Palacio de la Peña

The restaurant food was so good I wished I had a bigger stomach. This place has a special atmosphere, with distinctive decorations in the rooms, restaurant and garden. Our room had its own little garden and a really comfortable bed. The staff were very friendly and even drove us into the city centre so we could get cash from an ATM for later in our trip. We could have paid by credit card there. WiFi worked in the living room, but the thick walls kept the signal from reaching elsewhere. That didn’t bother me much, since this isn’t somewhere you want to spend ages looking at screens. It’s a bit expensive, but definitely worth it.

A slightly quirky, completely romantic stopover, and highly recommended if that’s your kind of thing. The lady who runs it seems to do this as her day job when she’s not starring as a SuperHero in a Marvel flick. She’s the chef too, serving rustic, hearty, tasty food.

We stumbled on this hotel by luck after our plans changed and we needed somewhere to stay while in SANTANDER. It’s a special place, and even the drive there is an experience. The setting is quiet and beautiful, probably not for everyone. The owner is clearly proud of the property, and the staff are extremely nice. The restaurant is an experience in itself, with excellent food. We’ll come back someday, before it gets discovered by even more people.

A true luxury near the finest beaches on the Cantabrian coast, with cuisine worthy of a Michelin star. This is one of Spain’s finest palace hotels, on par with the best Paradores Nacionales, but with warm, attentive service. A place I won’t forget and would happily visit from time to time.