Maribel or Cristina:
I have been trying different dates for accomodations at the Hotel de Londre y de Inglaterra any day after 9/27 until the 1st and it has no accomodations. The festival ends on the 27th so do either of you have any suggestions? I prefer to be at this hotel as it is on the beach.
Also I cannot locate Hondarribia on any map? Is this a seaside village? If so is there any hotels comparable to the above mentioned hotel?
How long does it take to drive from SS to Santander? Do you suggest staying there a night or two?
Also how long is the drive from SS to Barcelona if we do not stop on the way? Which route would you recommend to take?
Thank you.

Have Traveler2,
I imagine that the 5 star Grande Dame Hotel Westin María Cristina is completely booked.
Have you tried the Hotel Europa? It's not on the beach but only 3 blocks away,a 1 min. walk and a great location even without the bay views (hotel provides beach towels for guests).
There's also the 3 star Hotel Niza, more of a budget choice, less plush, simpler rooms, than the Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra but directly facing La Concha.
But if you don't mind a bit of a walk (up and down the beautiful promenade which is a great walk), there's also the 4 star Hotel Costa Vasca, where we've stayed during high season. It's above Ondarreta beach in an upscale residential area, is an old-time classic that gets a repeat Spanish clientele, has free parking, gardens and a pool. Because it's a bit further from downtown, it sometimes has availability when the de Londres y de Inglaterra doesn't. It's part of the Aránzazu group, which owns the 5 star Carlton in Bilbao.
See them at
www.hotel-europa.com
www.hotelniza.com
www.aranzazu-hoteles.com/Frames-i.html

About Hondarribia,
Yes, it's a wonderfully picturesque, quintessentially Basque fishing village with beach across the Bay of Txingudi from Hendaye, France and the Bidasoa River and only 19 km. from S.S. The S.S. airport is located there. It's very near the Spanish/French border town of Irún. It's known now as Hondarribia in euskara, the Basque language, but its Spanish name is Fuenterrabia, if you have a very old map. (S.S. is Donostia in euskara)

The comparable hotel there to the de Londres y de Inglaterra would be the castle Parador of Carlos V on the Plaza de Armas in the Old Quarter. The terrace has beautiful bay views. www.parador.es
The Obispo and the Pampinot are smaller, highly atmospheric B&B manor homes also in the walled medieval quarter.
www.hotelobispo.com
www.hotelpampinot.com

It takes us under 2 hrs. to drive from Santander to S.S. on the A8/E70, which moves very fast. The drive from S.S. to Barcelona without sightseeing stops would take a bit under 6 hrs., I think.

Whether you go as far west as Santander, Cantabria, for a night or two really depends on the time you have for your Barcelona-S.S.-Bilbao-Santander journey.
I personally don't like to do the S.S.-Barcelona trip in one day, because I find too many interesting stops along the way, such as Pamplona, the capital of Navarra, Jaca in the Aragonese Pyrenees and monuments like the Javier Castle, Monastery of Leyre, San Juan de la Peña on this route. Sos del Rey Católico has a nice Parador for an overnight, and the hunting lodge type Parador de Monte Perdido is nestled within the gorgeous Ordesa National Park-just breathtaking scenery. But this requires driving up into this gorgeous valley rather than taking the flat, more direct route through Zaragoza on the A2/E90 after Pamplona. To do it real justice would mean 2 overnights.
If I had to choose, I'd do the extra night or two on the S.S.-Barcelona route rather than spending 2 more beach days at playa El Sardinero in Santander (which is where you'd want to stay). I'd concentrate on Barcelona to Bilbao, driving through 3 regions: Catalunya, Aragón and the Basque Country without throwing yet another region, Cantabria, into the mix. That's already significant ground to cover for me.

A good guide book to take along for that journey would be Cadogan's "Bilbao and the Basque Lands". Michelin has just come out with new, super detailed regional driving maps-the 573 for the Basque Country and 574 for Aragón/Catalunya (just bought them yesterday at Franklin Maps-www.franklinmaps.com).

Hope this helps you a bit to decide.

Maribel: You are so kind to have taken the time and effort to give me so much useful information. I really do appreciate it! I have printed it all out and my husband and I will review it and try to fit it into our travel plans.

Is Hondarribia as picturesque as SS? Is there any web sites that have any pictures of this village?

I cannot believe it but I just checked and the Londre now has 9 rooms available from the 28th. I still am going to check out the other hotels and the other village.
Again thank you so much.
Kay

Kay,
Hondarribia is just a very small fishing village with very colorfully painted homes in La Marina quarter and a beautiful walled medieval quarter at the top. S.S. is an elegant city with one of Spain's most beautiful beaches, La Concha, a grand promenade, and filled with wonderful Belle Epoque architecture. For a first time visit, I would stay right on the bay at the de Londres y de Inglaterra if rooms are still available.

Here are some pictures of Hondarribia:
www.hondarribia.com/imag2.htm

Maribel: It is because of people like you who are so helpful that my trip will be made so much easier!
I loved the pictures on the web site you gave me.

If you have any more web sites that have pictures of the places that you have recommended i.e. Ordesa National Park, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thank you again!
Kay

Hi Traveler2
Here are some photos of the Ordesa National Park-just gorgeous scenery up there!
http://www.ordesa.com/gallery/