Hotels San Sebastián / Bilbao / Pays Vasco - Things to see and do etc etc etc

ymfb · Jul 2, 2020

Wapping I’m sure it was you that recommended the Hotel del Oso, which is one of our favourites, Mrs Hyde likes to see the St Bernards and I’m partial to the restaurant, the complimentary peanuts and several cleansing ales beforehand are also popular.

This year we will be extending our stay and plan to venture further NE along the coast and spend a few nights in San Sebastián. Are you able to recommend any suitable establishments in the area and say within a four hour ride of the coast between Bilbao and San Sebastián.

Week 1 draft itinerary is as follows:-

Hotel del Oso
East of Gijon
Ponferrada
Burgos
Monasterio San de Zoilio
drop off friends at Santander
Week 2 TBD

Obviously the invitation to recommend is open to all.

Thanks in advance

Arsey · Jul 2, 2020

Dear Mr Wapping

The Mercure Monte Igueldo Hotel in San Sebastian has a stunning location.
Perched above the city.Take the funicular down then stroll along the beach to the old town for beer and pintxos....

View from the terrace

wessie · Jul 2, 2020

Do you want places to stay or routes and places to visit that are 4 hours from the coast?

In San Sebastian, do you want somewhere very close to the old town (which is where you probably want to go in the evening) or somewhere less busy, maybe the western, Ondaretta, end of the beach?

wessie · Jul 2, 2020

Arsey said:
The Mercure Monte Igueldo Hotel in San Sebastian has a stunning location.
Perched above the city.Take the funicular down then stroll along the beach to the old town for beer and pintxos....

Mercure? Isn't that just an Ibis with fluffier towels?

Nin · Jul 2, 2020

Just find the Paradores in Galicia, Asturias and plot your route around them.

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OnHellas · Jul 2, 2020

Ooo, I do like a Parador.

Nin · Jul 2, 2020

Dear Mr Wapping

“View from my hotel”. Parador in Lerma

“Passed and Pinxos”. Bilbao

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ymfb · Jul 3, 2020

We have been to many Paradors including Lerma, avoid the festival weekend in September ! We have previously travelled mainly between Bilbao and Gijon then further South from those two points. This trip we have a second week and plan to include a few days in or close to San Sebastián, the others days in the area inland between Bilbao and San Sebastián.

We are particularly interested in hotels, both in and outside San Sebastián, but roads and places of interest in the wider area of Pais Vasco.

Arsey · Jul 3, 2020

wessie said:
Mercure? Isn't that just an Ibis with fluffier towels?

Decide for yourself

Can’t see any trucks parked in an industrial estate .....

ymfb · Jul 3, 2020

Arsey, we might just slum it at the Mercure for a few nights, looks ideal, as long as it’s not fully booked. There’s a film festival on at about the same time as we are hoping to be there.

Any other suggestions further in land ?

paul08 · Jul 3, 2020

Last year we stayed in the Hotel Abando in the centre of Bilbao. Booked it as part of a ferry + hotel deal with BF, so you get a bloody good rate.

Hotel was right on the edge of the old town, a very short walk from the Gugenheim Museum and the promenade along the river.

Plenty of bars, tapas and restaurants on the doorstep.

Hotel has secure basement parking, which is included if you book the BF deal

Arsey · Jul 3, 2020

Dear Mr Wapping

ymfb said:
Arsey, we might just slum it at the Mercure for a few nights, looks ideal, as long as it’s not fully booked. There’s a film festival on at about the same time as we are hoping to be there.

Any other suggestions further in land ?

Depends where but I’ve stayed in the paradors in both Cangas de Onis and Cangas del Narcea.Both brilliant,especially the latter.

Saw this place on tv last night.Just down the road from San Sebastian and supposedly the best steak in the world.Certainly looked good.
It’s on my to do list !! Might give Mugaritz a miss,though I’m sure Nutty would love it.Would be fun to see him asking for ketchup in there !!!!

Wapping · Jul 3, 2020

To keep everyone on track, this is what the good fellow wants...

This trip we have a second week and plan to include a few days in or close to San Sebastián, the others days in the area inland between Bilbao and San Sebastián.

We are particularly interested in hotels, both in and outside San Sebastián, but roads and places of interest in the wider area of Pais Vasco.

Dear Mr Wapping here...

