We enter the most exclusive holiday villa in Biscay: it is in Urdaibai and dates back to 1830
We enter the most exclusive holiday villa in Biscay: it is in Urdaibai and dates back to 1830
The Busturialdea-Urdaibai region, in Biscay, is famous for its estuary – a natural space of extraordinary beauty declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1984. This paradise is a magnet for all those who seek to enjoy their holidays in harmony with nature – by discovering its beaches, its estuary, the cliffs, the wetlands, and the river plains. Busturialdea-Urdaibai is also home to two of the Basque Country’s greatest treasures: the Santimamiñe Caves, which contain priceless cave paintings, and the Oma Painted Forest, a piece of land art created by artist Agustín Ibarrola.
In the middle of this region, in Gautegiz Arteaga, a stately house that took on the name Orue Albízuri was built in 1830, atop the structure of an old farmhouse. At the beginning of the twentieth century, after a remodel, the building was given the aesthetic look that it still has today. In 2011, its owners decided to condition the construction as a vacation home, creating one of the most unique accommodation options in the Basque Country: the renowned Etxelaia. The house’s journey with its new use began in 2018, with it being presented as a luxury villa with a capacity to host large families and groups of friends. Etxelaia has two living rooms, a kitchen, a garden, a large terrace, an outdoor swimming pool, seven bathrooms, and eight bedrooms and it can accommodate a total of 18 guests.
In addition to enjoying a perfectly equipped home in complete privacy, visitors can request a series of additional services during their stay: daily preparation of personalized breakfasts, a chef to cook lunches and dinners to suit clients, catering services, laundry services, cleaning services, nannies, transfers, tour guides, personal shoppers, and the organization of all kinds of activities in the Basque Country – from visits to wineries to hiking activities and water sports.
If there is anything that the COVID-19 pandemic has made apparent, it is the importance of private spaces – especially when traveling. In this sense, vacation homes like Etxelaia have taken a leading role, being spaces where guests feel safe. That privacy, together with the natural environment that surrounds this estate, has positioned Etxelaia as one of the main accommodation options in the Basque Country for groups.
Etxelaia
Zelaieta Kalea 1, Gautegiz Arteaga.
Tel.: +34 946 254 061
