A Dream Location

Guest: Randolph H.
Date of Stay: 09/26/10 Review Submitted: 10/30/11

Have just returned from 5 weeks travelling in Spain. During my stay I rented 6 different homes/villas/apartments for various times. Without doubt our time in Etxalar was our favourite accommodation for a ream of reasons. First off the location of this glorious home in the mountains overlooking the village of Etxalar. The House is beautiful, a piece of art to live in. It was clean, spacious, countless nooks and patios to sit and breath it all in and the decoration of the home......just lovely with origional art and bright clean colous. Secondly, Beki, our host. Thanks so very much Beki for making our stay such a wonderful experience. Your enthuasim for the country, the nearby village, the people and culture of Spain, and your daily interaction with us truly contributed tremendously to our stay...not just in Etxalar but also in our perspective of Spain in general. I would highly recommend this property for anybody travelling to Spain who wants a taste of the wonderful Basque country.....a haven for sleeping and enjoying wonderful meals at the end of a long day of wandering or simply to come, unpack and enjoy the wonderful vistas, quiet and beauty of this place in the mountains outside the village.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, pet owners, girls getaway, adventure seekers, age 55+.

Basque Country town

Guest: Happyholidayers (Australia)
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 07/23/11

If you are looking for a "get away from it all" location, this is for you. The town of Extalar is only 30 minutes from the western Spainish coastline to towns such as San Sebastian on good quality highways. If the travelling doesn't bother you and you want to have access to the more touristy spots while staying in a very non-touristy area, then this town is for you. Our host, Becky was delightful and very informative. This part of the Basque country consists of beautiful hillsides, lovely walks in nearby national parks (everything is a windy road drive to get to which seems normal for this part of the world). Restaurant selection is minimal in the town and the surrounding towns, however, again, if you are willing to do the drive there are nice restaurants 30-60 minutes away. Ensure you telephone to check if restaurants are open as we were disappointed on 2 or 3 occasions where we arrived to closed restaurants. Suggested day trip is the Cog Railway in France in the town of Sare. Other activities in the region which were worth a visit included a visit to historic timber boat museum (great tour, very personalised) and the cider museum. If you want a busy hub then go elsewhere, if you want peace and quiet with lovely views and self-catering opportunities, then definitely this is a good location. The house itself is just as advertised and the photos were accurate. A bit chilly for those of us not used to European cooler climates so bring an extra jacket if you are from the southern hemisphere! Thanks again Becky, it was lovely having the opportunity to meet with you and gain some local insights.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, pet owners.

We Loved This Place!

Guest: Helen (Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Date of Stay: 05/24/11 Review Submitted: 06/02/11

My husband and I and our daughter and son-in-law just returned from a few lovely days staying at this wonderful place. It is even better than advertised. The views were georgeous, the amenities of the house excellent, and we could have spent a couple months there! Our landlords were helpful ahead of time and during our stay. The house is up a winding lane which you definitely have to be lead to the first time (as one earlier reviewer had said, it's not on the GPS!), but that's part of the point. You're absolutely out in the mountainous countryside yet able to view tiny Extalar below you in the valley. The town has the basics (restaurant, bar, store), but the area, although remote, is actually quite close to French towns and others around. We enjoyed not only the house and relaxing on the large porch and terraces, but also cooking there with wonderful produce procured at a village market on the French side as suggested by our hostess. It made a good base from which to explore Biarritz, and San Sebastian, and Bilbao, but also to follow the smaller roads among the Basque villages of which Extalar is one. Mist on the mountains in the morning! If one were a hiker, I imagine the area would be heaven. We are so glad we chose this house, and others who do will not be disappointed. Our stay here was the highlight of our Spain trip, where we also spent several days in Barcelona and Madrid. Basque history is fascinating, and staying here helped us to learn more about it.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, families with young children, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+.

Beauty in Basque Country

Guest: DF (New York, NY)
Date of Stay: 05/04/11 Review Submitted: 05/30/11

Imagine waking up in a beautiful house to the view from your balcony in the photo above. This house provides the best of both worlds: a modern, well-appointed house surrounded by unspoiled, verdant hills and farmland, with more sheep than people. At night, you overlook the twinkling lights of the village of picturesque Etxalar. Etxalar, a charming village, is hardly a metropolis, but it is close to so many places you'll want to visit: we took day trips to Bilbao, San Sebastian, Biarritz and the French Basque Country, Hondaribbia, and explored the whole northern coast. We often made lunch the big meal of the day and then came back to the house and feasted on cheese, bread, and the wonderful produce so easily available at dinnertime. We wanted not only to explore the area, but take advantage of the beautiful house, built and maintained with so much pride by the Beguiristain family. Beki, our host, was more than willing to help with directions, sightseeing suggestions, and restaurant ideas. All three of us loved our stay in Etxalar.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, adventure seekers, families with teenagers, age 55+.

A perfect vacation on an amazing place.

Guest: Anca & family (Thornhill, Ontario, Canada)
Date of Stay: 09/07/10 Review Submitted: 09/30/10

We enjoyed 5 wonderful days in Basque Contry. The house is gorgeous, with rustic furniture and decorations, truthful to the pictures on the website. Very clean and quiet. The view from the balcony is absolutely fabulous. Our host Beki was very kind and helpful, offering a lot of information regarding the area. The road to the house (which cannot be found with the GPS!) is very narrow, through the woods, but this was part of the fun. The village is very picturesque and the restaurant at the Venta hotel very good and cheap. You can take "Le Petit Train de La Rhune" ,(one of the 3 cogwheel trains in France) and enjoy a splendid panoramic view of the Pyrenees and the Basque Country. Jean de Luz, San Sebastian and Hondaribia are the gems of the area. Our vacation ended too soon, but who knows, maybe one day we'll return. Meanwhile we recommended this place to all our friends.

Recommended for:Sightseeing, romantic getaway, age 55+.

Guest: Kirsten Stimmel (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/09/09 Review Submitted: 09/09/09

What a beautiful house and an unbelievably gorgeous setting! For breathtaking views and a wonderful experience in the Basque country, you couldn't do better than to stay at this lovely place. Great walks, friendly villagers and a wonderful restaurant in town, this was a wonderful experience for my family. We hope to return one day!

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