Hôtel La Marisa

At La Marisa Hotel, the country-rustic vibe starts on the exterior where the four-story building shows off a classic Basque half-timbered facade featuring rust-red accents and matching farmhouse board-and-batten shutters. Inside, a small reception area gives way to a charming living-room-like lounge featuring a rich red accent wall with open shelving showing off rows of books and memorabilia. Warm wood paneling and antique furnishings, scattered amongst more contemporary fare, create a homey, rustic air that extends into guest rooms. Cozy and intimate, but with few extra features, the property has the ambiance of a classic bed-and-breakfast, attracting leisure travelers and tourists, particularly couples. 

La Marisa Hotel is located on a narrow residential street of whitewashed houses at the edge of Saint Jean de Luz's historic old town, just a minute's walk from the beach. A plethora of the town's shops, restaurants, and cafes are an easy walk from the hotel, many less than a five-minute jaunt. 

The Saint-Jean-de-Luz-Ciboure train is an eight-minute walk, and the nearest airport, Biarritz Pays Basque, is about a 22-minute drive or 40 minutes by public transit. The town is a gateway for popular destinations in Spain, like San Sebastian (43-minute drive) and Bilbao (95-minute drive). Paid parking is available nearby, but it should be reserved in advance through the hotel, as spaces are limited. 

Hotel La Marisa 16 rooms are all doubles, with twin beds as an option in only a few units. The vibe is cozy, rustic-country thanks to antique wood furnishings, farmhouse chairs, and a soft color palette of yellow, gray, or cornflower blue, depending on the room. The white and green tiled bathrooms are vaguely outdated, but well-maintained, though bathrooms in entry-level rooms tend to be small, with just shower stalls. Upgraded Grand Comfort Rooms are the most stylish and roomier options, with more refined furnishings and more modern gray-and-white tiled bathrooms. Some rooms also have combination showers and tubs, and two rooms offer partial sea views. 

Rooms feature wall-mounted flat-screen TVs and safes in wardrobes, but no AC or mini-fridges. Bathrooms have hairdryers and wall-mounted soap dispensers in lieu of individual toiletries. Note that electric kettles are only offered in Grand Comfort Rooms. 

The Hotel La Marisa is a small guest house, and while homey and charming, it lacks the features of larger hotels -- there's no full-service restaurant, bar, or wellness facilities. Breakfast is an offering of local and organic versions of the usual suspects -- bread, pastries, cheese, fresh fruit, fresh-squeezed juice, yogurt. It costs an extra fee, but most find the price reasonable. Guests can have breakfast in their rooms, in the rustic-style breakfast room, or on the leafy outdoor patio among the potted plants and ivy-covered walls, weather permitting. The cozy lounge features a library with a good selection of books on culture, geography, and traditions of the Basque country, and it has a laptop available for guest use. There's a small honesty bar at reception, but guests note the choices are limited. Staff are friendly and some concierge services are offered, but the font desk is not open 24-hours. Wi-Fi is free. There's no on-site parking; off-site parking is available for an extra fee, though it should be booked in advance.