Five-star Two MICHELIN Keys Monte Igueldo, San Sebastián
Akelarre
Twenty-two rooms with glass balconies over the Bay of Biscay, set on the far side of Monte Igueldo and joined to Pedro Subijana's three-star dining room.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- MICHELIN
- Two Keys; the restaurant holds three stars
- Rooms
- 22 rooms and suites, all facing the sea
- Opened
- Hotel July 2017, restaurant 1970
- From the airport
- About 30 minutes from EAS, our estimate
The hotel
A restaurant that grew a hotel.
Akelarre opened as a restaurant on Monte Igueldo in 1970. Pedro Subijana arrived in 1975, won a first MICHELIN star in 1978 and a second in 1982, and was among the founders of New Basque cuisine. In 1979, a year after that first star, the National Gastronomy Award named him best chef. The restaurant has held three stars since the 2000s and is in the 2026 guide with three.
The hotel followed on 1 July 2017. The Madrid studio Mecanismo, led by Marta Urtasun and Pedro Rica, set a new building of grey stone cubes beside the restaurant, on the seaward slope away from the city. Every room has a glass balcony over open water, and curved terraces with wooden benches step down towards the Bay of Biscay. Inside, black Marquina marble frames the lounge fireplace.
- Three stars next door The Akelaŕe dining room is under the same roof, with Pedro Subijana's menus and the La Bodega wine cellar for tastings.
- The spa About 800 square metres of stone, with a pool, a hydrotherapy circuit, steam bath, sauna and three treatment rooms using Sisley.
- Into town The hotel runs a free transfer down to San Sebastián, a few minutes away.
Rooms & suites
The Bay of Biscay from every bed.
White fabric walls, wide windows and a private terrace in every room, all facing the sea.
- Rooms Double Sea View 14 rooms of about 50 square metres, with a terrace over the water.
- Larger rooms Deluxe Sea View Six rooms of about 60 square metres.
- Suites AKELARRE Suite Two suites of about 100 square metres, with a dressing room, a wide terrace and a heated private pool.
Dining
Three stars and a terrace.
Restaurants as listed by the hotel; the star is from the 2026 MICHELIN Guide España. Shown for information.
- Akelaŕe Three Michelin stars Creative Pedro Subijana
- Espazio Oteiza Informal, snacks and cocktails Sea-view terraces, menu by Pedro Subijana
- La Bodega Wine cellar A long communal table for tastings and private dinners
Recognition
Stars and Keys.
- Two MICHELIN Keys 2026
- Three MICHELIN stars Akelaŕe, 2026 MICHELIN Guide España
- National Gastronomy Award, best chef Pedro Subijana, 1979
Good to know
Before you go.
- Restaurant hours Akelaŕe keeps its own opening days and closures, posted on the hotel's site. Check them before fixing your dates.
- Into town A free transfer runs to the centre of San Sebastián.
- Cooking school The hotel runs cookery classes in its own kitchen classroom.
Getting there
Flying to San Sebastián.
San Sebastián airport at Hondarribia is about thirty minutes by car, our estimate, with flights from Madrid, Barcelona and London City. Its short runway limits jet size, so larger private aircraft use Biarritz, about forty-five minutes away by our estimate, or Bilbao.
- Madrid 50 min
- Barcelona 50 min
- Geneva 1 h 15
- Paris 1 h 15
- London 1 h 30
Questions
What guests ask first.
- How many MICHELIN Keys does Akelarre have?
- Two. It is the only hotel in San Sebastián with two Keys in the 2026 selection.
- Is the Akelarre restaurant in the hotel?
- Yes. The hotel was built in 2017 beside the restaurant, which holds three MICHELIN stars in the 2026 guide.
- Which airport is closest to Akelarre?
- San Sebastián airport at Hondarribia, about thirty minutes by car by our estimate. Larger private jets land at Biarritz, about forty-five minutes away.
- Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to San Sebastián?
- Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to San Sebastián, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.
Also in San Sebastián
Other hotels worth the trip.
- Hotel Maria Cristina The Belle Époque palace on the river, with 139 rooms and Amelia's two stars at street level.
- Lasala Plaza Hotel An adults-only hotel at the edge of the old town, a MICHELIN Key in the 2026 selection.
- Hotel Villa Favorita Twenty-five rooms on the seafront promenade above the beach, adults only, with a MICHELIN Key.
Staying at Akelarre?
Book the room, then the flight.
Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to San Sebastián, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.