Ibaia    

the hotel is in an old castle that was renovated into hotel and the atmosphere is great.

Superb Hotel with amazing architecture and the rooms are very up to date with excellent facilities. The beds are comfortable and the room featured a walk in wet room power shower which was a blessing. Ate our meal in the main restaurant with a 5 courses and food amazing ! Very reasonably priced

The heating was still on in the room due to the winter settings which became hot overnite and the air con wasn't set up.

This is a really great hotel, very stylish and comfortable. The staff are friendly and very helpful. We ate in the bar and the food served was delicious and well presented, with excellent wines. Next time we'll try the restaurant. The buffet breakfast was excellent too. Plus, it's an easy 30 minute drive to Bilbao airport.

The weekends get very busy with functions so try and plan a mid-week stay, if you want to chill out.

Our bedroom was more of a suite - extremely comfortable and luxurious. Our evening meal was delicious and excellent value. The staff were friendly and very helpful. All in all, a delightful hotel in which to spend our last night in Spain before taking the ferry from Bilbao.

Everything was clean and tidy and modern in a traditional context.

Although this was an elegantly converted convent (the fantastic chapel remains intact), the place felt soul-less. Having said this, although the food was very expensive - possibly due to being the only available restaurant in the area, I have no other complaints whatsover.

The hotel is full of character in design and facilities, everything is of a very high standard. Room quiet, bed very large and comfortable. Staff were all very attentive and responsive - despite the restaurant being closed (only open for weekend evenings) we were offered and enjoyed a good menu in the cafeteria.

No negatives - an excellent start to a tour of Northern Spain.

Set half an hour inland from the Bilboa ferry, so away from the city. The food was the best we have had whilst travelling across Spain over the last 12 years.

Sadly as it was very low season the restaurant was only open at lunch time, but well worth visiting.

Beautiful surroundings, friendly staff, good food, nice rooms.

Tiny hotel located out of the city Close to Bilbao Surrounded by mountains, enough place to walk Great castle style interier

Improve English speaking skills for personnel

El servicio muy bueno y el hotel precioso. Great service and a lovely hotel.

wonderful place to stay, very quiet. It was a pitty that the restaurant only opened on friday and saturday. but we got a good menu in the bar too.

nothing, but maybe in future a swimming pool?

Quiet.

Lack of English in restaurant.

I chose this hotel after an internet search for our one-night stop-over on our return from Galicia to our home in France. The idea of sleeping in a monastery with the promised beautiful mountain views appealed to me. On arrival we were given a corner suite which was totally sumptuous and had mountain views from both windows. The bed was super king size and the rest of the furnishings beautifully arranged. The room was very clean and the aircon very welcome. At booking in at the reception it was recommended to reserve a table in the restaurant which we did even though it wouldn't open until 9 that evening. The food was excellent albeit a bit pricey. Our waitress was super friendly!

The hotel is a great location for wedding receptions and on our arrival on the Friday we wanted to sit out on the terrace and of the roughly 15 to 20 tables and seating arrangements only 1 table with 2 chairs was not reserved and we were directed to by a very friendly staff member! The wedding party started to gather on the terrace at 6 pm and as this was directly under our window it started to get quite noisy. So far no problem. It was however totally unacceptable that small children - age 4 - 10 I guess - started running around and screaming after midnight, the disco music thumping till 4 in the morning and cars tooting whilst driving off at 4.30 am. All in all we had about 2 hours sleep despite the fact the our windows were closed! We didn't really want to make a fuss in the middle of the night and disturb the wedding party but did mention it to the receptionist on leaving the next morning. She did say that this is NOT normal and told us that we should have complained to the reception! However, we didn't feel comfortable running around in the middle of the night especially as we were trying to leave early in the morning! I fully understand that the hotel needs to bring the business in but had I known this I would only have booked during Monday - Thursday (as weekends is probably the favourite time for big weddings). The very noisy night has spoilt an otherwise superb stay in a very sympathetically renovated monastery! We have taken lots of pictures of the building. One does wonder what the monks would have made of all this!

A historic building converted with taste into a spacious and relaxing hotel. Huge terrace, huge salon with fabulous views. Excellent dinner served with charm and friendliness. We chose Ibaia as we had to catch the ferry from Bilbao next morning. From this point of view it was a straightforward 35 min. run to the ferry check-in, but it made for a most enjoyable end to the holiday.

