An early 20th-century Basque villa left abandoned on Ulia Mountain elegantly reimagined to its former brilliance, this beautifully restored structure now welcomes boutique hotel guests to its wild green slope, offering expansive vistas along the undulating Cantabrian coast.

Its name Basque for “Illuminated mountain,” this centenary structure caps a high altitude vantage point overlooking Donostia/San Sebastian Bay and many beaches, yet feels deliciously remote and exclusive, insulated from the energetic city by a protected forest. The update retains the noble inn’s historic cachet, the family project of a pair of Basque brothers in collaboration with Mari Luz Vidal, a founder of Openhouse Studio and photographer of the property. They layered local black marble, terracotta and oak into the interiors and brightened the bedroom suites with muted plaster walls and contemporary textiles to complement the original stone, ornate crown mouldings and herringbone wood and brick floors. There's the cachet of Paris in the look,  with a decidedly contemporary flair. A forgotten Basque pelota court hides in the secret garden-styled landscape. The original wooden staircase spirals up the villa’s three levels. And a round mirror by Sabine Marcellis and Brit Van Nerven reflects the changing rays of hilltop light, bringing Basque country brilliance into the reimagined, contemporary living space.

Its multiple decks and terraces offering stunning views across Donostia/San Sebastian’s Bay of Biscay and to neighboring mountain silhouettes characteristic of the mountainous Basque Country, this boutique inn tops a hillside that once received whale watchers. Multilevel and commanding, the inn has a generous pool and park-like garden, and is flanked Ulia Natural Park, with its majestic stands of beech and oak.

AROUND

A quick drive from San Sebastian’s Lo Viejo, or dashing old town, the inn offers tranquil access to a city known for its stunning landscapes, surf beaches, world class cuisine, and rich ancient culture. One of the Basque Country’s principal cities dating from Neolithic times, San Sebastian and its region are a world apart from most of Spain. The fiercely independent Basque Country is marked by its mountains and seafaring culture, with a living language that linguists note is not connected to any other language on earth. Families in the area often identify as Basque first, then Spanish, and the unique cultural region stretches across the French/Spanish border. Pinxtos are this part of Spain’s tapas, and Basque gastronomy ranges far and wide, from fresh-caught fish and seafood, to heartier mountain fare. Occupying a circular, white sand bay on the Cantabrian coast, Donostia/San Sebastian was once a royal vacation retreat (note the Queen’s former Miramar Palace) and retains its regal architecture and glamour. 

The downtown beach of La Concha is lined with luxurious historical mansions and a stately boardwalk with ornate white railings that have become one symbol of the buzzy city. Restaurants are a reason in themselves to make a trip here, with Michelin starred establishments among the highest per capita, pinxto bars on every street and a city center that also boasts the highest concentration of bars in the world. For an overview of the region’s unique history, the San Telmo Museum in old town delivers and don’t miss the city’s famed environmental sculptures by Eduardo Chillida, the steel Peine del Viento fused into the rocks over the wildly churning sea. The port area is a pretty, shining sailboat-filled harbor anchored by an aquarium, and the town is a surfing destination, too. Surfers head to Zurriola Beach, east of La Concha beach, to catch local waves or watch the action or the sun set on El Muro, or the wall that backs the beach.

LOCATION

Nearest airport: Donostia/San Sebastian, 20-30 minutes

BEST TIME TO VISIT: May to October