Aldatzeta Ostatua

We kept the little balcony door open at night for a lovely breeze, and the room was comfortable, clean, and stocked with toiletries we’d forgotten. Check-in went smoothly after we sent our estimated arrival time once we landed in Spain. Olats at the front desk was wonderful, with tips on sights, food, getting around Bermeo and San Juan, and even onward transport for our next stop. The hotel’s in a great spot, and the staff were so helpful and sweet. I’d highly recommend it.

The price for what you get was excellent. I arrived before check-in, and a lovely staff member kept my bag until the room was ready, so I could go sightseeing hands-free. She also shared tourism information and gave me the keys when I returned. The en-suite room was clean, and I enjoyed watching TV at the end of the day. There’s a notice by the front door with contact numbers in case she isn’t available.

We’ve traveled around Europe for more than 20 years and never had an experience like this. We had to pay for two places that night, and the hotel refused to refund the €65 room charge even though they wouldn’t let us stay. Charging the full amount after turning us away over a one-hour delay is completely unacceptable. Reception closed at 20:00 on a Friday in Spain, which I consider very poor service for a two-star hotel. Google lists it as a two-star hotel, not a guest house or private apartment, and that information should be corrected before customers are told to check what they booked. I’d booked from Japan, and we were driving from the airport when we hit traffic. Once we knew our revised arrival time would be 21:00, we told the hotel. They said reception closed at 20:00, something we hadn’t known in advance, and refused to wait even one extra hour. We asked if they could leave the key in their letter box or at a nearby bar or restaurant, as we’re used to hosts doing when they can’t be there, but they turned down every suggestion and told us to find somewhere else. It was Friday night, so finding another place wasn’t easy. We couldn’t find anything in the same city, had to change our destination and whole itinerary, and were charged the full €65 the next day. They also claimed in their reply that they’d called us, but they never did. The information about the time in their reply was wrong too. Don’t book here unless you’re absolutely sure you can arrive between 16:00-20:00. Traffic or train problems can easily cause delays, especially when you’re unfamiliar with local roads and transport on your first visit.

The room was really nice. The staff also explain Bermeo’s sights and how to get around, so there’s no need to go to Tourist Information.