Ea Astei
Near Guernica, Basque Country, Spain
A little bit of heaven in the hills above the coast, with a shimmering pool and a clutch of gorgeous self-catering boltholes for 2-6
OK, let’s do away with objective reporting and frankly
declare our hand: we had the most marvellous time at Ea Astei.
There were 2 reasons for this. First, the country here is
gob-smackingly lovely, with forested hills zooming off for miles
and sun-kissed beaches peppering the coast. Then there is Mertxe
and Peio, the loveliest people you could ever hope to meet, who
welcome you into their small patch of heaven with open arms.
This land is theirs. Peio works above the main house in his very
swish sawmill, making the most beautiful prefab houses out of glass
and wood, a couple of which stand in the garden for lucky people
like us to stay in. Mertxe potters about making sure everything is
ready for your arrival, her keen eye for rustic charm as good as
any. You either stay in the main house (2 enormous apartments, each
utterly gorgeous) or you decamp into the garden (rustic cabin or
super-cool grand design). It really doesn’t matter where you
end up as long as you end up here. It's ideal for groups of
friends, and even better for families. Ea Astei loves kids and kids
love Ea Astei. Bilbao and Guernica (Gernika) are close, but you may
just spurn them for all those lovely beaches.
Reviewed by Tom Bell
Last updated 31 January 2012
Highs
- The countryside here is gorgeous, with oodles of light bouncing off vivid green hills and fragrant eucalyptus forests. Signed walks start from your front door
- The half dozen beaches within 10km - some sandy, some for surfing, some for families
- A choice of cool accommodation: a rustic cabin on stilts with an open-air sitting room below, gorgeous old apartments in the main house, or the slick boutique-style Vita and Okana with their impressive eco credentials
- The swimming pool with its terrace, sauna and hot tub, plus lovely views
- Kitchens are well kitted out for self-catering (buy wonderful cheeses, cider and honey at Guernica's market), and there are simple and smart restaurants a short drive away
Lows
- You’re lost in the hills, so you’ll need a car
- Entire bathrooms behind walls of glass in Vita and Okana won’t be to everyone’s taste
- The swimming pool gets rather busy in high season, and children will need supervision
- This is a seriously peaceful spot, but we’d guess you occasionally get noise from other properties in busy periods, or even from the sawmill every now and then
