A cottage with rustic elegance in idyllic seclusion near Santander

We feel very lucky to have stayed in this remarkable cottage. The house is spectacular and very unusual but designed for total comfort while honouring local craftsmanship. It's very secluded and we enjoyed the sense of peace. The sauna helped too! Etel is a great host who pointed us to all kinds of places and we did some amazing hikes further afield, plus some more long-range exploring by car into the valleys and higher passes. It’s a very beautiful region. Etel kept in touch without imposing, and Rustical’s info was as thorough as ever."

A dream come true! What a great place to stay, really beautiful! Communication was also excellent, Etel was always helpfull and had many tips for us during our stay. I would highly recommend this property!"

A beautiful house in a perfect location. All the information provided before during and after booking was helpful and accurate and meant s stress free holiday. The owner, who met us on arrival, was so lovely and kept recommending places for us all of which met our needs perfectly. We had a wonderful holiday and would recommend it to anyone"

Es una casa preciosa y tranquila. Funciona muy bien tanto el agua caliente como la calefacción y si tienes algún problema Etel te atiende en seguida. Ha sido una muy agradable estancia"

Creo que han podido ser de las mejores vacaciones en años. La casa es alucinante y el entorno donde está hacen que las noches sean mágicas y misteriosas. Ethel, la anfitriona es excepcional y ha estado muy atenta siempre. Repetiremos seguro. Recomendamos visita de la zona, del puerto de las alisas, Valle de rio Miera y comer donde nos recomendó Ethel, en La Vieja Escuela, vais a flipar, el bosque de secuoyas…las playas. Cantabria Mila y desde la casa tienes todo muy cerca. Gracias!!"

We liked the seclusion and silence best. Also the different places to sit for two or more through positioning different sets of chairs. The purple flowers blooming were a lovely sight. The sauna we liked a lot too and the fireplace . For a rainy summers day that was perfect. The interior of the house has been decorated in very great taste, (except for the ants on the wall....) Etel was a lovely host who sent good pointers by app. Her English was very good. 1 small pointer: We were wondering why the hedge in front of the large main window was kept high. This way the view from the inside was not optimal. Many thanks , Coen Dirkx and Janneke de Graaf"

Very lovely cottage, pleasant and with character and nice details, fully equipped kitchen. Quiet surroundings and not too difficult acces road (up hill). Owner was very kind and helpful. (Note there is not any WIFI in the property.) Recommendation La Cava restaurant in La Cavada."

Cottage was very nice we enjoyed the time we had there but the weather was awful so we had too go further afield to find a bit of sun. My dog enjoyed the beach had to take her twice. We made the best of the bad weather."

The house was perfect for us! It looked great and we liked all the details we encountered everywhere. Also the surroundings were beautiful. Etel is very friendly and helpful. She gives you all kinds of tips and suggestions. We were happy with all the information and service we received from Rustical Travel!"

The cottage was perfect, a beautiful location, tranquil and well appointed. After being met by Etel on arrival she took us to where it was and showed us how everything worked. She speaks excellent English. The narrow lane to the house was a touch daunting as some parts had no passing points but we never met anyone coming and going during the week. We were unable to make contact with Etel during our stay as did not find a stable 3G signal at the property and no internet connection. Whilst giving feedback here we felt it would have been useful for there to be a “visitors handbook” where we could leave a personal message and also tips as to where best to dine and some recommended restaurants would have been welcome. Also as we had a dog we found walking her on the beaches ther before 30 September incurred a 1,500 euro fine which we only discovered after leaving the beach at the end of our walk! So a bit more information on that would have been welcome. We did visit Santander by ferry from Santana as Etel suggested and had a great day and meal out."

We had a lovely holiday in this cottage which is situated in a beautiful surrounding and is very nice renovated to modern lifestyle but with a lot of authentic details. Easy drive to the beaches about 25 minutes and to Santander which is a lovely town where you can have a drink and a little bite on a terrace. If you visit this region do not forget to visit natural park of Caberceno it is very beautiful and at a short distance."

