Five-star One MICHELIN Key Centro, on the Urumea, San Sebastián
Hotel Maria Cristina
The Belle Époque palace on the Urumea, opened in 1912 and named for the regent queen, with Amelia's two MICHELIN stars at street level.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- MICHELIN
- One Key, 2026
- Rooms
- 139, including 29 suites
- Opened
- 9 July 1912
- From the airport
- About 24 km from San Sebastián airport
The hotel
A queen's name on the river.
The Sociedad de Fomento de San Sebastián, founded in 1902, built the hotel, and the plans came from Charles Mewès, architect of the Ritz hotels. It opened on 9 July 1912, and the regent queen María Cristina arrived by landau to see the building that carried her name. In 1948 Manuel Urcola added a wing that turned the L-shaped plan into a U.
The city council bought it in the 1980s, and a complete renovation under the CIGA group reopened it on 5 July 1987. Since the San Sebastián film festival began in 1953, many of its stars have stayed here. Marble columns and chandeliers survive in the public rooms, and many bedrooms have marble bathrooms, terraces and views of the river or the sea.
- Amelia by Paulo Airaudo Two MICHELIN stars inside the hotel, with an omakase-style menu.
- Dry Martini Javier de las Muelas's bar, for cocktails, pintxos and afternoon tea.
- The public rooms Marble columns and chandeliers from the Belle Époque, restored with the rest of the house.
Rooms & suites
River, sea and twenty-nine suites.
Classic rooms with modern comforts; many have marble bathrooms and terraces, facing the Urumea or the sea.
- Rooms Classic rooms Classic décor and modern comforts, many with marble bathrooms and views of the river or the sea.
- Suites Junior, Terrace and Royal suites Twenty-nine suites in all, including the Chillida Suite.
Dining
Two stars and a dry martini.
Venues as listed by the hotel; the distinction is from the current MICHELIN Guide Spain. Shown for information.
- Amelia by Paulo Airaudo Two Michelin stars Creative, omakase-style Paulo Airaudo
- The Gallery Restaurant With a private terrace
- Dry Martini by Javier de las Muelas Cocktails, pintxos, afternoon tea Javier de las Muelas
Recognition
Keys and stars.
- One MICHELIN Key 2026 selection
- Two MICHELIN stars Amelia by Paulo Airaudo
- Green Key Certified
Good to know
Before you go.
- Arrival Check-in from 3 pm, check-out by noon. Guests must be 18 to check in.
- Children Welcome at any age; children under three stay free in a cot.
- Pets One dog per room, with a vaccination certificate and a fee. Dogs stay out of the restaurants and bar.
Getting there
Flying to San Sebastián.
San Sebastián airport at Hondarribia is about 24 kilometres away by road, with flights from Madrid, Barcelona and London City. Its short runway limits the jets that can land, so larger private aircraft use Biarritz, about 50 kilometres away, or Bilbao, about 100.
- Madrid 50 min
- Barcelona 50 min
- Geneva 1 h 15
- Paris 1 h 15
- London 1 h 30
Questions
What guests ask first.
- Does Hotel Maria Cristina have a MICHELIN Key?
- Yes, one Key in the 2026 selection. Its restaurant, Amelia by Paulo Airaudo, holds two MICHELIN stars.
- Which airport is closest to Hotel Maria Cristina?
- San Sebastián airport at Hondarribia, about 24 kilometres away. Larger private jets use Biarritz, about 50 kilometres, or Bilbao, about 100.
- Can I bring my dog to Hotel Maria Cristina?
- Yes, one dog per room, with a vaccination certificate and a fee per stay.
- 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.
- Akelarre Twenty-two rooms facing the open coast on the far side of Igueldo, built around Pedro Subijana's three-star restaurant, and the only hotel in the city with two MICHELIN Keys.
- 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 Hotel Maria Cristina?
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.