My husband and I decided to do an Iberian Peninsula Roadtrip for our honeymoon with San Sebastian being the main destination where we'd stay a whole week. The food, basque culture and beautiful mountains and beaches were the main draw. We're adventurous and laid back but obviously enjoy comfortable amenities too. Therefore, we chose Maria's apartment. We wanted to stay beachfront with a view and an outdoor space to relax on -- without these things, a vacation can feel more like a hustle where you have to stay out all day and night to feel part of the city you're in. Maria's was perfect. FOr instance, after hiking to the beautiful Pasaje de San Juan (a 3 hr hike -- the entrance 5 mins from Maria's apt) we bussed back and were home around 5pm. With dinner not until 9/10, we wanted to relax but didn't feel like packing a big bag after our already-full day and going down to the beach. Instead, we hung out on the porch watching the surfers, reading, and having a cocktail. This is what our days were like: PERFECT. It's hard to relax in a hotel room for 4-5 hours and not get stir crazy, but with the views and outdoor space at Maria's, there was no problem with any of that. We eased into our mornings with breakfast & coffee on the porch (there's a small family grocery directly under the apt with eggs, cheese, incredible fruit, cold coffees etc). In the afternoons we surfed on Zurriola beach, hiked, or walked around town. At night, of course, we ate and ate and ate. This is in Gros, it isn't in the Old Town or La Concha but it's only a 10 minute walk beautiful along the way. In fact, we much preferred Gros to Old Town or La Concha - they were very nice to visit, but a little cramped and stuffy to stay in...meanwhile, Gros is like Brooklyn but on the beach. It's the locals area, the surfers beach, and much more relaxed, artistic and even more affordable. The beds were very comfortable and the showers (2 bathrooms) had fantastic pressure and water. I'm not sure if there was AC but you truly don't need it if the temps are below 75 during the day and in the 50s/low 60s at night (and I'm a diva when it comes to AC); the fan is fine. The decor and furniture isn't high-end, but there's no real reason to stay in watching TV on the couch anyway. We plan on doing a roadtrip from Biarritz to Portugal within the next few years and definitely want to stay at Maria's again. Thank you!
