Brittany Ferries Pont Aven
External view of the hotel from the beach, Juan de la Cosa, Spain
Aerial view of Juan de la Cosa, Spain
Brittany Ferries Pont Aven
External view of Juan de la Cosa, Spain
Outside dining, Juan de la Cosa, Spain
Lobby at Juan de la Cosa, Spain
Room tyoe 2, Juan de la Cosa, Spain
Room type 3, Juan de la Cosa, Spain
Room tyoe 4, Juan de la Cosa, Spain
Room typr 5, Juan de la Cosa, Spain
Room tyope 1, Juan de la Cosa, Spain
Indoor pool, Juan de la Cosa, Spain

Saga Hosted Hotels

Juan de la Cosa - by Ferry

  • Santoña, Costa de Cantabria, Spain

  • 1 hour away from airport

If you prefer not to fly, why not travel to Santander by ferry on our 9 and 16-night cruise departures? Departing from Plymouth, you can look forward to a relaxing overnight cruise aboard Brittany Ferries. Then, following your 7 or 14-night stay at the Juan de la Cosa, you can cruise back from Santander to Plymouth overnight. The Santillana-Astuy family will offer you a warm welcome to their family-run hotel on the rugged Cantabrian coast. Food is a huge focus here and you can look forward to tapas lunches and locally sourced fish for dinner, accompanied by hand-picked, regional wine.

Facilities

Restaurant offering buffet-style breakfasts, tapas lunches and á la carte dinners

Indoor heated swimming pool

Wi-Fi

There is a lift to all floors.

Nationwide shared chauffeur service– included on all departures from April 1, 2026

A nationwide return shared chauffeur service from your home to your UK departure point

Your holiday includes

All Inclusive

  • All meals
  • Tapas/snack lunches and waiter served table d’hote dinners
  • Wine list at meal times including Rioja and Ribera del Duero wines
  • Free bar open up to 12 hours a day with a wide range of spirits

By ferry

Return ferry from Plymouth to Santander

Maximum 20kg checked luggage, per person

Return transfers direct to you hotel

Plus

  • Hosted drinks reception
  • Porterage at your hotel
  • Free Wi-Fi

Exceptional value every time

Saga Host

Our trained hosts will welcome you and ensure you enjoy your holiday. We also offer 24/7 support if needed.

Travel insurance and additional cancellation cover included §

A price reduction is available if you choose not to take the included insurance and additional cancellation cover.

Please note

Please note: Only 9-night durations are bookable online, please call to book the 16-night duration. Porterage is not included when embarking and disembarking your ferry in Santander. Meals are not included.

Ferry times - Outbound: Depart Plymouth at 15:45. Arrive in Santander at 13:15 the following day.

Location

Juan de la Cosa map

Santoña is a traditional fishing town that’s famous for its delicious anchovies – you’ll find them on the menu in almost every tapas bar. A three-kilometre ribbon of white sand runs along the front of the hotel, while inland there are wildlife-rich marshes and lush hills criss-crossed with hiking trails. The hotel borders a beach and a nature reserve – it’s an ideal location for birdwatchers and walkers, as well as those looking for a laid-back beach break with plenty of good food and wine.

Out and about

Historic Santander, the capital city of Cantabria, is around 28 miles away. While the Basque capital of Bilbao, home to the iconic Guggenheim Museum, is around 44 miles away. Both are accessible by bus.

Santander

A jewel on Spain’s verdant ‘Green Coast’, Santander has long been a popular seaside resort thanks to its white-sand beaches. Of special note are the Palacio de la Magdalena, the royal summer palace built in the early 1900s which houses an interesting art collection, the 13th-century Cathedral de la Asuncion, the Centro Botin art museum, and the Paseo de Pereda y Calle Castellar promenade park, which is lined with Baroque-inspired houses.

Bilbao

Founded in 1300, Bilbao developed into a shipbuilding centre during the 19th century. Contrast the Renaissance, Baroque and modernist architecture of the historic centre with newer additions to the cityscape. The most striking of these is the riverside Guggenheim Museum, a wave-like structure clad in titanium plates that reflect the surrounding art district. Other highlights include the funicular which offers panoramic views on its way to the summit of Artxanda and Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park, the city’s largest green space.

Address

Primera Avenida de Playa Berria, 14, Santona Spain 39740

Across the bay from this hotel in the cliffs above Liendo, lives one of the largest colony of Griffon vultures in mainland Europe, which can be visited with specialist guides on one of our Birdwatching or Walking holidays. What better endorsement of Cantabria’s unspoilt environment?

Richard Newsome, Head of Product

Hotel details

Enjoy home cooked dishes typical of the region: buffet-style breakfasts, authentic tapas or snack lunches are available at the bar or on its terrace, and dinners are waiter served in their locally acclaimed à la carte restaurant, where seafood is a speciality (the hotel has its own lobster farm where they source crayfish and lobster fresh from the Cantabrian Sea).

Breakfast is available between 0730-1030

Lunch is available between 1230-1600

Dinner is available between 1930-2100

The included wine list at meal times features Rioja and Ribera del Duero wines.

Dinners are pre-ordered the day before and are eaten at set times, ensuring your food is freshly cooked.

Tea and coffee is available between 0900-2300.

Complimentary tea and cake is available at 4pm daily in the bar

The hotel prides itself on its food, and during your stay you will be able to enjoy an included cookery demonstration. As the chef cooks up a storm, you will be able to taste a selection of wine from the area, each carefully selected by the hotel’s owner, Felipe.

The free bar is open up to 12 hours a day, between 1100-2300, with a wide range of quality wines, spirits and liqueurs.

There are 71 rooms, each with:

Sea or inland mountain view

Tea and coffee-making facilities

TV

Fridge

Most rooms have a bath (a room with a walk-in shower is available on request).

Guided orientation walks

Complimentary bus tickets to Santoña

Orientation tour of Santoña

Cookery demonstration with a selection of wines to taste

Talk on Spanish and British culture

Table tennis

Darts

Weekly shuttle bus to regional capital Santander

Live entertainment three times a week

There is a choice of optional excursions available for an extra cost, subject to availability.

Optional excursions

Lierganes

1 / 5

This morning we’ll visit the medieval village of Liérganes, considered one of northern Spain’s most beautiful settings. It’s a chance to delve into Cantabrian culture as we weave around the cobbled streets and cross the 16th century stone bridge - Puente Mayor – that straddles the Tormes River at Salamanca. We’ll also visit the Renaissance style Church of San Pedro Advíncula and learn about the legend of El Hombre Pez – the Fish Man of Lierganes. It’s a lovely place to spend the morning with several tapas bars tempting you in for fried calamari, tortilla or chocolate con churros before we head back to the hotel.

Spain

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Important information

§Underwritten by Astrenska Insurance Limited and subject to medical screening or a price reduction if not required. Pre-departure cancellation cover is provided by Saga and only available when taking out the included insurance.