My Wife and I stayed at this cottage in 16th-23rd June 2018. We must say the whole experience was really good. Rustical travel was very good as far as information and arrangements go, first class! We arranged to meet the owner Etel just opposite the track that leads down to the cottage. She then led us down the track, It is quite steep so be prepared for this! Etel speaks very good English and is charming and very informative Once we arrived at the cottage Etel gave us a tour of it and showed us where everything is and how it all worked. We gave Etel our mobile number which she used via WhatsApp to check everything was ok later on and some links for interesting place to see. The cottage itself is absolutely charming and very rustic. It has all the amenities you could wish for and felt like a home from home. Many of the days started with us up in the clouds but once the sun burned this off the views were stunning! Some of the evenings were quite cool so we fired up the woodburner and there is a plentiful supply of wood in the outside store………very cosy! It is quite remote with the nearest town of La Cavada approx is 10 Kilometres away and has a small supermarket with most things for day to day supplies. We went for the walking in Northern Spain and there are some short walks nearby the cottage but for the longer ones most are around 30-45 minutes drive. You have everything from coastal to forest to caves all from slightly steep to very steep but all worth it. The outside sauna is a bonus after a ten mile walk to relax the aching muscles! Northern Spain is beautiful and the road system (we flew into Bilbao) is fantastic and the roads quiet and very smooth which made a change from the pothole infested roads here in the UK! In summary anyone that enjoys a quite rural retreat but with everything you need and lovely places to visit within a short drive or if you just want somewhere peaceful and tranquil to unwind away from it all this place is it. We are looking forward to our next visit very much!"

We loved the quirky nature of this cottage. Lovely location - albeit in the clouds for most days, but what can you expect in October! Loved hearing the cowbells from the cows in nearby fields every morning. Slight hiccup when the lock on the front door jammed so we were left in evening attire having just used the sauna and could not get hold of the owner - but the neighbours were very helpful (even though they did not speak a word of English!) and the local farmer came and forced the lock so we could get back in! Comfortable and well appointed cottage with stunning views."

Our first time to Northern Spain as a family and we had a great time. Etel's hospitality at the cottage was faultless - from the warm welcome on Saturday through to the useful recommendations she provided during the week for things to do and see. The cottage itself was very comfortable - enough mod cons (dishwasher, satellite TV, sauna) balanced by a very traditional rural environment. Despite being tranquilly located up in the hills, it only took 20 minutes to get back down onto the main coast road to head either East or West. Be warned that you won't get phone coverage indoors but you only have to step 10 feet out into the garden to hook up with the world - a good way for the family to digitally detox without extreme withdrawal symptoms. We had a packed week visiting - Santander - head to Somo and get the ferry across for a spectacular arrival in the city - Bilbao (we parked underground near the Guggenheim - Centro Comercial Zubiarte) - and walked the city centre very easily - Santillana del Mar and Comillas to the west of Santander for very pretty historical villages and a beach - inland to the West - down to Reinosa on the A-67 autovia and then up into the mountains to Branavieja (ski resort in winter) for spectacular views at 2000m (6,500ft). Thanks again to Etel for providing such a lovely cottage and her hospitality."

We had a great time, the host is really friendly and provided many suggestions about restaurants/ beaches etc. The property is very private. The surrounding is beautifull. Perfect place to visit Santander, beaches and Picos de Europa. It is a very pleasant house for those who like the country side. The decoration of the house is unique, a lot of effort has been done to make it both rustic and comfortabel. Kind regards"

Excellent. Thank you."

My wife and I spent a delightful month at property AC15. It was all that we expected and more. The appliances and fixtures are top end, the view from the picture window and the loft, breathtaking, and the sauna, new and scrupulously clean as well as multi-functional. The house is fully and very thoughtfully decorated (many of the antiques are museum quality). Etel is an exceptionally conscientious host, readily available should you need assistance, ans she is fluent in English, near if not at native command of the language. The neighborhood is totally tranquil and privacy is complete. The house and furnishings are solid---nothing flimsy here.

House was stunning, Everything as on the pics on the site. Very relaxing and good help at site."

What a gorgeous peaceful place. We were wonderfully welcomed and shown around the cottage. It is fantastically equipped with thoughtful touches - robes for the sauna, store cupboard essentials, a local cake.....The surrounding area is stunning - the Ason Valley a must, the Museum in Santander, Cabarcerno Natural Park, beautiful beaches.....a week was not enough. Very impressed with Rustical Travel too - efficient, lots of information and clear directions - we will definitely be back - thank you."

"A cottage with rustic elegance in idyllic seclusion..." I couldn't put it better myself. My husband and I enjoyed a very relaxing break here in June. The property is equipped for all your self catering needs. You can tell the owners have put a lot of love into their charming property. When out exploring it is a lovely retreat to return to. The beds were very comfortable with spare linen if we wanted. The bathroom is clean and a pleasure to use. We appreciated having both a washing machine and tumble dryer but there were plenty extra towels we could use. Extra points for providing a good supply of washing powder, washing up liquid and cleaning material. So often you arrive at a property and realise you need to go to the shops to buy these basics but the owners have thought of everything. They even left a cake on the table neatly wrapped - a nice touch. It is a very peaceful place with beautiful views. I would say it is more suited to a couple or an adult family. I would be a little concerned about letting children use the stairs as even adults have to take some extra care (especially after a glass of wine or two). In the evening it was easy to relax with a glass of wine and you can get English channels on the TV if you wish (not just CNN). I don't know if it might put some people off but there are bats roosting in the eves. They didn't cause a problem and it was fascinating to watch them fly in and out in the evening (not in the house I might add). On the whole one of the better cottages we've stayed in and we would recommend it."

