Benidorm hotel ceiling collapses as 60 diners flee in Easter Sunday chaos

Around 60 diners were thought to be eating at the time of the incident

At least seven people have been injured after part of a hotel ceiling collapsed during Easter Sunday lunch in the Spanish resort of Benidorm.

The incident occurred at the Poseidón Palace, popular with many holidaymakers within the city, when sections of plasterboard and air‑conditioning ducting gave way, crashing onto around 60 diners, The Mirror reports.

Emergency crews attended within minutes to assist those hurt, which included an eight‑year‑old boy and a 78‑year‑old man, both taken to hospital for treatment before being discharged later. Several other guests, aged between 33 and 80, were also transported to local hospitals for further assessment.

CICU officials activated SAMU medical units together with basic life support and non-assisted transport teams to handle the incident. Red Cross personnel helped those affected during the incident at the popular Costa Blanca resort.

Local media reports that the reason for the collapse at the three-star hotel remains unclear, adding that it is not the first time something like this has taken place in Benidorm.

The bustling resort, on Spain's Costa Blanca, is known for its lively nightlife, sweeping beaches and its many high‑rise hotels that draw visitors from across Ireland, the UK and Europe.

While it has long been a favourite destination for hen and stag groups, many Irish holidaymakers also gravitate towards the Old Town and the rugged coastline that offers a quieter contrast to the resort's more familiar party image.

According to Visit Benidorm's latest annual report, the city welcomed more than three million visitors in 2025. Around 900,000 of them travelled from the UK, with significant numbers also arriving from Ireland and elsewhere across the continent.