I am going to Go on my honey moon to the Basque country coming from Paris. I am planning to stay 4 days and use it as a base to travel around the area including the french and spanish parts of the basque!
I got a recommendation to stay at the Ma. Cristina hotel, and I saw it on the internet and liked it, however I preffer a more intimate hotel, any ideas? Beach view a must. I believe Maribel has a lot of info, however could not find it on the forum.

micky,
If you'll send me an email,
[email protected], I'll gladly send you my lodging/dining/sightseeing list for San Sebastián.

mickey,

I know from you'll get plenty from Maribel but wanted to put my plug in for this hotel too. Sorry I can't find a direct link but I stayed there a few years ago and hope to visit again one day.

If the link does not work, the name is "Hotel San Sebastian Playa". Good luck, E.

http://barcelona-sitges.san-sebastia...rcelona-sitges

You don't say when you are going or I could help more with price, but one of the sweetest hotels is the three-star Hotel Niza, which has THE best view of La Concha (beware--there are 2 beaches--you want La Concha. Ask for room 62 and leave your windows open at night--the most romantic view! Breathtaking. It is a lovely little hotel, though not as elegant as someof the others--more intimate by far, and steps from the spa, la Perla! Rates are astonishingly low: 90-107 E for a double with view!!! Good luck!

micky,
The San Sebastian Playa Hotel is in Sitges, south of Barcelona in Catalunya, not in San Sebastian, the Basque Country.

The Niza is cute, friendly, much smaller with only 40 rooms, owned by the late sculptor Eduardo Chillida's family, directly facing La Concha beach, not a deluxe property (just 3 stars) but certainly very handy and a huge money saver. So, if you like fine cuisine, the euros saved could be spent on deluxe, gourmet dining at places like Arzak, Akelare, Casa Nicolasa in town or at the country gourmet temples such as Martin Berasategui (Lasarte), Mugaritz (Renteria) or Zuberoa (Oiartzun).

The other La Concha beach front hotel in my file, the 4 star ABBA de Londres y de Inglaterra has nice suites and equally great views, but the hotel is much larger, 150 rooms.

Thank you so much for the suggestions!! I checked out the Niza and the ABBA hotels. I liked the Niza because of its small size and privacy. The ABBA also looks good, however I am looking for something different, not necessarily in price, but maybe more "honeymoony". Are there any cottages on the hill? things like that.. am I dreaming? I am going to be there in June.

micky,
Do you need a sea view? If not, there's a brand new 19th century "mansion on the hill" in a quiet area, near Restaurante Arzak, that's just opened which looks really lovely, with personalized service and only 25 rooms, and within walking distance of Zurriola beach (the surfers' beach). We're going to check it out for friends in July. It's the Villa Soro.
See it here:
www.villasoro.com

It's also a member of Rusticae, whose properties tend to be rather romantic...
www.rusticae.com
and it's bookable with
www.innsofspain.com

Wow Maribel, you are reading my mind! I had actually seen Villa Soro and loved it! But on the website they don't show the surroundings of the building or the view from the rooms and to be honest with you I do love the sea view, isn't San Sebastian a waste without it?
Also, in order to move around from Villa Soro, like to go to La Concha for example, you need a car and I rather walk around (even though I am going to rent a car just to get to San Sebastian).
Another question, I am going to drive from Paris to San Sebastian and want to stop for 1-2 nights on the way (if not it is going to be too long). I was thinking on a Chatau, any ideas on a good town/place?

micky,
Because I've visited San Sebastián lots of times, it isn't a waste for me without a sea view, because I just go out and walk to the sea. But I actually believe that a first-timer should opt for a sea view, yes, indeed. That's the disadvantage of the Villa Soros, although I suspect the "pampering" level there is quite high. But no sea views from the rooms or the gardens. We're going to check it out this summer.
You should probably just decide between the 2 hotels right on La Concha.

As to your other question, I suggest you start another thread with a different title, such as "2 nights between San Sebastián (or Biarritz) and Paris" or something similar.

Last summer we stayed at a lovely, really exquisite manor home in the Loire, just to the east of Tours in Amboise, the Manoir les Minimes, which was perfection-very elegant, exquisitely decorated yet reasonably priced. In the Bordeaux region, there's the charming, picturesque wine town of St. Emilion, just delightful, and a chateaux in the middle of the vineyards, the Chateau Franc Mayne, a selection from the Karen Brown guide. For our chateaux searches in the southwestern French countryside we usually book with
www.chateauxandcountry.com/
or
www.chateauxhotels.com/