Rural houses in Urdaibai, reservations, prices and opinions.

Rural houses in Urdaibai, a vacation in paradise.

If you are looking for rural houses in Urdaibai, you are in luck. And today we want to introduce you to a complex of accommodations, which, located in the heart of the Biosphere Reserve of Urdaibai, invites us to know the wildest and most beautiful side of the Biscayan coast. Nowadays, the rural houses represent one of the most demanded lodgings in Urdaibai. Spaces full of charm, which allow us to enjoy the natural and cultural richness of this place in style. It is for this reason that today we wanted to show you a selection of what we consider to be the best rural houses in Urdaibai. Pay attention because they do not have any waste. Our hostess, Mertxe Begiristain, a charismatic and endearing woman, welcomes us to what is undoubtedly one of the most striking and attractive rural houses in the region. A farmhouse (baserri in Basque) dating back to the 15th century, which was renovated in the 17th century to house the Gorroño family home. Four centuries later, Peio Goroño and Mertxe Begiristain have converted this old livestock and agricultural farm into one of the most welcoming accommodations in Bizkaia, the houses of Ea Astei. A small oasis of peace, which, formed by 5 rural houses of different capacities and profiles, makes the delights of all the people who visit it. Located in the small municipality of Ea, in the mountains, among oaks and eucalyptus, these rural houses have made people from all over the world fall in love with them. It is not surprising. We are in front of a referent as far as rural houses in Euskadi are concerned. A space in which we find the perfect fusion between popular Basque architecture and modern architecture. This is how the houses of Ea Astei manage to cover a wide range of tourist profiles. A very rewarding experience that we recommend to both families and couples. Today there are 5 houses in Ea Astei: Etxeaundi, Sabai, Garaixe, Okana and Vita. The first 2, Etxeaundi and Sabai, big house and barn in Basque, represent the traditional farmhouse of the Basque Country. Rural houses, where stone and wood play an important role. On the other hand, Garaixe, represents all those granaries, which, scattered on the slopes of our mountains, kept the grain of the eastern valleys of Bizkaia. Unfortunately, nowadays it is very difficult to find this type of traditional buildings of our land, one more excuse to stay in this small and charming love nest! Finally, we find the Okana and Vita cottages, the 2 latest additions of Ea Astei, sustainable cottages, which represent a different and innovative tourist offer. Which one do you choose?

We must recognize that Mertxe Begiristain and her family have managed to create an ideal place to rest body and soul. A very cozy place that allows us to disconnect from the daily routine while enjoying the benefits of nature. And, in addition to enjoying cozy and charming rural houses, the beauty of the environment in which they are located and the amenities offered by their common areas, make us 5 rural houses to take into account in any trip to Euskadi. Remember that the capacity of the houses of Ea Astei varies from 2 people to more than 20. And, according to Mertxe and Karina, there have been cases in which more than one house has been booked to accommodate entire families. A perfect plan to enjoy together an incredible stay in Basque lands.

The houses of Ea Astei have been providing a different offer to people visiting Euskadi since 2000. A space located in the middle of nature, where the avant-garde and tradition go hand in hand to show the most beautiful side of the northeast coast of Bizkaia. A unique, magical place. By the way, do you know what Astei means? Astei in Basque means oak grove, place of oak trees. Which is in turn, the name of the original stone farmhouse. The complex known as “The houses of Ea Astei” consists of spacious, bright and cozy cottages that left us speechless. We hope they provoke the same sensation in you.

History of the houses of Ea Astei.

As we have already mentioned, the origin of these rural houses lies in its main building. A huge and beautiful Basque farmhouse that takes us directly to the seventeenth century. Although the original construction of this baserri dates back to the end of the 15th century, the chestnut wood with which it was built was replaced in the 17th century by the stone we see today. An architectural and historical jewel of Bizkaia. A building that brings to mind the Igartubeiti farmhouse and museum, a must-see for lovers of popular Basque architecture. The Gorroño and Begiristain have been in Astei since 1974, at the beginning, they were dedicated to different tasks such as livestock farming or the restoration and sale of antique furniture, until in 2000 they decided to allocate part of their home to the tourism sector. Since then, Astei’s lodgings have undergone a process of continuous improvement to offer us the 5 options they have today. A hard and beautiful path that has led them to occupy a privileged position among the rural houses of Euskadi.

