Best hotels and hostels in San Sebastián

Surrounded by apple orchards, this 16th-century former brick and tile factory 7km southeast of San Sebastián has been beautifully converted to a 16-room hotel. All rooms are named after local apple varieties,...

A top-notch guesthouse in a prime old-town location, Amaiur has bright floral wallpapers and bathrooms tiled in Andalucian blue and white. The best rooms are those that overlook the main street, where you can sit...

A big step up in quality from many other San Sebastián pensiones, this friendly, professionally run place has sparkling modern rooms with white decor and stone walls, some with little balconies for watching the...

Queen Isabel II set the tone for the beachfront Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra (Hotel of London and England) in the early 20th century, and it still exudes elegance. Many rooms have stunning views over Playa de...

This pensión occupies a beautifully restored Gros townhouse, with arched windows and modern, minimalist rooms that are a world away from the fusty decor of the old-town pensione s. Interior rooms lack the...

An excellent base in one of San Sebastian's most charming neighbourhoods, Welcome Gros is set in an elegant seven-storey building and has attractive rooms – though rather on the compact side. For more space and...

Around the corner from the Plaza de Gipuzkoa, the family-run Pensión Joakina lays out the welcome mat for visitors with bright, spotless guest rooms set with wood floors and splashes of colour, plus tiny...

Audrey Hepburn stayed here – as did Coco Chanel, Alfred Hitchcock and Mick Jagger, to name a few. The palatial Maria Cristina, opened in 1912, dominates the riverfront skyline. Glamorous and impeccably...

Located a few steps from the beach, Hotel La Galeria has a peaceful location for those wanting to bask on the seaside. The building is a lovely late 19th-century French Empire style design. Though the rooms don't...

A former garage in hip-and-happening Gros has been transformed into this stylish hostel. Dorms (sleeping six to eight people) and private rooms all have en suite bathrooms. Great socialising areas include an...

In a great location near both Playa de la Concha and the old town, the Pensión Peñaflorida impresses with its contemporary design and welcoming staff. Named for local landmarks and towns, the nine rooms have...

Upstairs from a lively bar in a 1905-built former convent (aptly named 'Convent Garden'), and opening to its own roof terrace, this light, bright new-town hostel is a great place to get to know both locals and...

On the edge of the harbour, a few steps from the old town, Sanse Bay has exceptionally friendly staff and 17 contemporary rooms, all with a simple clean design in whites and greys. Some rooms are small, though...

A fine and quite welcoming pensión with rooms that are all tarted up in brash modern colours, but with a salute to the past in the stone walls and ceilings. It’s very well cared for and ideally situated just...

The owners of this excellent pensión must have read the rule book on what makes a good hotel and followed it precisely. The nine rooms are bright and bold, full of exposed stone, and the communal area, with soft...

Some of the rooms at this pensión overlook the namesake Kursaal entertainment complex. Its charming wrought-iron lift, contemporary colour schemes, big windows and brilliant location, footsteps from Playa de la...

This excellent pensión has six interestingly decorated rooms: each was inspired by a different world city, from Amsterdam to Rio de Janeiro. The location is excellent and the owners are extremely helpful in...

With a great location just a sandy footstep from the beach, this smart hotel has small rooms done in muted colour schemes with black-and-white photos adding a dash of style to the otherwise minimalist ensemble....

This place doesn't look like much from the outside, but actually offers some of the nicer, and better value, beds in the old town. Rooms have something of a farmhouse look with exposed wooden roof beams and stone...

You'll hardly find a better deal in San Sebastián in high season. Guest rooms are small but tidy, and they all have private bathrooms. The location puts you a short stroll from Playa de la Concha. Friendly service.