The Best Cheap Hotels in Pamplona, Spain

Just a few metres from the historic centre of Pamplona, the streets around Hotel Avenida are full of buzzing bars, restaurants and cafés. Single, double and triple rooms all come with small balconies overlooking the street below – ideal for people-watching as the city wakes up. The decor is sleek and minimalist, with touches of raw wood that make it feel a step up from the “cheap hotel” label.

This hotel, a 10-minute walk from Pamplona’s old town, is a lesson in chic design. Standard hotel rooms are elevated with suspended pendant lamps and granite sinks in the bathrooms. There are tonnes of bars and restaurants a few steps away, but if self-catering is more your thing, one- or two-bedroom apartments offer a swish independent option. The two-bedroom apartments come with a living room big enough for the whole group to spread out, too.

On a tree-lined avenue just beyond the historic quarter, Hotel Albret is a solid choice for a city stay. You can opt for a standard room with a big king-size bed, or upgrade to a suite with its own living area. The restaurant is particularly good, serving seasonal dishes from the local Navarra region, and a breakfast buffet is sure to set you up for the day.

One of the more traditional hotels in Pamplona, Hotel Yoldi harks back to the 1920s with its Art Nouveau facade and flourishes inside. The rooms have been updated to meet the demands of the 21st-century, but the café-bar still whispers of an early 20th-century speakeasy – all ambient lighting and sparkling booze bottles behind the bar. It’s a three-minute walk to the very heart of Pamplona: the Plaza del Castillo and Plaza de Toros.

This place is steps from the old town’s buzziest street, Calle de la Estafeta, where the bulls run during the festival of San Fermín. Rooms are peaceful havens of pebble-grey and ivory, and there are single rooms perfect for solo travellers, but it’s the restaurant that really draws the crowds here. Though you’re right in the heart of Pamplona, you’ll want to stay in for dinner, as the local Navarran dishes have been awarded a Michelin star since 1993.

Close to Pamplona’s exit onto the Camino de Santiago, this is a good place to put your feet up before hitting the trail. Rooms are decked out with light wood accents for a calm, natural feel, and those that come with an enclosed terrace have a kitchenette-style area with a microwave and fridge, separated from the bedroom so the hum won’t disturb your sleep. Out by the university, this place is ideal for those who want a bit of quiet, away from the city centre.

Just 600m (0.4mi) from the cathedral, hotels in Pamplona don’t get much more central than this. Here, you’re surrounded by lively tapas bars and local restaurants, and it’s just a few footsteps to bed at the end of the night. Even the most basic single rooms come with a little wrought-iron balcony overlooking the street below, and some doubles have a private terrace big enough for breakfast in the sunshine.

A little way out of the city, Hotel Landaben is all sleek edges and moody lighting. The 3km (2mi) journey into the centre keeps the price tag happily low, without compromising on quality. Stylish rooms feature black-and-white photo murals of Navarra from yesteryear; some come with private, astroturfed terraces. The café-bar invites you for a nightcap, or sets you up for the morning with rocket fuel coffee and locally prepared pintxos and tortillas.