Luxury hotels on a northern Spain journey through the Basque Country, La Rioja, Galicia & Asturias:

Here are the specifics on which luxury hotels to choose when traveling northern Spain. It is about visiting the regions of Basque Country, La Rioja, Galicia and Asturias during a 14-day road trip. In my last post, I provided the corresponding itinerary. More precisely, it was a travel plan in a nutshell, done with Google My Maps. Now I want you to know where to go for upscale lodging in “Green Spain”. Soon on my blog you will find the same in terms of dining in style in the area. I am referring to high-end gastronomy, often fine-dining restaurants listed in the Michelin Guide.

Before I come to the luxury hotels my husband and I selected for our northern Spain journey, find first my respective Google Map. It includes all the hotels, restaurants, cafés and activities we experienced here along with brief explanations.

Luxury hotels on 14-day road trip in northern Spain

As to the route, in short, after flying in to Bilbao, we drove straight to San Sebastián.

Then we continued to La Rioja, south of the Basque Country, before heading to the northwestern tip of Spain. This is about Galicia where we stayed in Santiago de Compostela. Our last stop before returning to Bilbao was in Asturias that stretches along more than 400 kilometers/250 miles of coastline east of Galicia.

Regarding accommodations in general, we like our hotels to be luxurious, we cherish the finer things in life. However, we are usually not willing to pay outrageous room rates. On this journey, we made one exception, and that was in San Sebastián, which is an expensive place to stay. Furthermore, we generally prefer intimate boutique properties over large, impersonal hotel chains.

1. San Sebastián, Basque Country: Hotel Akelarre Relais & Châteaux, one of the top luxury hotels in northern Spain

Due to San Sebastián’s top tourism status known for its Michelin-starred food culture, it is one of the most expensive cities in Spain. Plus, there are geographic limits. San Sebastián is squeezed between the ocean and surrounding green mountains, so space to build new hotels or apartment blocks is scarce.

When searching a hotel in this city, I had an eye on such ones that are favourably located for dining at one of the three three-Michelin starred restaurants in San Sebastián. This led me soon to Hotel Akelarre a bit outside of town in a rural spot on the slopes of Mount Igueldo (2 Michelin Keys, about a 20-minute drive from the city center). It is not solely the one and only accommodation here with a three-star Michelin dining spot onsite, but the hotel was actually built around the restaurant. While the dining spot by Pedro Subijana has been existing since 1970,

the lodging was only opened in 2017!

Hotel Akelarre is a true architectural gem! The premise was that the historic, octagonal restaurant should not lose any of its appeal by the newly constructed hotel. This was reached by building it directly into the steep hillside, cascading below the dining spot. The results were five grey stone cubes, on whose top there are otherworldly outdoor restaurant terraces. Hotel Akelarre is a dream of dark-grey stone and light wood. All 22 rooms are oriented in such a way that hotel guests have the same spectacular view of the Bay of Biscay

as the diners during their meal.

We had one of 14 Superior Horizon Rooms (entry-level category, 50 sqm, 979 euro/night). While I was fond of its sleek and minimalist decor,

I found the bathroom too big in relation to the the bedroom.

This was due to the bathtub in front of the window, which took lots of space. Then I considered the closet as too small. Probably, the location caters more to weekends guests than to ones being on the road for a longer time. But these were the only flaws. Staff was excellent throughout our stay. Breakfast was not a buffet, but served at the table.

And it was fabulous with lots of fine bakery products and a large selection.

If you should care for wellness, an 800 sqm spa is at your disposal as well.

2. Briones, La Rioja: Hotel Santa Maria Briones

After splurging at an over-the-top hotel including dining at a three-star Michelin spot in San Sebastián, we decided to downshift a bit in La Rioja. But we did not want to make too many compromises, and there was no need to do so in Briones. This is not only one of “The Most Beautiful Villages in Spain”,

but also the home to Hotel Santa Maria Briones (opened 2022, 1 Michelin Key). Javier Ruiz, an entrepreneur and originally from nearby Logroño, made the restoration of this 16th-century manor house to his passion project. It took six years and carefully preserved many historical elements.

The result was a premium boutique hotel with 16 rooms.

All are decorated with a blend of stone and dark wood. My husband and I opted for one of the top accommodations here, the Junior Suite (40 sqm, 398 euro/night).

While it provided ample space and was well-furnished in a mix of old and new, it lacked the wow factor that would make it truly memorable. And in my opinion, the bathroom was not equipped with high-quality furnishings.

As to the public spaces, I liked them better, for instance the stone-walled inner courtyard

or the back corner of the bar.

Both revealed hints of their former designs. And there is the restaurant, which focuses on Rioja gastronomy and regions wine culture. When it comes to the staff, the one at the reception is professional and engaging. As to the service at the restaurant, the one in the evening is well organised. This was less so at other times (breakfast and bar during the day) where we had the impression that they were somewhat short staffed. That said, the breakfast was enjoyable with a noteworthy buffet selection and egg dishes to order.

3. Santiago de Compostela, Galicia: Hotel A Quinta Da Auga Relais & Châteaux

If you had to describe this hotel in one sentence, it would be “Hotel Quinta Da Auga refuses to be modern”. So much becomes clear when entering the premises. A hodgepodge of oddities await you in the reception area. You find here anything from kitsch and art, be it real artwork – I am no expert here – , fake plants or counterfeit books. Also the adjoining lobby bar was quite a sight compared to today’s typical hotel style.

