Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to the Parador de Hondarribia, in Spanish Basque country
Facts in brief
Official star rating 4
Location The hotel is located the Plaza de Armas, about 500m from the seafront.
Annual opening Open all year
Closest airport Bilbao
Distance from airport 120 km
Closest railway station Irun
Distance from railway station 5 km
Hotel facilities and services
Bar, garden, gift shop, parking facilities.
Out and about nearby
Hondarribia is a seaside town located on the border between Spain and France. The town has a beautiful walled old town, ancient fortress, port, historic sailor’s district, San Telmo castle and the Santuario de Guadalupe with its natural spring. Within the surrounding area of Bajo Bidasoa you will also find Irun, Hendaya, Monte Jaizkibel natural park, the uninhabited Pheasant Island on the Bidasoa River and the Chateau d’Abbadie. Across the border, guests staying longer might also like to visit St Jean de Luz and Biarritz.
Sports nearby
Mountain biking, horse riding, golf, boat rides, fishing, canoeing, rowing, hiking.
What particularly impresses us each time we use your services is that ‘what we expect we get’ eg car hire, rooms selected, all with no hassle. Not sure how you do it!!Mr W, July 2022
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Standard double room for 5 nights
From about
£1,480
Holiday Code EXH1643
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to the Parador de Hondarribia, in Spanish Basque country
A stay at the Parador de Hondarribia is an opportunity to step back in time to the Middle Ages and the early days of the Christian re-conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. This boutique 4-star hotel is located in the 10th century Castle of Charles V, on the Plaza de Armas in Hondarribia. The magnificent interiors of the hotel are concealed behind thick, stone walls. Highlights include the tranquil internal courtyard, framed by green creepers, and the beautiful internal spaces that are adorned with arches, coffered ceilings and historical decor of armour and weapons. Guests staying at the hotel will enjoy a delicious buffet breakfast to start the day and can make the most of the wealth of bars and restaurants within Hondarribia for lunch and dinner. The hotel does not have a restaurant for lunch or dinner, however there is a bar. Back at the hotel, characterful accommodation is in 34 comfortable rooms which range in size and are heated throughout the winter months. Hondarribia has recently seen a boom in its culinary offering with the quality of its gastronomic scene providing competition to nearby San Sebastian. Many of the best places to eat can be found in the Marina Neighbourhood and on the pedestrianised high street that runs through the centre. The hotel is well located within the town and is in easy walking distance of the colourful seafront and harbour as well as the fortified old town, unique to this province. Visitors enter the town through Santa María Gate which leads onto Kale Nagisia (Main Street). The maze of cobblestone streets is filled with attractive Basque houses, many of which have brightly painted wooden balconies, as well as baroque buildings. For those looking for some time in the sun, the popular beach stretches for 800 metres offering sand and sheltered waters. In the summer the beach has lifeguards, bathrooms and changing rooms making it a fantastic option for families in a lesser-known part of Spain. We recommend including Hondarribia on a touring holiday of northern Spain and southern France. The location makes it an ideal stopover on the border between the two countries and the offering of sandy beach, interesting history and delicious food will appeal to everyone.
Room descriptions
Parador de Hondarribia has 34 rooms, each with private bathroom, air conditioning, heating, safe and mini-bar, internet connection, television, telephone and hairdryer. The hotel has one accessible room.
What particularly impresses us each time we use your services is that ‘what we expect we get’ eg car hire, rooms selected, all with no hassle. Not sure how you do it!!Mr W, July 2022
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Standard double room for 5 nights
From about
£1,480
Holiday Code EXH1643
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to the Parador de Hondarribia, in Spanish Basque country
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to the Parador de Hondarribia, our clients usually hire a car from Bilbao airport and include the hotel as part of a fly-drive or fly-rail touring holiday. We include flights from London and a hire car, depending on what you would like to do and what is most appropriate to your overall journey.
Additional information
Children: An extra bed for a single child can be added in most room types.
Other information: The Parador de Hondarribia only offers bed and breakfast. There is no restaurant for lunch or dinner although there are plenty of pintxo bars and high quality restaurants in the town.
Special offers
Call to make your booking and save an extra £50 per adult Call us instead of emailing us when you are thinking of booking a holiday and save an extra £50 per adult (in addition to any special offers that might be available). We want to talk to you to discuss your requirements and a phone call is usually the best way for you to define what you want enabling us to respond more accurately. We want to talk to you and you save an extra £50 per adult.
