The 10 Best Hotels for Views in the Basque Country
The geography is no joke in the Basque Country. From its rugged coastline and resulting inlets and picturesque seaside villages to the rolling, castle-mounted hills of Rioja Alavesa wine country to the green forests of Vizcaya to the snow-capped peaks of the Pyrenees, the region truly has it all. And with such intense and diverse landscapes means stunning vistas of every kind are commonplace here. The hotels below know that a good view goes a long way and provide guests with the most unforgettable vantage points in the Basque Country.
Hotel & Spa Etxegana
Why it made the list
On top of a mountain in the heart of Gorbeia Nature Park, a natural reserve often compared to Yosemite and the Swiss Alps, Hotel & Spa Etxegana provides sweeping views of the surrounding geography. Enormous windows are ever-present in the hotel, from the restaurant to the rooms to the spa, in order to take advantage of the landscape. The dramatic canyons, limestone cliffs, lush forests, and imposing granite peaks provide endless pleasure at this serene mountain lodge.
Hotel Castillo El Collado
Why it made the list
The fortified medieval village of Laguardia is perched up on a steep mound surrounded by the beauty of the Rioja Alavesa wine country in every direction. And in a privileged position at the very top of Laguardia is Hotel Castillo El Collado. Rooms in the revival castle provide views of rolling vineyards and classic villages and sharply rising mountains beyond. But the best views are had atop the castle tower, a private lounge area only for guests providing an unbeatable position with a 360-degree vantage point.
Gaztelu Begi
Why it made the list
The name of the hotel in Basque means castle view. Appropriately enough, the charming rural Basque house nestled atop the steep coastal hills between Bakio and Bermeo overlooks a striking islet connected to the cliffs of the mainland by a winding and ancient stone staircase that is unlike anything else you’ve ever seen. The stairs eventually lead to the top of the isle, to the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a thousand-year-old hermitage. A huge surge in visitors has occurred since it became a shooting location for Game of Thrones. But hey, if it’s arresting enough to be the ancestral home of the Mother of Dragon herself, well, you know you are in for something special.
Hotel Iturregi
Why it made the list
The rural Basque house turned luxury mountain retreat is perched up on the rolling hillsides above the fishing village of Getaria, surrounded by vineyards and forests, and possesses some of the most romantic ocean views in the entire region. The hotel faces out towards San Sebastián to the West and the French Basque Country beyond it, and every little nook and cranny of coastline in between. On a clear day you can see all the way up to Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz.
Hotel Eguren Ugarte
Why it made the list
The boutique hotel that rises above the wonderful Eguren Ugarte winery faces the entirety of the Rioja Alavesa basin and the Iberian mountain range beyond. The vistas are simply mesmerizing. Rolling vineyards spread as far as the eye can see in either direction with ancient castle-topped mounds peppering the countryside. And the same geography that makes the weather here so perfect for grape growing also tends to make high, scattered clouds that create a kaleidoscopic lighting as it constantly shifts across the landscape. The hotel is designed so that every room faces out onto the utterly dreamy vistas, and the hotel restaurant is on the uppermost floor with panoramic windows to create a romantic dinner environment that is one of a kind.
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