Hotel Artetxe

Set in three handsome stone cottages perched on a mountainside, the Hotel Artetxe is ideally positioned to make the most of a stunning outlook. The hotel looks out over Bilbao -- its sea of red-clay rooftops in front of lush mountains Inside -- from a lovely green garden with a handful of seating areas. Decorated in an attractively rustic style, the main building has thick stone walls, leather Chesterfield couches, and wooden window frames . The hotel’s breakfast room was a later addition to the main house, and it has two glass walls that provide lovely vistas over the city. Staff at this family-run property receive consistently great reviews. The Hotel Artetxe attracts couples looking for a quiet setting that's still within easy driving distance of Bilboa. 

The Hotel Artetxe overlooks Bilbao, so it should come as no surprise that the city is easy to reach despite the property's rural location. The northern terminus of the funicular that runs down the mountainside and into the city is a two-minute drive away, while a bus into town stops outside the hotel (the journey takes over 30 minutes). For those with cars or utilizing taxis, the Guggenheim, Museum of Fine Arts and the shopping avenues off the Plaza de Don Federico Moyua are just 10 minutes away, while the Plaza Berria and the Bilboko Donejakue Katedrala are a 15-minute drive. Bilbao-Abando station is 15 minutes away by car, providing easy access to RENFE services across Spain. Expect transfers to Bilbao Airport to take around 15 minutes by car.

The 12 rooms at the Hotel Artetxe are on the simple, low-frills side, as they lack air-conditioning and mini-fridges. Rooms are individually decorated, with either dated combinations of traditional wood furniture, old-fashioned tile floors, and simple bedspreads, or more tasteful dark-wood furniture, modern artwork, and bright pops of pink or green in linens. All rooms all have comfy double beds, small desks and chairs, and wall-mounted flatscreen TVs, plus some add tea- and coffee-making facilities. The three attic rooms are larger and have sloped ceilings with exposed beams. These also have separate living areas, furnished with pullout couches, dining tables that seat four, and decently equipped kitchenettes with two-ring electric hobs, microwaves, kettles, mini-fridges, and all the usual dishes and cookware. Bathrooms are clean and modern, with walk-in shower cubicles, some of which have rainfall showerheads. Safes, free Wi-Fi, wall-mounted hairdryers, and toiletries are provided.

This small property does not offer its guests much in the way of amenities, lacking a full restaurant and wellness facilities of any kind. That said, the hotel does offer an expansive breakfast buffet of homemade yogurt, fruit, cheese and charcuterie, Spanish tortillas, pastries, and Basque "pintxos" (small bites). It receives positive reviews for quality and variety, and comes at a reasonable cost. The family makes wine and sells it at the front desk. Free Wi-Fi and free parking are also available on-site.