My first port of call for stuff like this is always Michelin. I copied the two words 'Pais Vasco' and pasted them into Google, adding just one more: Pais Vasco Michelin. Google is fantastic at three word searches. The opening post had over 100 words.

Up popped:

https://www.viamichelin.com/web/Hotels?geoboundaries=42.425484,-3.5293579:43.5366027,-1.6534424

This gave me a map and hotels and (when I clicked on the little castle thing) things to see and do. Click on the little bubble things in the map and details of each will pop up. It will even give you routes on how to get there from wherever you are. All this is wonderfully free.

To work out how to join them up (it's not a huge area) I just zoomed in which gave me free Michelin maps. I then imagined what roads I (not anyone else) would like to ride, over what periods, of my week away.

That, very easily, completed the planning for my holiday. It's easy, it's free and it's fun. Anyone can do it. Trust me. Be brave, give it a go. Share with us here what you decide on and, better still, write a trip report; people love them and they'll love you, especially if it has lots of pictures.

PS I also have the excellent Michelin Green Guide to Spain. For the price of a couple of beers, it is well worth getting. Mine came from the Amazon, which is quite remarkable. That being said, the Rough Guide / Lonely Planet guide books are pretty good, too. Buy one and it will last for years.

PPS I'd also invest a couple of drinking vouchers in a paper map, too. Michelin's are good but others might suit you better, as maps are - like hotels and roads to ride - personal things.

CliveS · Jul 3, 2020

i
Mercure Monte Igueldo Hotel is out of the way and on the other side of the bay.
I would suggest Hotel Londres. Its right on the beach and close to the historic center where all the good restaurants and tapas bars are. You are right in the center of it!
One of the best restaurant is "Aita Mari" adjacent to the old entry from the port reasonable prices and food to die for.
Have a great trip

Flappytabs · Jul 3, 2020

Casa Julian is about half an hour from San Sebastian. reportedly the best steak in the world all for about £30. not sure about accommodation though

Arsey · Jul 3, 2020

CliveS said:
i
Mercure Monte Igueldo Hotel is out of the way and on the other side of the bay.
I would suggest Hotel Londres. Its right on the beach and close to the historic center where all the good restaurants and tapas bars are. You are right in the center of it!
One of the best restaurant is "Aita Mari" adjacent to the old entry from the port reasonable prices and food to die for.
Have a great trip

It’s got the one of the best views of any hotel in Europe and you can get the funicular down to the beach to walk in to town .
Horses for courses !

wessie · Jul 3, 2020

paul08 said:
Last year we stayed in the Hotel Abando in the centre of Bilbao. Booked it as part of a ferry + hotel deal with BF, so you get a bloody good rate.

Hotel was right on the edge of the old town, a very short walk from the Gugenheim Museum and the promenade along the river.

Plenty of bars, tapas and restaurants on the doorstep.

Hotel has secure basement parking, which is included if you book the BF deal

+1 for the Abando - decent hotel and location. Shame everything was closed either due to being a Monday or the "other posh gallery" being closed due to a changeover of exhibitions. Must do better research next time but it was the day before a ferry home!

wessie · Jul 3, 2020

Arsey said:
It’s got the one of the best views of any hotel in Europe and you can get the funicular down to the beach to walk in to town .
Horses for courses !

it's quite a pleasant walk along the promenade, but hard work on the way back as it is a slight uphill gradient and one tends to be a little encumbered by the weight of beer, wine and anchovies.

I stayed in a hotel called La Galeria but it seems to have changed names. It was a great location on the beach front with a beach bar nearby but no idea what it is like now under new owners. Only served breakfast but hardly a problem.

wessie · Jul 3, 2020

Pais Vasco has the Urkiola National Park. This is very scenic with good roads. A great place to head through from or to the port at Bilbao. I didn't stay over as I was heading to the Parador at Sos del Rey Catolico for my first night. I don't always slum it, especially when on my own.

wessie · Jul 3, 2020

Just outside Pais Vasco, I stayed at https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel...-Finca_de_los_Arandinos-Entrena_La_Rioja.html on the way back to Bilbao. It's a vineyard with a very nice hotel. Quite remote so you have to dine there but the food is excellent and of course, the wine is top notch rioja.
It was a recommendation from here.

It's a few miles SW of Logrono which is where you will find the nearest petrol as I found.

Hotels San Sebastián / Bilbao / Pays Vasco - Things to see and do etc etc etc

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