Santander Hotels: Where to Stay in Cantabria

Santander sits on the Bay of Biscay in the Cantabria region of northern Spain. The city has a long beach district called El Sardinero, a royal summer palace, and a busy harbor. This guide covers five Santander hotels we could confirm with more than one source. We also flag what we could not confirm. Room rates change daily, so we do not quote them. Use the Expedia link below to see current availability.

Compare Santander, Cantabria, Spain hotels on Expedia

Where to Stay in Santander, Spain

Hotels in Santander: Quick Overview

Five Santander hotels from our earlier guide still appear on major booking sites. Two sit near the harbor and the old center. Three sit in or near El Sardinero, the beach district. Each one lists a front desk, free Wi-Fi, and air conditioning in the rooms.

We rechecked every address, check-in time, and amenity against at least two sources. Where only one source backed a detail, we say so. Phone calls remain the best way to settle any open question before you pay.

Hotels in Santander near El Sardinero Beach

El Sardinero is the classic beach quarter. The city tourism board describes the First Beach as the center of the district. In the mid 19th century the beach became known for wave baths, a therapeutic practice. The Second Beach is the largest in Santander and was the first surfing spot in Spain, according to the same board. Three hotels below sit within a short walk of this sand.

Eurostars Hotel Real

Eurostars Hotel Real stands at Paseo Perez Galdos 28, Santander 39005. Expedia and Hotels.com agree on this address. We did not find a phone number on either page, so check the hotel website for contact details.

Check-in starts at 3:00 PM. Check-out ends at 12:00 noon. Expedia lists a restaurant called El Puntal with regional dishes, a cafe, a terrace, a garden, and a gym. Both sources list free Wi-Fi and free parking for guests with a car. Both list an airport shuttle for an extra charge and an electric vehicle charging point. Pets are not allowed.

Hotels.com also lists a seawater pool under a glass roof, a spa with a sauna and a Turkish bath, and a bar called Theros with a panoramic terrace. Expedia does not mention a pool or spa. We treat the pool and spa as unconfirmed. Ask the hotel before you book for the spa.

Hotels.com puts the hotel about 8 minutes on foot from El Sardinero Beach and the Gran Casino. The same page lists the Palacio de la Magdalena about 9 minutes away by car. These times come from one source and may vary.

Gran Hotel Sardinero

Gran Hotel Sardinero sits at Plaza de Italia 1, Santander 39005, in the middle of the beach district. Expedia and Lastminute agree on the address, the 102 rooms, and the times. Check-in starts at 3:00 PM and check-out ends at 12:00 noon.

Both sources list two restaurants, a bar, a coffee shop, a terrace, a business center, and a 24-hour front desk. Free Wi-Fi covers the property. Breakfast and parking cost extra. Pets are not allowed and the hotel is non-smoking.

Expedia places the Sardinero Casino about 1 minute on foot away and El Sardinero Beach about 3 minutes away. Lastminute says the beach is about 5 minutes on foot. The two times differ a little, so expect a very short walk. We did not find a phone number. Our old guide gave a build year for the hotel. We could not confirm the year, so we dropped the claim.

Hotel Chiqui

Hotel Chiqui stands at Avenida Manuel Garcia Lago 9, Santander 39005. Our old guide placed this hotel in the old center. The old placement was wrong. Travelocity and Hotels.com both place the hotel in El Sardinero. Hotels.com puts the beach about 3 minutes away on foot.

Check-in runs from 2:00 PM to midnight. Guests must be 18 or older to check in. Check-out ends at 12:00 noon. Both sources list a restaurant, a bar, a terrace, and free Wi-Fi. Travelocity adds a 24-hour front desk, a lift, and an accessible bathroom option.

Travelocity lists a seasonal outdoor pool open from April to December. Hotels.com also lists a seasonal outdoor pool. Parking on site costs extra and guests report limited space. Pets are not allowed, though service animals are welcome.

Hotels.com lists the Gran Casino about 14 minutes away on foot. The same page lists the Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos about 9 minutes away.

Hotels in Santander near the Harbor and Old Center

The harbor side of Santander suits visitors who want to walk to the cathedral, the museums, and the bars of Puertochico. Two hotels below sit on this side of town.

Hotel Bahia Santander

Hotel Bahia stands at Calle Cadiz 22, Santander 39002. The Santander tourism board and Fodor’s agree on the address. Both list the phone number 942 205 000. The tourism board lists the hotel among its sustainable establishments.

Fodor’s counts 188 rooms. The guide describes a traditional hotel with a view over the water and the cathedral. The hotel website mentions bay views and cathedral views, a restaurant with local cuisine, and a cafe with a terrace. The site also lists free Wi-Fi and air conditioning. Fodor’s notes no gym.

Our old guide promised a rooftop bar. We found no source for a rooftop bar, so we dropped the claim. We also could not find check-in or check-out times. Call the front desk for both. The website lists two different phone numbers, so use the tourism board number above.

Vincci Puertochico

Vincci Puertochico stands at Calle de Castelar 25, Santander 39004. Expedia and the Michelin Guide agree on the address. Michelin describes a boutique hotel with 52 rooms, renovated in 2003, facing the bay and the Puerto Chico marina.