Ea Astei, the rural houses of Urdaibai.

The houses of Ea Astei are formed by 5 incredible lodgings. Spaces of great charm that you will fall in love with. The main building is formed by the stone farmhouse of the seventeenth century of which we have already spoken, the rest are wooden houses that have been installed creating a cozy resort. Here is a small presentation and technical data sheet of each one of them. We recommend that you read in detail until you find the house that best suits your needs and tastes.

Casa Vita.

This self-sustainable house has an avant-garde design that catches the eye at first sight. Its architect, Iñaki Aspiazu, has managed to create a pioneering house in Euskadi. An accommodation of 180 square meters, which, consisting of 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and a large living room, offers guests everything they need to enjoy an unforgettable vacation. The fact that it generates its own energy makes it environmentally responsible. A fact that appeals to lovers of technology, nature, design and architecture. What about you?

• Price low season: 400€ per night
• Price high season: 500€ per night
• Capacity: 6 persons.
• Number of bedrooms: 3
• Number of beds: 3

 

Okana House.

Located under the Vista house, the Okana house offers direct contact with nature thanks to its large windows and open spaces. Once again, wood is present in ceilings, furniture and design complements. A house that invites us to enjoy the landscape and nature. We must indicate that this house has direct access to a small private garden that offers a luxurious space to enjoy on sunny summer days. A joy.

• Price low season: 305€ per night
• Price high season: 315€ per night
• Capacity: 4 persons.
• Number of bedrooms: 2
• Number of beds: 2

 

Garaixe House.

The old barn. A granary, which, located in front of the farmhouse and the main garden, offers a small love nest for couples visiting Ea Astei. A perfect space for those couples looking for a place full of charm. The views offered by this house, together with its terrace, are another of its great allies. A house without waste.

• Price low season: 185€ per night
• Price high season: 195€ per night
• Capacity: 2 persons.
• Number of bedrooms: 1
• Number of beds: 1

 

Sabai House.

The old barn. A space that, located at the top of the Astei farmhouse, offers us a very Basque stay, very authentic. And, besides being able to sleep in a 17th century farmhouse, we are sure that you will love the views and the decoration that this house gives us.

• Price low season: 195€ per night
• Price high season: 230€ per night
• Capacity: 4 persons.
• Number of bedrooms: 2
• Number of beds: 2

 

Etxeaundi House.

The authentic and unique Astei farmhouse offers us again another room, this time, in its lower part. A place where oak wood and stone merge creating one of the spaces that we liked the most. This house keeps inside traditional Basque furniture restored by Mertxe and her family, a little wink to the Basque culture. Undoubtedly, this rural house shows us together with the Sabai house the roots of the Basque people.

• Price low season: 213€ per night
• Price high season: 235€ per night
• Capacity: 4 persons.
• Number of bedrooms: 2
• Number of beds: 2

Common areas.

The houses of Ea Astei have large garden areas for the enjoyment of its guests. Spaces in which the txoko, the wellness area, the fronton, the barbecue or the garden, among others, are of special interest. In our case, we loved the heated outdoor pool, can you imagine a swim in the middle of winter? In Ea Astei it is possible. And the fact is that the 31 degrees that the water reaches can be a good argument to put on your bathing suit in unusual times. On the other hand, the multitude of leisure areas found throughout the resort, make it impossible for the little ones of the house (and not so little) to get bored. Here is a small inventory of the common areas of Ea Astei:

Mertxe Begiristain.