Previous comments about the hotel being difficult to find are unfair. We found that if you enter the full address in the sat-nav, it takes you straight there. It was a stress-free, fairly short drive from the ferry, even after an interval of several years since last driving abroad. The hotel is housed in a former convent and is full of character. The receptionist was very welcoming and helpful on arrival, even coming outside to show me where to park in the free hotel car park. The bedroom was first-class, very large (more like a suite than a bedroom) with wonderful views from the numerous little convent windows on two sides of the room. When we reached our next hotel, my wife realised that she had lost her mobile. I discovered that I had already received an e-mail from the Ibaia informing me that they had found the phone and offering to send it on to us. Service doesn't get much better than that. All in all, an excellent hotel at a budget price - highly recommended. All in all, an excellent hotel

Characterfull and mix between old and new

It's a Magnificent Building decorated with a lot of style and sophistication. The attention has been put on every single detail.The exterior of the Hotel is also fantastic, you are surrounded with mountain tops covered with clouds and pine trees. The rooms are very beautiful and impeccably clean. As a first impression, you might think that the restaurant is overpriced. However, once you see the efforts put in the food preparation and presentation and once you actually try the food, you will agree that the prices are completely realistic.

It's located in a rural area, some 20 km away from Bilbao. This was OK for us, because we used it as a base for exploring Bilbao and some other places within 150 km range. Our GPS had no problems finding it. Room was clean, wi-fi and parking free.

We expected something like a romantic retreat, but "Ibaia" is just a plain hotel. The pictures of a mansion, church, huge hall with fantastic chandelier are just good marketing. They do not convey the real atmosphere which is pretty dull. The breakfast was rather poor for a 4* place.

We liked the decor and building. Some staffvery friendly and helpful. Wi-fi instant and strong signal. Views stunning.

On registering at the desk we were not welcomed or given any informaton verbally or written about the hotel or the surrounding area. (Later a young receptinist was very helpful with advice about things to visit.) Restaurant very expensive and not open every evening. Cafeteria pleasant but very limited in food choice and no vegetarian main course. Still quite pricy. Wedding parties taking place and as a guest we felt all the main areas were off limits for us. No other cafes or restauants in the local area. Limited parking for hotel guests when an event is taking place.

Wow, looks stunning, great location in mountains, quiet and peaceful. Large clean comfortable room. Plenty of free parking. Nice walk into local town and bar. Just lovely. If it has a pool or spa it would be a 10.

This hotel is STUNNING! Set in an old convent the building is pleasant antiquity with modern interior decor. All with a rustic charm. The grounds and surrounding area is beautiful. Exquisitely set in a rural area it's tranquil environs are ideal for personal retreat, family vacation, or romantic getaway. And yet this hotel is conveniently situated close to Bilbao: A 10 minute drive to the Guggenheim.

Relaxed place without ans pressure or demand To use Services orovided in this cosy, spacy Hand Vers special location - positive surprise, would return whenever I will around .

Wow!!! We loved this hotel. It was once a convent and has been beautifully and tastefully renovated. The history and ambience of the building has been retained. The hotel was serving meals in the cafe whilst we were there and there was an option to eat outside on the courtyard. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Lovely bedroom with extremely comfortable bed. Our room looked out over the courtyard. Close to Bilbao, ideal. This is definitely an hotel that will stay in one's memory. We had a wonderful stay

Absolutely nothing

Beautiful clean modern bedrooms, tastfully restored old convent that oozes charm and character. The hotel is ideal for relaxing away from crowds. The church in the convent adds some magic to the building. Really well priced for tea/coffee/snacks, free internet, nice terrace to soak up the sun. It's a popular wedding venue, three on the weekend we stayed there, yet we never heard a sound! The countryside is charming and almost Alpine. It was a joy to stay there, the staff were courteous helpful and professional. If we were getting married abroad we would have held the reception there. Just look at the photos on the website- it really looks like that!

It needs a garden or outside space, something to push it to 5 star level, maybe a pool or something. No tea/coffee facilities in the room. You are 20 mins from Bilbao and the hotel is in a village with three bars, no restaurants and one shop. Very quiet during the week,due to econ downturn in Spain. Expensive at weekends but only €110 per night Mon-Thur., Compared to €180 at weekend.

A beautiful oasis. Only a few miles from Bilbao but the mountain scenery put us in mind of Austria or Switzerland. Very peaceful and welcome break from the mad rush around the city and ferry port.

The cafeteria was very good but we felt we should have been warned in advance that the restaurant does not open in the evenings.