This is our third visit to Olmares over the last 14 years. Previously we have stayed in the one and two bedroom apartments but this time as travelling with friends we decided to spoil ourselves with booking the manor house. It is very easy to find and located at the top of a winding road but be aware there is only limited parking at the site . The Manor House is a beautiful old building spread over three floors, it can accommodate 8+ people so we had a lot of room. It has been beautiful renovated and traditionally furnished. All of the windows have lovely shutters which when open allowed light to stream into the house and revealed beautiful views to the hills beyond. The kitchen is a little basic and you do have to go through all cupboards and drawers to find all the equipment you need. There is a lovely garden that is bathed in sunlight and a courtyard with a BBQ which catches the early evening sunlight. Eva the caretaker is lovely and friendly and was easily contactable for any questions you may have and we had a lovely chat with the owners son visiting from Hong Kong . Its a short drive to the lovely ramshackled village of Coloca with stunning views of vultures on the rockface. Just 15 minutes away is the village of Potes which has a wide choice of shops , walks and places to eat. It makes the perfect base for touring both around the Northern Picos and the North coast. If we had any niggles it would be that the information book sould be put in a more accessible area ( we only found it on our last night ) and be in English and maybe include instructions for the equipment. The beds were a little hard for our liking and some noise from local dogs caused some issues with sleeping on some nights but didn't spoil our enjoyment of staying in this stunning accommodation.
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Date of stay: May 2022
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We were due to walk the Camino Lebaniego but COVID-19 meant this was not possible. As an alternative, at the last minute, we booked an apartment at Olmares so that we could still walk in the Picos. I'm so glad that we did! We had a wonderful relaxing stay in this fabulous part of Spain.
Our apartment was exactly as described on the website, the bed was comfortable, the kitchen well equipped and plenty of hot water for the shower. We had everything we needed and there was always someone on hand if we had questions or needed help.
You need a car to visit here as this really is away from it all... but it's quiet and peaceful with stunning views. If you love nature you'll love this!
p.s. we were also shown all the COVID-19 precautions when we arrived and felt totally at ease with their standards
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Date of stay: July 2020
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Response from Richard Beazley, Owner at Apartamentos Olmares
Responded 23 Jul 2020
Dear Colleen, many thanks indeed, we are so glad you enjoyed the stay with us! We hope to be able to welcome you back before long!
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Just back from an unforgettable week at Olmares in Spain’s Picos de Europa mountain range. Perfect place to disconnect, explore the stunningly beautiful region of Cantabria, and recharge. Our apartment was spacious and well appointed, and offered spectacular views of the valley and surrounding peaks. The staff couldn’t have been more helpful and attentive. We plan to join some friends and rent the complete manor house some time soon. Magnificent.
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Date of stay: September 2020
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Over the past 5 years we have stayed once in the Apartments and twice in the house. All visits have been wonderfully memorable and this last trip of 3 weeks in the house especially so. Echoing the comments of the other contributors, the house and apartments have so much old character; sleeping on top of the old stone hearth in the house over glowing embers on rare cold summer nights is an experience all should try. We have yet to try Richard's 'cocido lebaniego' cooked in a pot beside the embers but it's simply noted for the next time.Needless to say, paella cooked on a pot over the barbeque provided a rich feast on several occasions during this particular visit.
Walking in the Liebana Valley is a rare delight and there are enough walks from the house and nearby to easily cover a week's visit. You will need a car to make the most of your time (and to visit Potes for supplies) but arm yourselves with a copy of the Sunflower Book 'Picos De Europa' and you won't have to travel far to make the most of some truly breathtaking walks in the Picos, Potes, a wonderfully old town nearby, has been described in other reviews and I would only add that the market provides a wonderful opportunity not only to stock up but also to simply wander an immerse yourself in a different way of life.
For the more adventurous, there are many high mountain walks in the Picos and it is easy to overnight in one of several high level refuges if you want to extend a day's walking. There is also a very fine Via Ferrata outfit located in the Hermida Gorge nearby with routes graded for all levels. Exiting out of the Hermida Gorge, one can hire canoes to paddle the Rio Deva, slowly winding to the sea and/or visit the beautiful old town of San Vicente on the beach and eat Sardinas at the El Colon restaurant, a delightful experience in itself.
Or one can simply while away the days in the peaceful tranquility of Olmares as a guest of Richard and Suzanne.
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Date of stay: July 2012
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Probably the perfect holiday break location if you want peace and quiet, stupendous views, wonderful walks and hosts with the ability to be available without being 'in your face'. The rooms are finished to a very high standard, and the surrounding countryside is breathtaking. It's a long way from shops etc, which is a great advantage. My wife and I have been twice, and will go again.
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Date of stay: September 2010
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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We spent a marvellous week here at the end of June. We had been originally attracted by the view up the valley on the Olmares website and the view from our ground floor apartment was almost as good!
The complex is made up of the original very large farmhouse which can host I believe up to 12 people, plus four apartments sleeping two each and one four.
