Gurutze Berri

The staff were responsive and patient, and the nightly price is reasonable for the area. It’s well placed in the mountains and makes a good base for the marked eco-trail. Rooms are small, with a wardrobe, bedside cabinets and a table, but clean; the bathroom is larger and has a bathtub. The bed was comfortable, though the walls don’t block much sound. There’s free parking for ten cars. In summer, there’s no air conditioning for cooling, and there’s no Wi-Fi on the second floor.

After a 12-hour drive, just beyond the France-Spain border, we spotted this hotel in a search and decided to head there. They welcomed us wonderfully and even cooked for us though we arrived late. Good price, spotlessly clean, and a warm smile.

The area is beautiful and the location was the one good part of our stay. The place itself felt old and outdated, though, and I don’t understand the prices. The photos look much better than reality. We had weak Wi-Fi only at reception, no real service, cold tiled floors with no carpet or slippers, and the room was very cold because the heaters didn’t work. It wasn’t very clean, and the bathroom was worse, with damp and mold on the ceiling. We asked for two pillows and never got them. The staff were more or less friendly, but didn’t seem to understand English. We had a terrible night. If you can’t find another option, you might manage one night, but I wouldn’t recommend it at all. Research carefully before booking.

The restaurant food is really, really good, and there’s plenty of old-style charm in the decor, paintings and collection of curios. The Wi-Fi isn’t great, but you can always chat with the locals. Don’t be put off by the one-star rating: it’s good value in a stunning location. We stayed an extra day to see the Tour de France, and unlike some other places, they didn’t raise the price. We’d gladly return. You might not get a smile, but go with it and they’ll look after you. We also got complimentary coffee when we left.