Mertxe Begiristain, owner and responsible for the houses of Ea Astei, has received us together with Karina in what is undoubtedly a luxury office, the garden of the houses of Ea Astei. It is nice to meet people like them, full of vitality and positive energy. Always ready to welcome us in their homes. Kindness, humility and love for the land they walk on. It only took us 5 minutes to see that Mertxe is a true lover of the culture and history of our land, an incredible representative of the Basque people. And the fact is that, although some of her rural houses give off an impressive aroma of avant-garde and innovation, inside there is always a wink towards our culture and history. A gesture that is always appreciated. Houses with a Basque shell and soul. Although we talk a lot about Mertxe and Karina, we must not forget Peio and Mikel, husband and one of the sons of our hostess. Authentic artists who have known how to mold the wood of our mountains to dress these houses with authentic wooden jewels. Zorionak mutilak!

Protecting the environment.

Protecting the environment and creating sustainable rural houses is one of the challenges that Astei has set for itself. This is what they showed us when they created the first sustainable lodging in Euskadi, Casa Vita. The planet has limited resources and we must make responsible use of them. This is how they have installed ecological and sustainable houses created only with wood from the mountains of Euskadi. Wood for which the chain of custody has been followed at all times between the plantation, logging and sawmill. Egoin, with the help of Iñaki Azpiazu, has been able to create a house under strict sustainability parameters that have led Casa Vita to obtain the Swiss Minergie certificate. Due to its low energy consumption, the Canadian well, the reuse of rainwater for watering the garden and the large number of solar panels installed in the house, the building generates more energy than it consumes. As you can see, in this rural house in Urdaibai, nature rules. The green revolution has arrived, this is the future.

Egoin.

Egoin, the company that the Gorroño family manages just a few meters from this tourist complex, has become a strategic partner in this sustainable and futuristic adventure proposed by Ea Astei. Egoin is currently a leader in its sector. A company that, dedicated 100% to the engineering and production of wooden buildings, brings to this tourism project its experience in countries such as France, Portugal, Spain and England. A luxury ally when designing the new spaces of these accommodations. Wood is always present. This is how Casa Vita was born, a house built with pioneering technology in Euskadi, which has achieved countless accolades and international certificates.

Reserve a rural house in Urdaibai.

If you want to book a cottage in Urdiabai in a safe, comfortable and fast way, we advise you to do it from our booking section. Without commissions or added costs, with total confidence. After searching for what we consider to be some of the best rural houses in Urdaibai, we have made a strategic alliance with Las casas de Ea Astei so that you can book automatically from here. In addition, in this same section, you will find unforgettable experiences such as boat trips in Urdaibai or boat trips in Bilbao. We encourage you to enjoy some of them, they are simply amazing.

Location.

In our humble opinion, part of the success of these rural houses lies in the contact with nature, the contact with our beloved Urdaibai. An area declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1984, which attracts people from all over the world to our land. In this sense, to say that the houses of Ea Astei are located between Gernika and Lekeitio, 2 of the most important and authentic nuclei of the area, 2 very Basque villages. If you want to know what to see near the houses of Ea Astei, if you want to know what to see in Urdaibai, we recommend you to read our article “Urdaibai, 22 places to see and enjoy“. Anyway, we wanted to make a small selection of what for us are some of the most special places in this part of the Biscayan coast. We encourage you to visit them and enjoy them in the same way we have done.

Video of rural houses in Urdaibai.

As usual in all our articles, we have created a small video for you to appreciate the beauty of these cottages. An audiovisual, with which we try to complement the text and photos that you will find throughout this report on rural houses in Urdaibai, the houses of Ea Astei. In case you are interested in knowing destinations, restaurants and accommodations in Euskadi, we recommend you to subscribe to our YouTube channel, we are sure you will find dozens of videos that will catch your attention.

As you have been able to see, we have selected some of the best rural houses in Urdaibai. Spacious, comfortable and full of charm that we are sure you will not be disappointed. The houses of Ea Astei are a clear example that tradition and vanguard are not at odds. In fact, they complement each other wonderfully. An authentic luxury. If you have any doubt or suggestion about some of the rural houses in Urdaibai that we mention in this article, we recommend you to use the comments system that you will find under these lines. We will try to respond as soon as possible. Ondo pass!