Pensión Ama Bilbao

The room itself was fine, but a mechanical drilling kind of noise started up at random through the night, at odd intervals, and made sleep impossible. Other reviews suggest it may be the air conditioner, but it kept making the noise even when switched off. I’ve never heard an air conditioner like that. Writing this at 4.30 AM after it woke me again. Stay away if you want to sleep.

Our room, Lydie, was comfortable and clean, with a good bed, air conditioning, a safe, coffee machine, lovely bathroom and even a bathtub. The double balcony looked out over a charming old street. Check-in was easy and communication was clear. Pensión Ama sits in the lively heart of Bilbao’s old town, surrounded by shops, pintxos bars and restaurants. Bilbao is easy to get around on foot, and public transport is cheap and simple. We used one €3 Barik card for our family of four. A return trip to Vizcaya Bridge, across the city, cost us under €6 total. The Artxanda funicular is a great way to see the city from above, and with the card a return ride costs under €1 instead of the usual €5 ticket. You can also use it to get to the airport, which took under half an hour including walking, metro and bus. We stayed three nights and had a fantastic time. I’d happily stay again.

The room was quiet despite being in the old town, and we slept well. It was very clean, with a comfortable bed and modern bathroom. Staff were welcoming, and after a long journey it was nice to be able to speak with them in English. The place is great value and right in the center of the old town, within walking distance of the main attractions. I’d highly recommend it and hope to stay again.

We paid a fair amount, but barely slept because the air conditioner made a very loud noise every 10-20 minutes overnight, even while turned off. It was especially hard on my pregnant wife, and the noise really disrupted our trip. We recorded it and sent the video to the hotel. They said it was the air conditioner working normally, although it was clearly off and making a loud sound. Management didn’t apologize or offer any compensation. The way they handled it was very disappointing. I’d suggest staying elsewhere if you want a proper night’s sleep.