Hotel Gudamendi

Sweet old hotel up on the hill overlooking the ocean. Though it was raining from time to time (which is rather normal), we could spent quite a bit outside and enjoy the stunning view of the ocean and the nearby mountains. They have a rather large playground for kids and all in all a very nice experience.

The property itself was stunning. Amazing views, well manicured gardens, spacious pool and very clean dining area. All about 20 mins from the heart of San Sebastian. But, the rooms and the service we experienced were incredibly disappointing - especially for a hotel with a 4* rating. The rooms were bare with no amenities. We had to pay 2€ for a kettle and source our own tea/coffee and cups. The mini fridge was empty and there were no robes, slippers or set of soaps in the bathroom (just one standard soup from a dispenser). The rooms themselves were old, but comfortable enough. The service was the most disappointing part. At the cafe/bar they did not offer table service. We had to order our food at the bar, pick it up and clean it up ourselves. We found that they would mark tables as reserved to dissuade guests from taking tables - which is just awful. I saw the staff reject guests who wanted a simple sandwich, because the food service was closed for another 1.5 hours (despite there being 3 staff hanging out and talking by the bar with literally nothing to do). I find this odd because the location is quite isolated and could be the only source of food for guests if they didn’t want to drive to find a proper restaurant. I also believe it’s unacceptable for a 4* hotel to not offer complimentary water or coffee/tea to their guests for this reason as well. There was also no service at the pool or access to drinking water there. They charge 13€ extra for breakfast which didn’t offer any hot or freshly cooked food. Only pastries, fruits and cold cuts - again all self serve and self clean. I wouldn’t mind these things if I chose a simple hotel. But we chose this one because of its 4* rating. I honestly can’t understand how it can hold this rating while offering what they’re currently offering. Later on our trip we stayed at a 2* hotel down in Vitoria and the services offered made us feel like royalty.

The check in was great and seamless, the person at the front desk spoke excellent English. The restaurant is not worth the four-star rating. The dishes were pizza, hamburgers, chicken wings etc. Without any actually "great" food options. We travelled down the mountain to eat in the city. The beds were great and there was even a extra pillow in the closet. The room also had a geat shower with lots of room to wash yourself. There was no garbage bin in the room and we had to use the small one in the bathroom. There was also no toilet brush inside the bathroom, which we thought is a bit peculiar and unsanitary. Also to note - the "garden view" is a view to the courtyard and you need to close the curtains to have some more privacy.