We stayed in Hotel Altamira for 2 nights at the end of our France/Spain holiday tour. The hotel was lovely, and completely in keeping with its heritage (except for the bathroom, which was, happily, modern and very clean. The whole place was quite dark, but this is to be expected. Beds were comfortable; bedside mats were welcome but their cleanliness doubtful. On our second morning it was raining, so we really appreciated being able to sit in the lounge area for a quiet read.

Breakfasts were adequate, with enough quantity, but not much fruit or yogurt. But there was a jar of chocolate - a delight for someone who doesn't drink tea or coffee! We ate evening meals in the hotel on two occasions and were very impressed with the quality of the food and service. The service was good, we really enjoyed our stay.

Our "double room" had 3 beds and was huge. The original stone walls& beams added a lot of charm, but the bathroom was completely modern. The breakfast was just OK & no effort was made to keep the eggs warm; they were just on a plate with no warming rack. We were with a tour and our group dinner in the restaurant was quite good. Be sure to turn your key in if you leave the hotel in the morning, or your room won't be made up! The town is really unique, but I wouldn't want to walk those cobbeled streets in the rain.

Ate here during a 2 week trip to northern Spain in September. My wife and I had 'Lamp Chops' from the menu. Basically we were served potatoes with bones. The main bulk of meat you would expect to see on the bone had been removed and we were left with the bones. Not good. We complained and they suggested we pick the bones up and chew them... need I say more.

If you like a room made out of authentic rock and heavy timber (We did!), this place is for you! It's about as "authentic" as any 500 year old building as you would want to stay in. Even the stairways and ancillary rooms just scream "Medieval"! -- including a very atmospheric upstairs lounge. And the ady who seemed to fill all duties (receptionist, bookkeeper, concierge, etc.) was just as nice and helpful as she could be.
Because it was drizzling outside, we stayed in and had the Menu of the Day (incl. 1/2 liter of wine for two) at the hotel restaurant, which we also thought was excellent. As a tourist trap town, all of the restaurants were expensive, in general, but we felt well-served at the Altamira.

The irony of all of this, however, is that the town itself is only worth a 2-3 hour visit -- even the "caves" only take an hour -- there has been WAY too much hyperbole wasted on this quaint village! Fortunately we arrived late in the afternoon, took in the town, checked out Altamira, and spent the night. But had we arrived in the morning or early afternoon, I don't know what I would have done there all of that time.