8 boutique hotels in San Sebastián, including Basque cuisine, designer digs and old-school seaside luxury
San Sebastián is a city that revels in local producers, haute cuisine’s attention to details, and family owned boutiques and shops. It has a distinct culture – Basque with a bit of refinement, thanks to influences from nearby France. Some of this panache has rubbed off in its independent hotels, which have a fascinating range of styles and are anything but cookie cutter. From old-school seaside luxury to Nordic, Kinfolk-inspired design, to hotels as modern as the Michelin-starred restaurants they house, here are San Sebastián’s most personality-filled boutique hotels.
Hotel La Galería
San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
8Telegraph expert rating
Stepping into Hotel La Galería, one of the only hotels in San Sebastián to have front-row beach status, is like stepping into the set of a Wes Anderson movie. From the stately exterior, whose stone was excavated from the mountain just a few yards away, to ancient keys hanging in the relic-stuffed reception area, this hotel exudes history and uniqueness. Rooms are spacious, with hardwood floors and fancy crown moulding. You won’t see modern colour palettes or fashionable lamps, but what you do get is a cosy sensation of being in a rich grandmother’s beach mansion. Read expert review From £45 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Hotel Niza
San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
8Telegraph expert rating
A charming, turn-of-the-century building perched over the lapping tide of the La Concha Bay in San Sebastián. The Niza's 40 rooms are modern but retain an old-fashioned feel. Pleasantly beachy wooden floors and flower prints create a sort of old school beach house vibe. Ceilings are luxuriously tall, windows are framed by crown mouldings, and often period-era furniture has been updated with a coat of paint or new upholstery. Spring for one of the 18 standard rooms with seaside views. In terms of Basque cuisine, Narru is one hotel restaurant you must visit. Only the freshest ingredients, from the red tuna to early spring artichokes, make it to the menu — and do not miss the secreto ibérico. Read expert review From £56 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Ibaia et Arramak
San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
8Telegraph expert rating
Ibaia Et Arramak is the Millennial version of a traditional Spanish pensión – a hipster design-lover’s paradise that resembles an issue of Kinfolk magazine (and they know – they even have copies lying around). Floors are cement, tones are muted and lightbulbs are exposed with retro filaments. No expense was spared in the details; every chair is designer and every light fixture could start a conversation. There's a spacious kitchen, with a huge island, outfitted with a microwave, coffee machine, refrigerators stocked with milk, juice and chocolate, and hobs to cook your own dinner if so desired. Rooms might be the most fashionable around. Read expert review From £38 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Lasala Plaza Hotel
San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
9Telegraph expert rating
Lasala Plaza, which lies within the walls of the Old Town, affords easy access to both the beach and the city centre, as well as amazing views of one of Europe's most beautiful beaches. Of the 58 rooms, 32 have views of the bay. Original art pieces and vintage black-and-white photos from the port deck the walls, while the rooftop holds a pool with more great views. The hotel's restaurant, La Jarana, divides itself loosely between informal bar and sit-down restaurant. Ander González, one of the city's well-known chefs, created the menu for both sides. From the traditional zurrukutuna (garlic-salt cod soup) to a modern seafood carpaccio, the menu emphasises fresh produce, with views overlooking the city’s port. Read expert review From £80 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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SANSEbay Hotel
San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
8Telegraph expert rating
SANSEbay is modern boutique city hotel on a corner of the Old Town. The colours are white and neutral greys and beiges, except for the signature deep blue that pops up in the room, hallways, and reception. Playful winks such as a neon sign urging guests to drink, talk, eat and smile in the breakfast room keep the mood light. The 17 rooms sparkle. It is most definitely worth springing for those with a view, as the floor-to-ceiling windows open onto (standing-room only) balconies looking out on the beautiful port and La Concha bay. Read expert review From £51 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Villa Soro
San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
9Telegraph expert rating
Villa Soro sits behind a gated entry on one of San Sebastian’s busier arteries. The Old Town is a good 25-minute walk away, though if Michelin-star dining is your priority, you are only a 10-minute walk from Arzak. An air of classic luxury pervades everything from the Tudor façade to the stained glass and marble-clad lobby. Where there is a lighting fixture, there are crystals, shiny silver, gold and brass. All the ornate details make you feel as if you’re living the pages of The Great Gatsby. Rooms have a homey feel (number 13 includes an expansive balcony overlooking the front lawn). The hotel’s menu reads like a ‘best of’ list of local delicacies: white asparagus, Cantabrian anchovies, Ossau-Iraty sheep’s cheese, foie from southeastern France and more. Read expert review From £84 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
Akelarre
San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
9Telegraph expert rating
Tucked into the hillside on Monte Igueldo and overlooking the Bay of Biscay, with sensual design and superb service, this is the place that lovers of food, wine, art and architecture have been waiting for. Pedro Subijana has been the chef at Akelarre since 1975 and was one of the pioneers of new Basque cuisine. The hotel attached to the restaurant has 22 rooms which all have glass walls and spectacular sea views. Elsewhere, panoramic windows frame the ever mutating colours and moods of the landscape and sea to create living works of art. Although you can eat à la carte, most people choose one of the three eight-course tasting menus. Exquisite dishes include hake in seaweed steam with plankton and oyster leaf, sea bass umami and roast suckling pig with ibérico emulsion. Read expert review From £234 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
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Arima Hotel
San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
9Telegraph expert rating
This daring, eco-friendly option on the outskirts of San Sebastián (less than three miles away) is the city's greenest lodging by far, and the hotel emulates a Scandi sensibility, both in terms of its design and social responsibility. Rooms are spacious and light-filled. Everything is white and light wood, with botanical prints hanging on the walls. Arima cleverly positions itself in a city full of Michelin stars with its fine-dining option, Misura, which is unabashedly health-focused and veggie forward. From June through September, a striking rooftop pool (with its own bar) is opened for guests' use. Read expert review From £74 per night Check availability Rates provided by Booking.com
