I chose this hotel after reading the reviews of it and the Parador. According to Frommer's, it's the second best hotel in Santillana del Mar. I haven't stayed in what THEY consider the best hotel, but when I return to Santillana del Mar, I will be staying in Casa del Marqués again! This hotel is an actual medieval home of the Marquis of Santillana. For the most part, they have maintained the historic integrity of the establishment. Even the door locks, which offer very little security once you're in the room are rather antiquated (the one thing that needs an immediate upgrade). This 2-story home has 15 spacious rooms, with generous-sized bathrooms, and comfortable public areas, including: several reading areas, a terrazza, a café, and a sala or sitting area perfect for watching television or conversation in front of a warm fire. The hard wood floors are rather well-preserved, although squeaky, as one would expect them to be for a building centuries old. The exposed stone and/ or stucco walls are lightly decorated and may be painted with warm tones. I had no problem finding a quiet place to work while I was here, without having to remain locked in my room for 4 days. Not every room has windows with a view, but even from my room, where the windows were several feet above my head, could get a sense of the greenery of this ancient villa. The best views would be in the back of the building, I am certain. There is no restaurant in this hotel, so you'll have to get your meals (with the exception of breakfast) elsewhere, but the friendly and helpful staff are prepared to offer recommendations for every budget and taste of places in the area. The service was fantastic! I called the night before my arrival to find out how to get to the village from the train station in Santander, and the person at reception advised me to get off the train at Torrelavega and told me to take a taxi from the station and how much it would cost me exactly. He was kind enough to say, that if there were no taxis, I could call the hotel and they would arrange one for me. I was pleasantly surprised by the level of customer service he provided on the telephone, but the amount of attention i received when I actually arrived surpassed that! I was traveling alone, yet I was always greeted with a smile and all of the staff was happy to offer me assistance with anything, often without my needing to ask. I actually wanted to escape from Madrid to work on a manuscript, but didn't want to stay in my room. I found the chairs and the tables in the "sala de damas" (a dining area used for the breakfast buffet) more comfortable for me to sit and work during the day and one late afternoon sat there several hours working until dusk. Just as I was realizing that it was getting too dark to continue working there, one of the workers who helps with luggage and busing the tables in the café passed by me and without saying a thing turned on the lights so that I could continue working where I was. Little details like these made me feel like a guest, not just a customer in this hotel. I needed special attention for those 4 days. I only wanted to have the peace I needed to work efficiently for 4 days without concern for anything else and I can sincerely say that the staff and the location made this stay a very positive experience.