Mantulene Apartments - Basque Stay

Our stay was comfortable until we got home. Basque Stay then accused us of failing to check out and said we were still in the property days later. I received several calls and messages asking why we were there, even though I replied that we had left at the agreed time. They ignored those explanations. I contacted Booking, where we had booked, and they apologized repeatedly and sorted it out quickly. Basque Stay never apologized. In more than 20 years of travelling, I’ve never had such a ridiculous accusation from a holiday rental. Absolutely disgraceful.

The mountain air was so clean that opening the window made me want to take a deep breath. That quiet setting, away from the busy city, really added something to the trip. I also enjoyed getting a small glimpse of local daily life, with warm, rustic restaurants and an everyday supermarket nearby. I didn’t get to try them this time, but I’d like to stay longer next visit. I chose this serviced apartment a little outside San Sebastian on purpose. At the end of September, during the film festival, accommodation prices tend to rise with demand. After a long journey I didn’t want to recover in a tiny room, and being able to do laundry mattered too. The spacious room made time at the apartment feel like its own kind of luxury. It’s a 20-30 minute bus ride from the city center, but I found that bit of distance refreshing. The clear mountain mornings felt almost purifying. It reminded me that where you choose to stay can change the whole character of a trip.

The service was awful, and the price felt far too high for what we got. The shower felt unsafe and wasn’t accessible for people with reduced mobility. There was damage in the apartment and unpleasant smells, plus basic things were missing, including electrical outlets, kitchen utensils, night lights, and somewhere to hang clothes. We also left an e-book in the Mantulene apartment and it seems to have disappeared. For three weeks we got no proper answer to our requests, no call, and no sign that anyone had looked for it. They have no lost property policy and accepted no responsibility, just automated replies. I felt scammed and their management left me with no confidence. The good reviews seem to be for the bar in the complex, which is only open two or three days a week. As accommodation, the Basque Stay reviews on Google Maps speak for themselves. I wouldn’t recommend the place.

Everything else was fine, but we did find a few cleaning problems. It’s a nice place and well located.