What particularly impresses us each time we use your services is that ‘what we expect we get’ eg car hire, rooms selected, all with no hassle. Not sure how you do it!!Mr W, July 2022
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Standard double room for 5 nights
From about
£1,480
Holiday Code EXH1643
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to the Parador de Hondarribia, in Spanish Basque country
About Spanish Basque country
An Expressions tailor-made holiday to the Basque Country in northern Spain include the very best four and five star hotels across the region, including seaside retreats, city properties and vineyard hotels in La Rioja. Lying at the point between the Pyrenees and the Bay of Biscay is the Basque Country, a name which refers both to an autonomous community within Spain and to a larger cultural area which comprises parts of Spain and France. Known in Spanish as the Pais Vasco, you will find a unique culture here with fascinating traditions and a regional language which is widely spoken throughout. The region's key attraction is the closeness of both sea and country - the spectacular coastline boasts sweeping sandy beaches and rugged cliffs, stunning sunsets over the ocean and surf breaking on rocks; but only a short drive inland are rolling green hills and flower filled fields. Lying around 10 miles away from the north coast is the vibrant and energetic riverside city of Bilbao, whilst further east is San Sebastian, an elegant seaside resort set on a beautiful bay only a few miles away from the French border. Stretching away from the Basque coast and forming the border with France are the Pyrenees, where rocky mountains with waterfalls and lakes stretch into Navarre, a region which is dotted with unspoiled villages and mediaeval towns which line the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Further west are the undulating hills of La Rioja, a region whose name is synonymous with the fine wines that it produces. Although parts of the region are heavily industrialised, there are many areas of unspoiled countryside as well as over 150 miles of coastline, making it a superb destination for a luxury holiday. The natural environment has long played a huge role in the lives of the region's inhabitants, with charming fishing villages along the coast which celebrate marine festivals as well as mountain farmers inland whose traditions remain unchanged. Throughout the region, visitors are sure to experience the unique culture of the Basque country through its language, cuisine and traditions.
Cultural highlights of Spanish Basque country
Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, a Frank Gehry-designed landmark which transformed the city. The charming old town of San Sebastian, located between the beach and the river. Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque Country which is home to a mediaeval old town and two cathedrals. Guernica, a small town which was bombed during WWII and inspired a famous painting by Picasso. Fishing villages between Bilbao and San Sebastian including Bakio, Bermeo, Zumaia and Lekeitio, some of which are home to wonderful beaches and are also popular surf spots. Hondarribia, a historic town situated on the border with France. Pelota, a traditional ball game which is played throughout the region on a two-walled court. Numerous bars across the region which serve ‘pinchos’ (a Basque version of tapas), including those in Logroño. Wine-producing towns across La Rioja where visitors can enjoy cellar tours and wine tastings, which can also be enjoyed at the luxury vineyard hotels which we feature. Yuso and Suso Monasteries, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in La Rioja. The fortress city of Pamplona, renowned for the annual bull running festival.
Gastronomy of Spanish Basque country
The Basque Country is renowned for its varied and innovative cuisine, with numerous Michelin-starred restaurants found across the region. San Sebastian alone is home to eight Michelin-starred restaurants, two of which have been included within the top ten of Restaurant magazine's list of the world's 50 best restaurants. Wine is of course an incredibly important product, primarily in La Rioja which is known for its high-quality reds as well as a number of good white and rosé wines. A regional variation of tapas called ‘pinchos' can be found throughout the Basque Country and Navarre, frequently eaten as a snack in bars. Regional cooking varies according to location, with plenty of fresh fish and shellfish to be found along the coastline and a greater use of meat and game further inland. Local dishes include ‘Bacalao' (salt cod), ‘Marmitako' (fresh tuna stew), ‘Cordero al Chilindron' (spicy lamb stew) and ‘Txangurro relleno' (stuffed spider crabs).
Festivals in Spanish Basque country
19 to 20 January: San Sebastian Drum Festival, 29 June: Haro Wine Festival, 6 to 14 July: Los Sanfermines Bull Running Festival (Pamplona), July: San Sebastian Jazz Festival, 4 to 9 August: Festival of the Virgin Mary (Vitoria-Gasteiz), August: Bilbao's Big Week, September: San Sebastian International Film Festival, September: San Mateo Wine Festival (Logroño).
Climate in Spanish Basque country
The Basque Country's climate is generally quite mild and wet, although there is some variation between coastal and inland areas. The Basque coast experiences relatively high levels of rainfall, cold winters and warm summers where temperatures regularly reach 25 degrees, whilst some areas further south enjoy a Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and little rain.
