Northern Spain is adding new hotels with their own identity

Northern Spain is expanding its hotel map with openings that reflect different ways of understanding contemporary hospitality: boutique refuges immersed in nature, international brands in urban settings, restored heritage buildings, and wellness proposals linked to the local area. In Comillas (Cantabria), La Casería de la Mar occupies a former dairy built in 1996, now transformed into a boutique hotel with eight rooms, surrounded by 19 hectares of private estate and with views of the Picos de Europa. Its offering is based on a concept of discreet luxury, free from artifice, where nature, relaxation, and attention to detail set the pace of the stay. The interior design incorporates luxury textiles, subtly integrated technology, and an atmosphere designed to enhance the feeling of retreat. Wellness offerings include a spa with a large cold-water shower, infrared sauna, a thermal water pool, and a gym looking onto the landscape, while fireplaces, room service, and a buffet breakfast with no fixed hours complete the relaxed experience. The Basque Country features several openings linked to urban renewal and the arrival of renowned international brands. In Guipúzcoa, Holiday Inn Express San Sebastián-Errentería marks IHG Hotels & Resorts’ entry into the province. This establishment, located in Altzate Berri on the banks of the Oiartzun River, has 82 rooms and 38 parking spaces. Its design embraces contemporary lines, comfort, and functionality, including breakfast and a location close to business areas and San Sebastián airport. The opening is part of the transformation of former industrial land, now linked to green areas, riverside walks, and efficient housing. Also in Guipúzcoa, San Sebastián will welcome the Palacio Bellas Artes San Sebastián, Curio Collection by Hilton. This building, constructed in 1914 as a theater and cinema and closed since 1982, will reopen as a boutique hotel with 81 rooms and suites distributed over six floors. Its location, near La Concha, the old town, and the most representative cultural landmarks, reinforces the urban and heritage nature of the project. The restoration has preserved original architectural elements and adapted them to a unique project, featuring a restaurant managed by Grupo IXO, a culinary concept created by chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, a lobby bar, and a gym.

Palacio Bellas Artes San Sebastián, whose building was constructed in 1914, will reopen as a boutique hotel with 81 rooms and suites © Curio Collection by Hilton

In Vizcaya, Travelodge Bilbao Sestao strengthens the British chain's presence in the country, where it now has 13 hotels. The establishment offers 105 rooms, a 24-hour bar-café, and meeting rooms. Its profile combines corporate and leisure demand, supported by a well-connected location via metro and bus in the metropolitan area of Bilbao. In Castile and León, Castilla Termal Palacio de Avellaneda has transformed the Palace of Los Condes de Miranda, in Peñaranda de Duero, into a 5-star hotel dedicated to wellness. The 16th-century Renaissance building will offer 80 rooms and suites overlooking the Duques de Miranda Square or the Collegiate Church of Santa Ana. A spa, wellness, certified natural cosmetics, plastic-free amenities, local product cuisine, and Ribera del Duero wines shape a proposal where history, craftsmanship, and silence turn the stay into a serene way to stay in the local area.