Hotel Chiqui occupies a detached building on Avenida del Faro in upper El Sardinero, positioned on the walking path between Segunda Playa de El Sardinero beach and the Cabo Mayor lighthouse. The beach is roughly 400 metres on foot; the lighthouse and the city aquarium form a popular coastal circuit that starts from the hotel's garden gate. Plaza de Italia with the Gran Casino is 1 km south through the El Sardinero residential streets, and the city centre and ferry terminal are around 3.5 km west.
The property has an outdoor pool and landscaped garden — amenities that distinguish it from most mid-range properties in the Sardinero district and make it particularly well-suited to families and groups travelling in summer. Rooms are in the main building and are spacious by local standards; Standard, Superior and Junior Suite categories are available, all with air conditioning, flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi. The outdoor pool operates from June to early September and is unheated. Private parking on-site is an advantage in a beach district where on-street spaces fill quickly in July and August.
A restaurant on the ground floor serves Cantabrian cuisine for dinner and a full breakfast buffet each morning. The bar connects to the terrace and garden, which provides a sheltered outdoor space for families in the late afternoon when the beach wind picks up. Service is informal and family-oriented; the front desk speaks Spanish, English and French and regularly advises on whale and dolphin watching excursions departing Santander harbour (about 3 km away between June and October). The coastal walking setting and pool combination make Hotel Chiqui the most family-practical mid-range option in the Sardinero area.
| Price | €€ (€75–145/night, ~$81–157) |
|---|---|
| Address | Avenida del Faro 35, 39012 Santander, Cantabria |
Room types
- Standard rooms
- Superior rooms
- Junior suite
Amenities
- Restaurant
- Outdoor pool
- Garden
- Bar
- Free Wi-Fi
- Parking
Location
Avenida del Faro 35, 39012 Santander, Cantabria
43.4782, -3.7636 View on map
Highlights
- Outdoor pool and landscaped garden — one of few mid-range hotels in El Sardinero with a pool
- 400 metres from Segunda Playa de El Sardinero, a wide Atlantic beach with reliable surf conditions
- On the Cabo Mayor lighthouse coastal walking route with sea views on three sides
- Private parking on-site — a practical advantage in a beach district where street spaces fill by 09:00 in high summer
- Informal family-oriented service with English and French-speaking front desk staff
Tips for visiting
- The pool is unheated and most comfortable from late June through August; call ahead if visiting in May or September to confirm it is open.
- Request a garden-facing room rather than a road-facing one for quieter nights — Avenida del Faro has intermittent late traffic in summer.
- Whale and dolphin watching excursions depart Santander harbour between June and October; ask at reception to book directly with the operator.