Where to Stay in San Sebastián (First-Timer's Guide): The Best Hotels for the Tamborrada, Summer and Every Trip in Between
San Sebastián shows up twice in our month-by-month series. In January it's the Tamborrada, when the whole city drums for 24 hours starting at midnight on January 20. In August it's our My Pick, with beach days on La Concha and pintxos every night. Either way, you'll want to come back.
San Sebastián is small and walkable, so the neighborhood matters more than the hotel. The Parte Vieja, the old town, is pintxo central and lively late into the night. The Centro and La Concha are elegant and close to everything. Gros, across the river, is younger, near the surf beach of Zurriola and often better value.
It's also one of the most expensive cities in Spain for hotels, especially in summer, so book early. Here are the best places to stay, chosen for different travelers and different priorities.
Best Location: Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra
For a first visit, this is the address. The Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra is a 4-star classic on the promenade overlooking La Concha, with the old town a few minutes' walk one way and the shopping streets of the Centro the other.
Ask for a bay-view room. Watching the light change over La Concha from your balcony is one of the great hotel views in Spain. For the Tamborrada, the midnight opening in the Plaza de la Constitución is a short walk away.
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Best Value: One Shot Tabakalera House
One Shot Tabakalera House sits inside Tabakalera, the former tobacco factory turned culture centre, right by the train and bus stations. It's industrial-chic, comfortable and one of the best-priced design hotels in the city.
You're about 15 minutes' walk from the old town along the river. In a city where good hotels start high, it's the smartest way to save without compromising.
Best for Families: Hotel Arrizul Congress
In Gros, near the river and Zurriola beach, this 4-star hotel offers large family suites that sleep up to four, some with terraces. Gros is calmer than the old town at night, easy with kids, and just a bridge away from everything.
In summer, Zurriola is the more relaxed family beach, with surf schools for older kids. In January, Gros has some of the best pintxo bars in the city, with fewer crowds than the old town.
Luxury: Hotel María Cristina
The María Cristina is San Sebastián's grand hotel, a 5-star Belle Époque palace beside the Urumea river, opened in 1912 and still where the stars stay during the San Sebastián Film Festival.
It's a short walk to the old town and La Concha, and it's the full grand-hotel experience: marble, chandeliers and impeccable service. For a special-occasion trip, nothing else in the city comes close.
Most Unique: Akelarre
Akelarre is a 5-star hotel built around chef Pedro Subijana's three-Michelin-star restaurant, on the slopes of Monte Igueldo with the open Atlantic below. The rooms look out over the ocean, and there's a spa.
It's a short drive from the city, so it's for travelers who want the food pilgrimage more than the pintxo crawl. If San Sebastián is your once-in-a-lifetime food trip, this is the stay.
Not Sure Yet? Search All San Sebastián Hotels
If none of these fit your exact dates or budget, Stay22 lets you search all available accommodation in San Sebastián in one place, including apartments in Gros and the old town.
Continue Planning Your Trip to San Sebastián
San Sebastián is our January pick for Unique Experience Seekers and our My Pick for August. Here's everything that goes with this guide.
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