The Best Hotel in The Basque Country, Navarra, and La Rioja, Spain

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Ever since the Guggenheim reinvented Bilbao as a design darling, the city’s hotel fleet has expanded and reflected (in the case of the Gran Hotel Domine, literally) the glitter and panache of Gehry's museum. Boutique hotels, high-design hotels, and high-rise mammoths have made the older hotels look small and quaint by comparison. Despite new developments, the López de Haro remains one of the city's best lodging options, and many longtime Bilbao visitors prefer the storied halls of the Hotel Carlton to the glass-and-steel labyrinths overlooking Abandoibarra and the Nervión estuary.

Basalore

$$$$ | Jaitzubia Auzoa 200, Hondarribia, Spain

San Sebastián's buzzy new Hotel Arbaso likes to call this luxurious hilltop villa with five rooms its finest "suite," but that's selling this sister property short; after all, most suites don't span 67 acres teeming with goats, sheep, and pampered Basque "Wagyu" cows (a passion project of the owner). Situated 20 minutes from both Hondarribia and San Sebastián, Basalore—with its on-call chef and chauffeur and ample room for events—is one of the most exclusive rentable homes in Spain. For a family looking for the ultimate splurge or for a deep-pocketed company planning a small retreat, this well-appointed getaway is hard to beat.

Pros

  • Endless room to spread out
  • Unparalleled privacy and exclusivity
  • In the middle of nowhere yet accessible to nearby cities

Cons

  • Books up quickly
  • Off-the-charts expensive
  • A bit of a hike from San Sebastián
Jaitzubia Auzoa 200, Hondarribia, Spain
84-393--1420
Hotel Details
5 rooms
No Meals

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