Barceló Bilbao Nervión

We stayed here for three nights for a city break. Upon entry in the hotel you could see just how clean everything was reception was very prompt and efficient and our room was available immediately even though it was 10:30 am. The room was modern and very very clean toiletries and fantasy sets were provided and the room was cleaned on a daily basis. The real star of this hotel is the breakfast area and the breakfast staff again amazingly clean and the food so so fresh and very very clean looking. There were ample pastries cooked breakfast cold cuts salad and fruit self service. Coffee was also available. I have stayed in a number of Barcelo hotels over the years and this one did not disappoint. The location of this hotel was perfect for a city break with walking access to the old town the Guggenheim Museum and a number of the districts of the city. I thoroughly recommend this hotel.

For a four-star hotel at this price point, the experience was thoroughly disappointing. There was no water or coffee machine in the room, and the shower thermostat was broken, leaving me battling scalding or freezing water daily—despite multiple reports, it was never fixed, nor was I offered a room change. Worse, the room design was completely dysfunctional: an open bathroom with no way to create privacy, no hooks or space to place shoes at the entrance, making it feel thoughtless and uncomfortable. My request for even a paid upgrade at check-in was ignored, and I ended up with a room facing a construction site. Despite a nice lobby and location, the lack of functionality and service was unacceptable. I would never stay again.

The room I was allocated was as basic as they come. The room looked uncared for with wires hanging down from behind the TV, and the bottom of the bathroom door was very chipped. I could not open the fridge without moving the bedside table. The wi-fi only reached the bathroom (adjacent to the hall). My PC on the desk could not pick up a working signal. No comfortable chair. When I checked out (at the end of my planned stay - prepaid there were no charges) the person on reception looked at his PC then just said 'OK done' - no, 'have a good journey' or anything. Just seems like they treat solo non-corporate travellers with contempt.

Booked this hotel through British Airways for a city break. It is situated only minutes from the old town. A very nice, comfortable hotel with helpful staff. Our only issue was with the Wi-Fi which kept cutting out to our room on the seventh floor. It’s a good idea to pay for breakfast in advance, €15 pppd, or €20 on the day as we couldn’t find anywhere else that did one. It has a nice lounge/ bar and with a medium glass of Rioja for €3 we spent most evenings there. We visited Bermeo and Mundaka by train and San Sebastián by bus ( much quicker than the train). A very enjoyable few days.

I was a bit concerned because some of the recent reviews were negative. But I did not experience any of the problems they mentioned. People at the Reception Desk were always helpful and friendly, the room was quiet and quite well furnished, the restaurants --especially the breakfasts-- were excellent. The location is great as one can walk along the river to the Guggenheim museum as well as to the old town. It was also a pleasant walk to my conference in Bizkaria Aretoa. Excellent value. All in all, I can striongly recommend this hotel.

We missed a function because the check in took so long. There was a huge queue and not enough staff.