Check-in starts at 3:00 PM and check-out ends at 12:00 noon. Expedia says the front desk runs 24 hours. Early check-in and late check-out cost extra and depend on space. Smoking is not allowed and pets are not allowed, except service animals.

Expedia lists free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a terrace, a cafe, a bar, room service, and a paid buffet breakfast. Expedia places the Palacio de Festivales about 3 minutes on foot away and the cathedral about 16 minutes away. Playa El Sardinero is about 3 minutes by car. The two sources disagree on parking. One says parking is free. The other says space is limited. Ask the hotel.

Our old guide described a rooftop terrace with a plunge pool. We found no source for this, so we dropped the claim.

Santander Hotels near Palacio de la Magdalena

The Palacio de la Magdalena stands on the highest point of the Magdalena Peninsula. The tourism board says the palace served as the summer home of King Alphonse XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia for seventeen years. Since 1933 the palace has hosted summer courses of the Menendez Pelayo International University. Visitor hours and tour times were not available to us, so check the palace website before you go.

The Magdalena beach lies on the south side of the peninsula. The tourism board says the water there is very calm. Eurostars Hotel Real is the closest of our five hotels by Hotels.com, which lists a drive of about 9 minutes. Distances for the other hotels were not sourced, so we do not state them.

What to See Near Your Santander Hotel

The Cantabrian Maritime Museum offers over 3,000 square meters of exhibits on sea life, fishing, maritime history, and maritime technology. Its collection began in the 18th century. The tourism board lists the Palacio de Festivales, which has hosted shows since 1991 and sits on the bay. Vincci Puertochico lists this palace about 3 minutes away on foot.

The Centro Botin opened in June 2017 and was designed by Renzo Piano. The center has two exhibition halls, a 300-seat auditorium, and bay views. The Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria shows over 1,200 pieces from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages. Hours change by season, so confirm each opening time on the official site.

How to Find Cheap Hotels in Santander

We do not quote rates because they change by date. You can still find cheap hotels in Santander with a few habits. Compare the same dates on several booking sites. Read the cancellation terms, since free cancellation applies only to selected room rates at the hotels above. Add the cost of breakfast and parking, which are paid extras at most of these hotels.

Dates matter. Santander has a long history as a summer resort, so August is likely to be busy. Ask the hotel about shoulder season dates by phone or email.

We did not confirm any motels in Santander. Spain does not use the motel model common in the United States. Smaller guesthouses, called hostales and pensiones, serve budget travelers. The tourism board publishes a Tourist Accommodation Guide with registered lodging. Use the guide to check any small property before you book.

Getting to Santander and Getting Around

The Seve Ballesteros Santander Airport lies about 5 km from the city center. The tourism board lists flights from Madrid, Barcelona, and London, among other cities, on Iberia, Vueling, Ryanair, and Volotea. The S4 bus reaches the bus station in under 20 minutes.

Renfe trains run from Plaza de las Estaciones to Madrid, Valladolid, Palencia, and Alicante. FEVE trains link Bilbao, Oviedo, and other towns in Cantabria. The coach station sits in the city center across from the train stations. By road, the A-8 Cantabrian Highway and the A-67 handle most traffic. Brittany Ferries runs weekly sailings to Plymouth and Portsmouth. Small boats cross the bay daily to Somo and Pedrena.

Hotels in El Sardinero suit travelers who want the beach. Hotels near the harbor suit travelers who want the cathedral, the museums, and the train station within a walk.

Which Santander Hotel Should You Pick?

Choose Eurostars Hotel Real if you want free parking and a garden. Confirm the spa by phone. Choose Gran Hotel Sardinero if you want to be next to the casino and a short walk from the sand. Choose Hotel Chiqui if you want a seasonal pool near the beach. Choose Hotel Bahia if you want bay and cathedral views from a traditional hotel. Choose Vincci Puertochico if you want a small boutique stay by the marina.

Travelers with a car should ask about parking at every hotel. Travelers who plan to fly should ask about the airport shuttle, which Eurostars Hotel Real and Hotel Chiqui both list for a surcharge.

What We Checked for This Santander Hotels Guide

We rechecked all five properties from our earlier guide. All five are listed as operating. We found no closure or rebrand notice. We used the Santander tourism board, Fodor’s, the Michelin Guide, Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Lastminute, and the Hotel Bahia website.

We dropped these old claims for lack of a source: a build year for Gran Hotel Sardinero, a rooftop bar at Hotel Bahia, a rooftop plunge pool at Vincci Puertochico, and the old center location of Hotel Chiqui. We could not confirm a pool or spa at Eurostars Hotel Real from two sources. We found no phone numbers for four of the five hotels. Hotel Bahia is the only hotel with a confirmed number.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Santander offers a solid list of hotels for both beach stays and harbor stays. We confirmed five of them and corrected several old claims. Call ahead to confirm spa access, parking, and Hotel Bahia check-in times. Compare current availability on Expedia, then book early for summer.

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