Just returned from an amazing few days away with some very dear friends who had stayed at the Real twice before. This hotel ticks all the boxes. Quite colonial in style and steeped in history. Our room was spacious, luxurious and tasteful. The view from our bedroom balcony was absolutely breath-taking - mountains, twinkling sea, gorgeous beaches, historic buildings and... More

This is our third time to visit the Hotel Real in Santander. We were worried that the excitement of visiting the hotel may wear off, we should not have been worried! We noticed things that made the stay better than ever which we thought was impossible after the previous times. Right from the word go you are treated as if... More

If you want to enjoy one ultimate night in a five star hotel that isn't all stainless steel and plastic, then shell out and splurge on Hotel Real. This historic hotel reeks of wealth and if the wall could talk, many an interesting tale of it's royal and millionaire past guests could be told. After parking in the hotel grounds,... More

Not really a 5 star hotel. The common areas and rooms are dated and in need of upgrading. The SPA staff are unfriendly and it's important to be aware that you will have to pay (lots) extra to use the swimming pool. The General Manager (Mr Diaz) lacks any charm and seems inexperienced in the expectations of non Spanish guests.... More

Stayed here on our way back to the UK. The main plus was the hotel takes dogs. The food was excellent as was the spa, however some parts of the hotel were a little tatty for its' star rating. It cost about £300 for a 1 night stay with food and our dog which I thought was a little steep... More

A very handsome building overlooking the little peninsula where the royal palace sits, The Hotel Real feels old-fashioned in a nice way. There are real keys (not cards) with heavy key fobs that you hand in whenever you leave, a lift with those concertina grid doors, lots of soft carpets and panelled corridors. Staff are all polite and friendly and... More

I was very excited to come to this famous hotel, apparently one of the best in Spain. The charming building (an old castle), it's gardens and the spa were the reasons for my boyfriend to book it. We arrived late at night, we checked in and went to the room. As it says in its website, I was expecting a... More

I had great service, especially the bellhop, and a gorgeous, huge room here. The breakfast buffet was good and had great service. The view out my window was unbelievable. I toured Spain and this was one of the nicest hotels I stayed at, with a deep marble tub, an entry door that buffered any noise. The place is above the... More

We booked the Hotel Real for the last night of a trip to Northern Spain as it is near the ferry terminal and looked good on the web. It is impressive architecturally, set amongst other grand residences in the heights above Santander. We were straight away given a room that smelt of tobacco smoke, we declined so we got one... More