Villa Favorita — San Sebastián, Spain

A 19th-century villa directly on La Concha — arguably Europe’s most beautiful city beach — with a two-Michelin-star restaurant downstairs.

The short version

• The last grand villa still standing on San Sebastián’s La Concha bay — an adults-only, 23-room boutique hotel.
• Book a room overlooking La Concha bay; it’s the view that makes this place.
• Two-Michelin-star Amelia by Paulo Airaudo is downstairs — dinner a thirty-second walk from your bed.

What is it?

Villa Favorita is a 19th-century villa restored into a 23-room, adults-only boutique hotel directly on La Concha, the crescent bay at the heart of San Sebastián. It’s the last grand villa left on the beach, and most rooms face the water. Downstairs is Amelia by Paulo Airaudo, holding two Michelin stars.

Why stay here?

For the setting first — book a room overlooking La Concha bay and you wake to one of Europe’s great views. And for what’s on your doorstep: you can walk to the old town (the Parte Vieja) and its legendary pintxos bars one way, and to the newer, more bustling part of the city — with the bigger shops — the other. Add flawless service and small luxuries that stay with you (yes, the heated Japanese toilet), and a night or two earns every euro.

Good to know

• Where: directly on La Concha bay, San Sebastián, Spain (adults-only).
• Rooms: book one overlooking La Concha bay — it’s the whole point.
• Walkable: the old town and its pintxos bars one way; the bustling shopping streets the other.
• Price: top of our range — a fraction of a comparable seafront suite on the Riviera.