[Anonymous]

Can anyone help with a recommendation for overnight accommodation in the Bilbao area at the end of August… we need to be at the port for a lunchtime sailing and so need to be fairly close, perhaps within an hour’s drive. We are a party of 4, 2 adults & 2 young children, so need a family room or similar…. and preferably not too expensive. I would be grateful for any leads or ideas, and contact details/internet link if available. Many thanks.

[Anonymous]

Have you checked the Ferry company websites. They also have discounts agreed with the ferry company.

If not successful driving around the area will give results. Need to be patient and don’t panic. You will find something, compromises will have to be made.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Shakeel – for some reason I never thought about the ferry company website, but you are right, they do advertise. Driving around not such fun with 2 tired and hungry kids, still, if needs must????!!!!

[Anonymous]

Either smile at the kids when driving around or stop and smile at the croc.

[Anonymous]

Hiya,

Having recently done a nearly 4000km journey from our home in Asturias thru France and back home via Girona (nr Barcelona), Aragon, Navarra etc with 3 children aged between 7 yrs and 7 months my advice would be to fill your car full of snacks and picnic lunch stuff! We spent almost 100€ on food on the way to France as we stopped at proper places…

Oh and add about 3 hrs onto your rout planners estimated time to allow for all the stops you need to make!!! Our 6 hr routes were about 8hrs after stops..and that was when we were really evil about the timing of them, it was 10hrs before! Try and plan when to stop..

And depending on the age of your children, little surprise “presents” (cheap things such as new colouring books or reading books). We found a story CD worked really well as we all enjoyed Charlottes Web (if anyone has CD 3…) but don´t rely on DVD players as ours stopped working as we crossed the French border!! We had some good conversations though!

Try Santander or Torrelavega as well for accomodation if you have not already found some..or if you get desperate enough to do a 3.5 hr drive, my apartments free… 😉

Good luck…budget for petrol especially if heading thru France as it is SOO expensive there, Spain is between 30 to 50 cents cheaper a litre!!!

Have a good holiday..

Heather

[Anonymous]

Hi Heather, great tips and yes, we get snacks, drinks, toys, games etc. The drive itself is not really a problem – we have been doing this sort of thing with them since they were very little, and gameboys work a treat – the old version so that if we lose it, who cares… goes on every trip!! They get fed up & it gets more difficult when they know the end is near and we fanny around trying to find somewhere to stay or are lost, and when they are getting tired and grissly before they fall asleep… or when they fight!!! We have done the route from Bilbao to Malaga already, though not the return, and they were brilliant….. thank goodness for that Mcdonalds chain!!! Last time they were ‘sea sick’ and ‘car sick’ at the start, but they still want to go for it again. Tough little nuts really! We have to be near the port for the return sailing and don’t want to risk a non-stop trip through the night – we would rather plan to be there well ahead of time and stay overnight, not for the kids’ sake, but for ours!!?? Thanks for the offer, but 3 & 1/2 hours is a little bit too far.

[Anonymous]

Hi here I have a solution for you:

I have lived in Bilbao some years ago and I have reserved rooms in this place several times.

It is called “Albergue Bilbao Aterpetxea”. Its website is http://albergue.bilbao.net/.

The prices is very cheap cause they have rooms of 4 beds and so on and the quality is impresive although this is not a hotel.

Albergue Bilbao Aterpetxea
Ctra. Basurto-Kastrexana Errep., 70
48002 BILBAO

Phone: 94 427 00 54
Fax : 94 427 54

PRICES

SEASON Low High Low High
Euros Euros Euros Euros
2 SINGLE ROOMS (breakfast included) 18,15 19,70 19,70 21,05
24 DOUBLE ROOMS (breakfast included) 16,60 18,15 18,15 19,70
4 TRIPLE ROOMS (breakfast included) 16,60 18,15 18,15 19,70
14 ROOMS OF 4 (breakfast included) 15,10 16,60 16,60 18,15
4 ROOMS OF 6 (breakfast included) 13,50 15,10 15,10 16,60

I hope that helps you and your family.

[Author]

Posts