Myself and my 8 year old son enjoyed a fabulous week at this gorgeous cottage. On arrival we were met by the friendly owner took the time to show us all we needed and made sure we were well settled in with some delicious cake as a welcome gift. The cottage is amazing, every corner filled with fabulous artwork. After days on the beach or exploring the many local villages nearby we were so glad to retire to the peace and stunning beauty of this place. La Cavada and Lierganes are close by for all the necessities and places to eat and meet the locals who were patient with our limited Spanish! Our thanks to the owner and Rustical Travel who made it such an easy process to book this holiday and for the invaluable local and tourist information provided even before we arrived. I would recommend them both highly. - Elly & Sean (Melbourne, Australia)"

We found the cottage to be beautifully decorated with plenty of very individual design. We found everything that we needed - it is very well equipped. We had no problem to find the property and we met the contact exactly as described. We loved the remote location and the beautiful surroundings. We would recommend this to anyone who enjoys peace and quiet! The property does have a very rustic stairway to the upper floor and I would be nervous about young children using this. This is certainly NOT a complaint - this is part of the charm!"

Despite being only half an hour's drive from Santander you are in another world. At over 1000 metres high, the walking is fairly savage to say the least. Make sure you come equipped with decent cartography. The only item of clothing that we had forgotten were our waterproof trousers! You do need them. On the day we arrived it was 20 centigrade in Santander and just above freezing at the house. Two foot of snow lay on the ground. Helicopters were delivering food to people in other parts of Northern Spain . Under these conditions the owners are to be congratulated on ensuring that we had a memorable holiday. Our two year old Labrador loved the whole experience and spent ages playing with the farm dogs. The house is as described on the website. It was very warm and an abundant supply of logs was available. The approach roads are steep but very few of the locals have four wheel drive vehicles. The local farmer goes up and down the lanes in his Peugot 205 without any difficulty.Our party were pleased with the accommodation and had no complaints. Etel, the owner's daughter, despite being 9 months pregnant could not have been more helpful."

We had a wonderful time in our little place in the woods.Etel was very hospitable and helpful.We loved the handmade soap and the house itself was beautifully dressed and put together in a very unique style.We loved it. Rustical travel was exemplary in giving us all the information we needed which was very comprehensive and accurate. Thanks to all who made our holiday memorable."

Lovely cottage with all we needed for a great family holiday. Fantastic views with access straight on to the mountain. We all very much enjoyed our stay spending some time at the cottage resting, walking on the mountain and visiting the beach."

A fantastic cottage that lives up to the description. We had a fantastic holiday with our one year old girl and although the stairs up to the bedrooms were not for the faint hearted it only added to the charm of the property. It was fantastically decorated and had all mod-cons. The location of the cottage was perfect for exploring Cantabria or just relaxing and taking in the sights and sounds of the surrounding countryside."

Where do I begin. Idyllic rural location with wonderful views. Fantastic attention to detail throughout the house, with individual touches that highlight great care and thought. Peaceful and private, yet I could watch the boys help herd the cows while reading my book on the balcony overlooking the valley, wonderful memories. Great sauna, which was generally followed by eating and drinking in the rustic eating area. Please thank the owners for a marvellous home to stay in, and you guys for directing us there!"

Hi - we had a lovely stay here. The cottage was totally isolated and really peaceful, and the owners very friendly and helpful. The house is beautiful, and has been decorated very stylishly. The kitchen was well-equipped, and the outside eating area was lovely on a sunny day. I would say that the house isn't particularly friendly for very young children - there wasn't really an outdoor area where they could play, so we ended up driving to the beach most days. The long grass area looks very enticing for little ones (a jungle!) but we discovered that there were too many biting creatures for the children to play there. But a lovely stay all in all, and an absolutely idyllic spot!"

I just wanted to send you a mail to thank you for the fantastic service we received. The accommodation was everything you described on your website and more!! Truly a beautiful place and the photos do not come close to the actual thing. We were very comfortable and loved the region as well. Once again, thank you for your professional service, I have already recommended to you to everyone I know if they want to book something."

The cottage was one of the most beautiful in which we've had the pleasure to stay. We also found our contact with the owners to be friendly and helpful. RusticalTravel were also efficient and pleasant when making arrangements. I would certainly recommend the cottages and RusticalTravel to my friends and hope that maybe one day we'll use your service again and stay in another beautiful cottage."