Villa Magalean Hotel & Spa

Style

Balconied Basque bolthole

Setting

Hondarribia central

Pack your beret and salt your cod – we’re off to the most Basque of Basque stays, Villa Magalean Hotel and Spa. In the Spanish border town of Hondarribia, this beautifully converted Fifties beach house is a celebration of all things Euskadi: from its thoughtfully curated decor to the concierge’s little black book, you can expect insight into the region’s rich pickings. Meander the Cantabrian coastline’s storied fishing towns and surf-friendly beaches; tap into the gourmet scene radiating out of San Sebastián (only 20 minutes away); or explore the timbered villages of the Pyrenean foothills. Then return to your mansion lodgings, where an expertly stocked wine cellar and convivial lounge spaces await.

Facilities

Zimmer

Eight, including three suites.

Checkout

Noon; earliest check-in, 3pm.

Weitere Details

Rates include breakfast à la carte. From July through September, there’s a two-night minimum stay.

Also

This historic villa stay has an elevator and one ground-floor room, Guadalupe, is suitable for guests with reduced mobility.

Hotel Closed

The hotel closes annually for two weeks in November and two weeks in January.

Kostenfreies WLAN

Wäscheservice

Restaurant

Zimmerservice

Spa

At the Hotel

Wine bar; library-salon with books, movies and games; bikes to borrow; laundry service; and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: smart TV, Bluetooth speaker, tablet loaded with guest services, minibar, coffee machine, kettle, free tea-making kit, free filtered water, and Cinq Mondes bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

We can’t find fault with the attention to detail lavished on Villa Magalean’s eight rooms: Azulejo bathroom tiles, decorative plasterwork, Lladró lighting, C&C Milano linens, and Holland & Sherry textiles speak to the thought that has gone into dressing them with subtle elegance. We’re torn between the plum and pink hues of Jaizkibel and Baluarte de la Reina (especially the cosy living space in the latter junior suite) and the in-the-eaves romance of Villa Magalean’s two suites, Belharra and Peñas de Aya.

Spa

Tucked downstairs from the lobby, Henriette is modelled on a Turkish spa, with moody-hued mosaic tiling, arches and pillars, and steamy low-lit caverns you’ll want to retreat to. Steam until ‘just cooked’ in the hammam, hop onto the heated exfoliation table for an invigorating scrub, then check in for the scents-and-lights show that is the spa’s high-spec experience shower: there’s a Finnish sauna, too. Book ahead of your stay for head-to-toe massage therapies that buff, soothe and revive, using natural oils and aromatherapy-inspired lotions and potions by Parisian spa brand, Cinq Mondes.

Packing Tips

Pack for the night out you want to have: high-stool-friendly linen pants or midi skirts, and sturdy espadrille wedges or heeled clogs you’re happy to stand in for as long as it’s pintxo o’clock.

Also

Plug adaptors, beach bags and towels, and umbrellas are all provided by Villa Magalean Hotel and Spa.

Kinder

Welcome: the boutique set-up at Villa Magalean means this exclusive stay is better suited to older children. The hotel has two pairs of connecting rooms, and a two-bedroom suite, and staff can advise on family-friendly activities.

Galerie

Food & Drink

Top Table

The layout at Mahasti is non-hierarchical, with tables piano-side, by the bar or nearest the terrace all equally pleasing – you’ll soon find your favourite.

Kleiderordnung

Casual is cool.

Hotel Restaurant

A light-filled, white-tiled basement dining room framed by arches and sporting semi-circular windows, Mahasti is a casual spot, presided over by an upright piano that you’re welcome to play. Rock up for pintxos and cheese or charcuterie planchas with wine by-the-glass, any time; opt for Basque gâteaux with tea or coffee in the afternoon and enjoy an à la carte breakfast featuring seasonal fruits, breads and pastries, egg dishes and sweet options cooked-to-order. In fine weather, bag a parasol-shaded table on the terrace and dine alfresco.

Hotel Bar

‘Mahasti’ is the Basque word for vineyard – a clue to the hotel's master stroke – a glass-enclosed wine cellar of refined bottles curated by wine-lover and hotel co-owner Didier, whose time well spent in Bordeaux shines through in a predominantly European collection, long on French, Spanish and Basque vintages: you can join a scheduled tasting session or request a private one, or freestyle your way through the list of wines by the glass, accompanied by platters of cold meats or cheese.

Last Orders

Mahasti Snack and Wine Bar is open from 6pm to 10pm, daily.

Room Service

Anything from Mahasti’s menus can be ordered to your room during standard kitchen hours.

Planes

The hotel is just a five-minute drive from San Sebastián airport, and the hotel can arrange private transfers. Or Biarritz across the French border is 40 minutes away by road.

Trains

Irún, just two kilometres from the hotel, has the nearest train station (the hotel can arrange private transfers from €20); to find out more about rail connections in the Basque Country, Euskotren is your friend. Across the river-border, Hendaye is served by high-speed TGV services from Paris-Montparnasses.

Automobiles

You'll need to reserve a spot at the hotel's private outdoor carpark for €15 a day. There's one spot with an electric-vehicle charger (subject to availability) for €30 a day.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

You can see the fortified walls of the mediaeval old town in Hondarribia from the front door at Villa Magalean Hotel and Spa: your beach-house stay is only streets back from the riverfront, too. Hotel staff have the expertise you need to tailor your time in the Basque Country to your own agenda. Food-and-drink lovers will want to check out the region’s txakoli bodegas, perhaps take a tapas tour of Fontarribia or enjoy a private dinner at a fisherman’s house. The calorific highs of San Sebastián need little introduction, whether you go on a pintxo bar crawl, bag a table at a starred restaurant, or take picnic slices of gâteaux to the top of Monte Igueldo. A stroll along the curvaceous prom at La Concha should help walk off the food fest. Highlights of the Cantabrian coast include Pasajes, where you’ll find a historic shipyard and Victor Hugo’s former home; and Getaria, a fishing port loved by anchovy lovers (and feared by anchovies). This is a coastline beloved of surfers – the hotel can arrange tuition: for sands and rollers typical of the area, explore Zarautz or over-the-border St Jean de Luz. At the westerly end of the Pyrenees mountain range, there’s no shortage of trails for mountain biking or hiking either – yours to explore a dos (ask the hotel to prepare you a gourmet picnic to enjoy along the route), or with the informative company of an expert guide.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .