Hotel el Jardin de Ferreria by Luke — Hotel in Ezcaray

First you have to find the place, not easy for us even with a rental car with GPS. Had to ask in Ezcaray. But we found it. Turns out the owner, Sergio, is a friendly chap but speaks little English. We had read about the excellent grilled lamb, checked in at midday and inquired about it immediately. Unfortunately, we understood him to mean it would only be available in the evening, after 8:30. So we decided to wait it out. Imagine our surprise when, after waiting around in our room above the nearby wood-fired oven, smoke from the roasting lamb drifting in, we went down at the usual Spanish mealtime of midafternoon, ordering some beer and tapas, when a large family group came in and feasted on grilled lamb next to us! To add insult to injury, one of the “tapas” we ordered was soup for 6 euros. We of course expected a nice bowl of thick broth with veggies, etc. Instead came a small bowl of a bland broth with noodle bits, like packet chicken noodle soup. Well, the smoke cleared and we napped and walked around the grounds and watched a few more people check in until it came to 8:30. By then, the grill had been shut down. But we sat down to eat, with only a handful of others, and the grilled lamb was brought out, its juices by that time cooked down. Bottom line: still very tasty and worth it overall. But what an experience! To Sergio’s credit, and his family, they were gracious hosts who tried hard to please us and understand. They did introduce us to a delicious Rioja wine, a Heras Cordon 2012. The place itself is unremarkable looking, a “rural” lodging situated in a former ironworking plant. You can walk around the grounds, but they’re unkempt. You can tell all attention is given to the hotel and particularly the restaurant, which is charming with its deep-set windows in thick stone walls. Worth staying here for the lamb — but try to get it in the afternoon when the locals eat...

One of the most interesting Rural Hotels we have stayed in tucked away in Azarrulla a few miles up the road from Ezcaray. Overnight stay on a journey to Southern Spain. Off the beaten track was what we were looking for. This is perfect . Set into a hillside a quaint older building that has been beautifully renovated inside. Room and bathroom spotless. Very hot day when we arrived and were thankfull of being able to sit under a shady tree and enjoy an inexpensive cold beer. The owner/chef was extremely helpful and was preparing for a party the next day and cooking whole legs of lamb in an external wood fired oven. Much of the meat menu appeared to be cooked in this manner. The evening meal choice was comprehensive for such a small hotel in a dining room full of character. Note that it was not served until 9.pm , quite usuall in Spain because of the heat. We thoroughly enjoyed our choices which included Langostine, Hake, Burgos black pudding ( absolutely delicious and not as heavy as English varieties) a beautiful salad to accompany made up of just about every salad vegetable and fruit you could imagine. Then a proper cheesecake to follow. Washed down with bottle of Rioja , all at a very inexpensive cost. Absolutely nothing not to like here. Get off the beaten track and enjoy ||beautiful and...

I stayed here during a solo tour after getting off the Ferry at Santander . I have nothing but praise for the service and attentiveness given by the team despite my lack of Spanish language. The hotel is of an excellent standard and especially provides for families and pets. By far the majority of people saying are Spanish families. The restaurant and wine list are of the highest caliber, but in a down to earth way, no dress code no pretensions. One point ... Despite its address I had a confused sat nav.... The village of Azarrulla is south along the riverbank out of escarzay It took me ages to pin down the last few kilometers ...best if you use google maps off...