guests.

Areas, from the closest to the furthest

What was available on 1 November for two nights, Friday 22 to Sunday 24 January, for two adults. Time is how long it takes to walk to the start along real streets (median for the area); price is the median per night.

Centre and port: everything on foot

Within 20 minutes of the start there were 26 places left, at a median of €209. There are hardly any hotels: Hotel Polamar (score 7.8, 9 minutes away) was €175 and Dorma Gaudea (score 8.6, 15 minutes) €213; Hotel Quatre Llunes did not show up for these two nights, and the rest are apartments. It is the best option if you are running the Saturday 10K and the Sunday half, or want to leave the car parked all weekend.

Rest of town and Marismas: apartments a short walk away

Between 22 and 33 minutes on foot there were 12 places, almost all apartments, at a median of €201. The walk there works as a warm-up and the slow walk back loosens the legs.

Playa Lisa and Gran Playa: the cheapest

To the south, along the seafront, there were 20 places at a median of €200, 37 to 64 minutes on foot: too far to walk to the start, but five minutes by car from the runners’ car parks. This is where the cheapest places in town are: Vicino al Mare (score 9.5, almost 500 reviews) was €112 and La Gola (score 9.0) €175.

Gran Alacant: if you come by car

The hillside development, about ten minutes’ drive away, had 13 places at a median of €226. AJ Gran Alacant (score 9.1, more than 4,000 reviews) was €138. On foot, forget it: it is over an hour and a half.

If nothing is left: Elche or Alicante

Elche, about 20 minutes’ drive away, and Alicante, about 25, have far more hotels than Santa Pola. We have not measured them in this first version of the guide, so we give no prices, but they are the natural alternative if the town fills up: with your bib collected the day before, or until 9:00 on Sunday, you just need to reach a runners’ car park in good time.

Which nights to book

• Friday and Saturday is the combination with the most choice (70 places, median €205), and it lets you collect your bib without rushing and also run the Saturday 10K.
• A single Saturday night is the most expensive and the scarcest: 34 places at a median of €236. Many apartments require a minimum stay: if you find nothing, try two or three nights.
• So far the race is not pushing prices up: comparing the same properties, half marathon weekend costs the same as the following one. With so little choice, what will change first is how many are left.

Five things to check before you pay

1. Free cancellation and its deadline. The race is almost three months away: book now with free cancellation and note the last day you can cancel.
2. Minimum stay in apartments: it is what rules out most options for a short weekend.
3. Parking if you are not staying in the centre: streets are closed on Sunday morning, so check where to leave the car before you book.
4. Check-out time: the half is over at around one o’clock; ask for a late check-out so you can shower.
5. Heating: many beach apartments are built for summer. In January, check they have it.

How to plan your stay around the race

As well as the distance to the start, it is important to consider how check-in times fit with your travel plans. Before choosing accommodation, check when the keys are handed over and what happens if you arrive late. If you are staying in an apartment, arranging this in advance avoids having to deal with it just before the race.

If several people are sharing accommodation, it is also worth checking the layout of the bedrooms and bathrooms, not just the number of places available. A property may accommodate the whole group, but have shared spaces or access times that do not suit both those racing and those travelling to support them.

Rest matters when choosing accommodation too

The organisers recommend avoiding long sightseeing walks before racing, as they can lead to a build-up of fatigue. This does not mean missing out on seeing Santa Pola: simply consider how much time you will spend on your feet and allow time to rest before running, especially if you have also had a long journey to the town.

When comparing accommodation, photographs do not always give a clear picture of noise levels or bedroom comfort. Recent reviews can provide context, although they reflect individual experiences. If rest is a priority, it is useful to ask directly about any concerns you have regarding the room and its noise levels before making a decision.

What to prepare for half marathon morning

The organisers advise sticking to your usual breakfast and avoiding trying new foods, gels or kit on race day. If you are staying away from home, this may mean checking whether you can prepare what you usually eat or bring it with you. The idea is to reduce last-minute changes, not to follow the same eating plan as everyone else.

It is also worth laying out your kit and checking your race number before setting off. It must be worn visibly on your chest, without altering it, and the organisers prohibit running without it. The timing system includes a disposable chip attached to the race number: do not fold or pierce the area where it is positioned, or remove its foam pad.

Race services that affect your return plans

The half marathon has a time limit of 2 hours and 45 minutes, with the course closing at 13:15. This time provides a reference for planning your return, although your own finish time and what you do after crossing the finish line may vary. A checkout time close to the end of the race leaves less time to collect your belongings and organise your return journey.

There will be water stations and others offering sponges along the course. The organisers also provide medical assistance in the start and finish area and at various points along the route. Water and solid food, mainly fruit, are available at the finish; once you leave that area, you cannot re-enter.

Race entry and travel: two separate bookings

Race entry is personal and non-transferable and is not refunded if the person entered does not take part. This condition is separate from the accommodation booking: cancelling one does not mean you can recover the cost of the other. Before finalising your trip, check both sets of conditions separately and consider what costs you will bear if your plans change.

To take part in the half marathon, you must have turned 18 before the race. The organisers also recommend a medical check-up beforehand. If you have concerns about your health or whether you should race, general information is no substitute for an assessment by a healthcare professional.

How we got these prices

We searched Booking on 1 November 2026 for two adults in one room, Friday 22 to Sunday 24 and the night of Saturday 23 to Sunday 24 January, plus the following weekend as a reference. We filtered for free cancellation and a score of 7 or more, and combined the results sorted by price, score, distance and Booking’s own recommendations. The search covers Santa Pola and Gran Alacant; Elche and Alicante are not included. The price is the one any user sees, without loyalty discounts; the price per night is the total divided by the nights. Walking times are measured along real streets from the start. For the reference search we only collected part of the results, so we give no median there and compare prices property by property. Prices change daily.

The accommodation map in this guide contains affiliate links: if you book through it, RunningValencia receives a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Date, course and all the other race details are on the Santa Pola Half Marathon 2027 race page.