Our apartment was well appointed with everything you would need, and nothing you didn't. There's a communal room full of comfy chairs etc and loads and loads of books on the local area, wildlife and walking, we used this the identify the numerous birds we came across including the magnificent Griffin Vultures.
There are a number of rules, but these ensure that everyone's visit is enjoyable, such as no smoking, no music or TV with patio doors open.
There's a large courtyard which also has a huge barbecue and a room upstairs in the old hay loft for washing, almost like a laundrette, very useful.
The apartment is some 15 minutes from Potes and is very secluded up the hillside, the only bar within walking distance is now closed, so no chance of a local drink, but that's no real hardship.
All your needs can be obtained from Potes, we used the Lupa as you enter the town which has a magnificent fresh fish counter and also the one opposite the Bus Station. There is a market on Monday's which sells a lot of local produce cheese, meats, veg, fruit etc and old antique type of stuff old tools and the like.
We drove from Bilbao but was unable to take advantage of the discounted ferry price provide by the owners of Olmares as we had already booked via a third party.
We spent our time walking, a bit of sight seeing and sitting on the veranda watching the lovely view and listening to cow bells, bird spotting and watching the hay making. I did not use the car much I think the furtherest I drove was to Espinama to walk to the cable car at Fuentes De and La Hermida.
The only downside was the parking, ok if you've got a hired car but when the apartments are fully booked it all becomes a bit tight, however during our stay most of the time we were the only ones there.
By the way you can walk up the zigzag path up to 'the old lady' Pena Ciquera by driving to Cueva.
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Date of stay: June 2015
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â First floor apartment with balcony
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Response from Elingles1, Owner at Apartamentos Olmares
Responded 28 Jul 2015
Thank you very much (Graham?) Hope to see you again!
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If you're looking for peace and quiet, this is the place for you. Situated in a small mountainside village, all you can hear as you sit on the terrace are cow bells and birds - very peaceful and the views are simply amazing! The accommodation is very well equipped and finished to a high standard. There's also a lovely communal lounge with lots of maps, books, DVDs etc.
The nearest main village (Potes) is about 20 mins away by car - well worth a visit (especially on a Monday if you can which is when the market takes place). I'd also pay a visit to Caloca - a hillside village from which we did a beautiful circular walk and ended up in a meson (inn) for lunch, recommended by Richard. All in all, a beautiful place which I would definately recommend.
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Date of stay: September 2012
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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These are really comfortable, beautiful apartments in a lovely location. On arrival there was real coffee, bread, butter, milk, tea and a few other goodies - a lovely welcome. The kitchen is well equipped with a full size oven, hob, large fridge/freezer, microwave AND champagne glasses! The shared facilities are excellent - a very well equipped free laundry, a "study" with lots of local interest books, walks, maps and a well stocked library of DVDs. Re the noise outside, it was a pity our TV speaker pointed towards the patio door. We were so paranoid about "disturbing other residents" that we had to shut the door every time the television was on. Not good on a baking hot day. Personally, I don't mind a little music outside so long as people are considerate of others.
As much I hate passive smoking, I agree with the previous comment about smoking outside - once the built-in barbeque is lit in the courtyard, there is smoke aplenty. Our main disappointment was that, unfortunately the beautiful terraces do not get the sun in the evening which is when we'd really like to relax with a drink after a busy day in the mountains. However, there is nothing the owner can do about that!
One last thing, there is no internet access in the apartments. The nearest WiFi spot is a short car drive away. Potes is the nearest large town. It is very pretty but does get extremely busy during the day and the through traffic is constant. There is a very large supermarket in Potes for supplies.
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Date of stay: August 2010
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We just came back from a week at the Apartamentos Olmares and we couldn’t have been more happy with our stay. The apartment was spacious and clean with all the amenities one needs for a home away from home....and the views are spectacular.
The apartments are situated in a quiet hamlet of Basieda just a short drive from Potes, so you can see all the touristy bits and then retire to absolute peace and tranquility. There is a pub on the main road just down the hill which is good for lunch and a cold beer or glass of wine, and a fantastic restaurant (the Posada el Hoyal) just a kilometer over in the next village. The food there is absolutely amazing.
I definitely recommend Olmares if you want a quiet, warm and welcoming place to stay whilst visiting the area.
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Date of stay: August 2018Trip type: Travelled with family
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The beauty of this place is the untouched surroundings; in fact the owners had something to do with the preservation of the area, personally invested in bringing back wildlife and bringing tourists to appreciate it. The well appointed rooms are fitted with good quality kitchens and bathrooms, no more and no less than you need and great value for money. If what you love is the outdoors, beautiful views, long walks, rustic barbecues, good food and good wine, this is your place. I have brought a great many great friends here and all agree that this is a secret gem in the mountains. We are even planning to rent out the whole place for a significant celebration. No wonder the times voted it one of its top fifty European villas!
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Date of stay: September 2015Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Lomena area.
LOCATION
SpainCantabriaLomena
NUMBER OF ROOMS
14
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