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 beach. It's a walk into town and to nearby restaurant, DeLuz (very nice). Two robes, two pairs of slippers, nice amenities. Highly recommended.

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 next to the lift instead! Fortunately the bathroom was between the bedroom and the lift shaft. Its a long walk to the centre of Santander but we don't mind that and had a nice evening. The Bodega's are excellent in Santander.

We got back to our room to hear a large dog barking continuously next door, clearly left alone. We contacted reception and they quickly found the owner so mercifully we did not have to listen to barking all night, however, I don't expect to have to listen to dogs barking in five star hotels.

We did not feel this was a five star experience adn would not stay here again.

This has to be one of the best hotels you will ever stay in if you are into Agatha Christie period buildings furniture and atmosphere. It is well maintained, clean, spacious, well appointed and in a superb location with the best views Santander has to offer. Our room was on the 4th floor and had a small balcony offering views across the sea. The staff were helpful without being in the way, although we did encounter one young waiter who was “difficult”. The food was fabulous and the local Rioja wines were as good as you can find. The breakfast bar was well stocked and led out onto a patio with tables in the rose garden which was lovely, weather permitting.

We had a problem with our 1977 Bentley one day and needed help starting it one morning. The hotel fell over themselves to help and arranged one of their maintenance chaps to come round with his van and 30 seconds later with jump leads we were up and running.

We had booked a Brittany Ferries package through the Daily Telegraph. We upgraded to include a car and sea views and were pleased with the value for money. We will go again.

Recently attended a business conference here with clients from Spain but this really doesn't feel like a conference facility. The hotel has a comfortable feel that hints at luxury without making you feel like you have to be on the world's richest list to stay there. I like another reviewers comparison to a 1930's movie. The building has a rich history and is in a good location. The lobby leads on to fun tea rooms, a small bar and a large beautiful deck. Breakfast is a generous buffet and served in a nice room that opens out into the gardens. Our room was pleasant and faced out to the sea. It was quiet enough to leave the window open at night. A lot of the pleasant atmosphere was due to the staff who were very responsive (except one pretty young woman at the front desk who was a bit difficult), worked hard and some went out of the way to call us by name. I had a massage in the spa which was very nice but they are sticklers for time, which was a bit of a surprise, so don't be late. Santander is fun, the sea is dramatic and Hotel Real is clearly an icon in the city. One caution is that the Spaniards say that Santander's weather can be wet. It did rain on us off and on over the weekend. One local called it an extension of Southern Ireland!