While my husband and I were amiably welcomed and shown around, we were taken aback when we came to our room. We had booked an Alma/Soul Accommodation (35 sqm, 356 €/night) that promised a prime location with unique views.

And what did we get? A room with a roof window only where we could glimpse some roofs of neighbouring houses and the sky. While the staff tried hard to solve the problem, it was of no use. The hotel was almost full (57 rooms), only inferior rooms or a suite with an uncomfortable bed was available. So, we swallowed the bitter pill and took the room assigned to us.

And what was the first thing we did? We rearranged the room, a thing we have never done before in a hotel. As all the furniture was set along the walls, we moved the bed bench to the sofa to use it as a lounge table and added the two chairs. Otherwise, the room was spacious, as well as the bathroom.

And everything was aimed to preserve its vintage charm.

Otherwise, A Quinta Da Auga is a lovingly restored 18th-century industrial paper mill (1 Michelin Key, opened in 2009),

managed by the the Lorenzo Garcia family. It is set along the banks of the river Sar a bit outside of Santiago de Compostela (10-minute drive).

And it is surrounded by a lush hectare of greenery, walking trails and fountains.

 

Onsite you find two restaurants, both with pleasant outdoor areas.

Plus, the hotel provides attractive spa facilities. As to the breakfast, it was satisfactory, but nothing special.

4. Luces near Llastres, Asturias: Hotel Palacio de Luces

This hotel was the biggest disappointment of our trip in terms of staying in style, but one that was anticipated. And this even though it had all the prerequisites to be one of the top luxury hotels in northern Spain. This is how it came about. After having a fabulous stay at Hotel CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha Madrid (my post) in spring 2025, it was clear to me to choose their northern Spain outlet for our trip in the area. The letdown was great when we learned by chance shortly before our departure to Spain that the management of Hotel Palacio de Luces had transitioned from CoolRooms to Único. Nobody bothered to inform us about this change.

After some research, I knew what to expect and it was just as I had feared. It was an underwhelming stay, in particular service wise. There were multiple issues to address. It already started upon our arrival at the hotel. An unfriendly male staff member asked us if we had a reservation and let us know that he needed our passports. Not a single kind word passed his lips. A nice elderly bellman showed us to our room. He told us when asked that lots of things had changed at the hotel, “for the better”, but I had my doubts.

And I was right. I do not want to bore you with too many details, but you do definitely get no five-star service here. I already mentioned the issue on our arrival, but most complaints arose during breakfast. Here the service was far below what you would expect from a hotel of this category. Generally, the staff was obviously overwhelmed. They acted from forgetful to chilly and were always slow. Also the offerings on the buffet were mediocre at best. Some products that were available on the first day – for instance natural yoghurt – ran out for the remaining three days. Said that, one staff member – a young woman – shone out, who was professional, attentive and helpful.

All this is such a pity in face of the beauty of the place (1 Michelin Key). The property was originally built in the 16th century and was first used as a hotel in 2006. After extensive renovations by CoolRooms it was reopened in June 2021, before the ownership change to Único took place in May 2026. Hotel Palacio de Luces is quietly located in the hamlet of Luces close to Lastres, a fishing village and one of “The Most Beautiful Villages in Spain”.

The rooms (44 units) are very nice and comfortable,

we had a Suite (42 sqm, 482 €/night) which I was fond of.

Also the restaurant premises with stunning mountain views are gorgeous.

 

And you find onsite an apparently elaborate spa too.

5. Bilbao, Basque Country: The Artist Grand Hotel of Art

The last lodging on our northern Spain trip left a strong positive impression on us. The service at the reception and the rooftop bar – where they serve a delightful breakfast – leaves nothing to be desired. The staff here clearly knows its job. All the employees we interacted with on our stay showed a professionalism I would like to see across the luxury hotel sector!

The Artist Grand Hotel of Art is just opposite the famous Guggenheim Museum. It is probably no coincidence that the hotel lobby features a fascinating mix of contemporary design and art installations. The key element here is a towering stone sculpture that defines the modern atrium space. It stretches all the way from the ground to the top floor and makes up a bit for the fact that the interior-facing rooms have no view. All the remaining ones however have a great vista, the one of the Guggenheim Museum.

My husband and I had one of the latter (Premier Twin Guggenheim: 34 sqm, 421 €/night).

And while our room was not brand new, it was in a good condition.

The hotel (1 Michelin Key, opened 2002) has been under the current management (Luxe Hotels du Nord SA, tied to the Wicke family) since 2016. There was a multi-year transformation that culminated in a rebranding (new name, before Gran Hotel Domine). In this process, there was an update of most guest rooms in 2018 (total 145 units).

As to other facilities – apart from the mentioned rooftop bar – you find here the Sixty-One Lobby Bar on the ground floor. Unfortunately, it was understaffed on both occasions we ventured here. And there is Olio, a restaurant that fuses Basque and French cuisines. And a small fitness center as well as a wellness area complete the offer.

About my northern Spain posts

The start of my northern Spain reporting made an itinerary, created with Google my Maps. It informs about all the details of this 14-day road trip in style, from the route to the hotels, restaurants, cafés and activities. This very post went into the luxury hotels we chose for this journey. And to conclude, I showcase my culinary highlights made en route in my next post.

Date of stay: June 2026

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