BYPILLOW Amari

Don't be put off by the rather unimpressive looking entrance and the tiny reception area. This is an excellent hotel, perfectly located in the centre of Bilbao. The bus from the airport stops right outside, is a short walk to the Guggenheim and a 20 minute walk into the old town. My room looked out over the main street and although was small and minimally furnished, it was spotlessly clean and had every amenity to ensure a comfortable stay, i.e. tea and coffee making facilities, small fridge, safe, large and extremely comfortable bed, efficient WiFi and air con. The bathroom was very modern with a great walk-in shower. The staff were super friendly and helpful and when I reported that the fridge wasn't working, it was replaced immediately. Nearby there are loads of bars and restaurants and several supermarkets.

There was nothing not to like.

The location is great. It's less than 10 minutes walk to the Guggenheim museum and the airport bus stops directly outside. Within 5 minutes walk of the hotel are 4 small supermarkets one which stays open till 1.00am and at a guess 4/5 bars and 6/7 restaurants, including an excellent gluten free one. There must be 50/60 other bars and restaurants within a 20 minute walk. The main station is less than 15 minutes walk away. The staff we met spoke English and checking into our pre booked room only took a couple of minutes. We had a room facing the main street below and the double glazing cut out all the noise making the room quiet quiet. The room also had good air conditioning. The room was really clean. And the bed was vast and very comfortable. 2 chairs and a desk in the room, a fridge (not minibar) and a spacious ensuite toilet/shower. The metro and tram are about 10/12 minutes away but unless you are planning to leave the city, everywhere including the old town is within about half an hour's walk, however there are so many interesting things to see it may take a little longer. The room key operates the front door when it is closed. There is a small lounge, with drinks available. Pretty certain there is no food served on site but we always get out breakfast out of the hotel anyway. If we come back to Bilbao we will stay here again

Amari's location in the city centre near the Guggenheim Museum was superb, and we found ourselves within comfortable walking distance of almost of all of the places we wanted to visit. Car parking was reasonably close to the hotel, given its city centre location. Although breakfast was not available in the hotel, there were plenty of good cafes nearby. Staff were extremely friendly and helpful, and their explanations of arrangements (for instance, the car parking situation) were very clear. They also directed us to some excellent restaurants for dinner. We ate very well in Bilbao! Meanwhile, our room was very comfortable and had all that we needed for our stay.

Except for not offering breakfast, which was not a problem for us anyway, I would say nothing in particular.

The 3 receptionist where very friendly and welcoming. The location is fantastic. The guggenheim is around the corner a couple blocks away. There is a bus stop in front of the hotel and metro and tram very close by. The room upgrade i got was nice, room was very spacious. It had kettle and minifridge so you can prepare quick snacks (getting a meal was impossible without reservation, even for pintxos)

No parking lot in the hotel and arrangements where not that clear. Not even a spot near the hotel to quickly drop bags, check in and get instructions to parking lot. No noise insulation... I cant imagine with full occupancy or good weather with a lot of activity in the streets... You could hear a person fart/cough/sneeze like if they were in your room but they were not even in the room next door. The noise from the street is not filtered by windows or curtains. So bring in ear plugs if you are a light sleeper.

I've stayed at Amari twice now. I love Bilbao and will stay at this hotel again every time. 1) Its location is fantastic. The provincial bus A3247 from Bilbao Airport makes its first stop right in front of the hotel. For 3 euros cash (or 57 cents, if you buy a Barik transit card at the airport), you will be at the hotel in 11 minutes from the airport. Amari is on Alameda de Recalde, a few blocks from the Guggenheim Museum, and about five blocks from Moyua metro station. It's also in the city center where the Abando and Indautxu neighborhoods meet. Both are upscale, lively areas with shopping, dining, and tourist attractions. FYI, there is a novelty shop on the corner that sells postcards and souvenirs. A tip: The postcards are fine, but they also sell stamps for a private delivery company and have a collection box there. I found that the postcards sent through that service took three weeks to arrive in the US, compared to seven days using the Spanish postal service (Correos). 2) The hotel and room are renovated. Bright, comfortable, air conditioning. You have your choice of an interior or exterior room. 3) The clerks are friendly and helpful. They will give you tourist advice, a map, and they will store your luggage if you want to leave it there after checkout before you leave the city.

Really well situated right next to the Guggenheim museum, and more crucially, literally right next to a stop for the airport bus, making both arrival and departure very easy. The room itself was also excellent, with a massive bed, very easily controlled temperature, and very modern bathroom. The best thing about our stay however was the staff. We dealt with multiple people at reception, and they were all brilliant. We arrived slightly early, and although our allocated room wasn't yet ready, the reception staff were able to immediately switch us to one that was. Later, a different staff member went above and beyond helping us to switch over a broken fridge, and even supplying a Spanish phone number that we needed to be able to order some food! And they were both incredibly friendly to boot. This was only a one-night stay in Bilbao, but when we return to visit the city properly, we will certainly stay here again.

The location was perfect for visiting the Guggenheim Bilbao. The hotel is small and feels like a boutique place. The room was a decent size, with a comfortable double bed and very nice finishes. The bathroom was very well laid out, with a very nice, modern shower. Large windows and guest comfort items (coffee, tea, electric kettle, biscuits, etc) made the stay extra pleasant.

There was construction across the street from the hotel. Obviously not an ideal situation for any accommodation, but at least it's a temporary one. The bathroom could have better lighting over the sink. What was there was adequate, but brighter would have been better.

The location was perfect. If you are traveling with public transport from the airport, the first stop of the bus leaves you right in front of the hotel. It is super close to Guggenheim and a short walk to bars and restaurants. The room was comfortable & clean and had all the things needed for a short stay. The entrance is decent but the rooms are better in terms of design and elegance.

Sometimes the water pump in the bathroom makes a weird sound when you open the water but it was fine for us.

We booked this last minute and couldn’t have been happier! The location, condition of the room , huge bed and ease of booking/checking in were fantastic! But most of all the staff were absolutely delightful, so friendly and helpful, always smiling and the lovely lady on reception (I feel terrible we didn’t get her name!) gave us a full rundown of recommendations in the area and even wrote bits down for us when we enquired. We really couldn’t have stumbled upon anywhere better!

Absolutely great experience. Every aspect of our stay made the trip amazing. Do not get misled by the 2 stars, it feels like a high 3. The best thing about the place was the staff, their suggestions, flexibility and prompt response. The hotel is exactly on the bus stop where the bus from the airport leaves you and 3 minutes walk from the Guggenheim museum. The room is quite decent size and the shower is quite big; they provide water, tea and instant coffee. I truly recommend it!

For once, nothing to say, great experience.