Hello everyone. I will be going to Bilbao for a long weekend probably in mid September and I would appreciate any accommodation recommendations there. Thanks for any help you can give.

Hi Bricamb! I just searched the forum for you and found an number of threads regarding hotels and hostels in Bilbao. Here' what I wrote just last month with regards to hostels: I used keywords HOSTAL BILBAO, but you can use HOTEL BILBAO as well to find hotels which you might find interesting. Anyone else?

Saludos, MadridMan

I stayed at Hotel Siri Miri in the old part of town June 14, 15, & 16, 2002. I paid 50 euros per night for a single room. It was okay, but not very fancy. The room was clean, not cramped, but kind od dark, with a huge, nice bathroom. Delicious buffet breakfast in the hotel dining room (costs extra, about 5 euros, I think) but nothing else besides breakfast. I recommend it. The name, "Siri Miri" means "drizzle" (light rain) in Euskara (Basque). The fax number is 94-433-0875.

Thanks very much to both of you for your help. It will be my first time in Bilbao so I'm looking to spend some time there and also go to San Sebastian and perhaps Santander. The hotels you've mentioned seem very good value so I will investigate further. Thanks again

Whey hey just booked my flight out to Bilbao for the 16th of September. After doing some preliminary ready, my "long weekend" has now turned into a full week. Any more hotel recommendations and tips re. Bilbao/San Sebastian and the surrounding area most welcome.

We stayed at Hostal Begona in Bilao two weeks ago. We stayed there before going to Pamplona and liked it so much that we stayed there again on our way back to Madrid. The people there are very friendly. The lobby and rooms look recently redone. Very clean and nicely decorated in bright colors. It was also one of the only hostals that had internet connection there in the lobby. Your room also has a small mini bar with water, soda, beer, juice. It is also very well located only blocks from the train station and a 5 minute metro ride from the bus station. I highly recommend staying there.

We also took a bus from Bilboa to San Sabatian. We stayed at the Hotel Niza . It was kind of last minute and it was all we could find with a vacancy so we payed a little more than we had wanted to but it was worth it. You walk out of the back of the hotel to a beautiful beach. Breakfast with a roll, a crossant, coffee and orange juice is included in the price. They have a wonderful spanish/italian restaurant below with great prices and the hotel is beautiful.

To Travler--A week in Bilbao is a long time. Get yourself to San Sebastian and have a look around and then treat yourself to a little sea side town of Hondarriva. It's 20 miles past San Sebastian on the Spain/France border. Cool little town. Full of small, nice, and inexpensive hotels and restaurants. No crowds in this area and the most friendly people, even if you cand understand their language. Really a layed-back place. A few miles across the border is Saint Jean de Luz, France. Worth a visit. Good luck--chinaclipper.

Thanks for the recommendations! Travler, the Hotel Niza looks wonderful and pretty reasonable for a 3 star hotel.

Don't go to Hondarriva. Instead, go to Hondarribia/Fuenterrabia (just in case Hondarriva isn't on the map )

As MM pointed out, there is a bunch of information already here for you on this topic...have a great trip to Bilbao!!!

You will love Bilbao, I am not going to be ready to leave this awesome place in less than a month
. If you have time while in Bilbao, take the metro to some of the surrounding areas outside the city. There is a lot more to the city than just the Guggenheim. Try taking the metro to Sopelana beach (metro: Sopelana, or Larrabastera), explore Las Arenas (metro: Areeta), Plentzia (metro: Plentzia). If you are into shopping, try either Casco (metro: Casco Viejo), or Gran Via (metro: Moyua)
Also, while in the north, dont miss San Sebastion, Santander, and if you have a chance, try the small town of Santillana del Mar.
Enjoy Bilbao!