Plaza Pio XII 7, San Sebastian - Donostia, Spain | (251) 219-4428
Stylish, stark renovated hotel in a quiet neighborhood next to the San Sebastian bus station
Large collection of modern art by Spanish artists adorns the lobby
On-site La Ola Piano Bar, and Plaza Restaurant serving Basque fare for lunch and dinner
Free Wi-Fi
Generous breakfast buffet (for a fee)
Room service available
Free coffee on most floors
Rental bikes available right outside the hotel
Garage parking
20- to 30-minute walk to the beach and the San Sebastian's Old Town
Fee for breakfast
Fee for parking
Wi-Fi can be slow
Guests in first-floor rooms have complained about noise from the bus station
Silken Amara Plaza hotel is a renovated (in 2014) upscale property in a quiet area of San Sebastian. The public spaces are modern and comfortable, and rooms have a contemporary design scheme. Original artwork by Spanish artists lines the walls of the lobby. The on-site Plaza Restaurant serves breakfast buffet style and offers an a la carte lunch and dinner menu, and room service. La Ola Piano Bar does cocktails and live music. The location is a bit far from the beach and Old Town, but there's buses and a taxi stop just outside the hotel's front doors. Wi-Fi is free, but slow. Travelers might want to check rates at Barcelo Costa Vasca, which has a swimming pool.
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Scene
Art gallery inside a renovated hotel
From the outside, the Silken Amara Plaza looks like an aging hotel tower. Inside, the lobby resembles a modern art gallery, with a large and ever-changing artwork by Spanish artists on the walls. A wooden staircase with a gray carpet runner leads to the second floor lounge. Futuristic-looking chairs upholstered in neon citrus colors provide splashes of color and a cozy spot to admire the art or peruse books on a nearby shelf. Free coffee is avaiable on most guest-room floors.
Location
On Pio VII Square next to bus station
Silken Amara Plaza Hotel is located on Pio VII Square next to the San Sebastian bus station. Expect a 20- to 30-minute walk to the beach or Old Town San Sebastian. It's about a 10-minute walk to San Sebastian Cathedral, and about a 15-minute walk in the other direction to Anoeta Stadium. But buses traversing the city, as well as other parts of the Basque region, are right there at the hotel, and taxis are plentiful. Undertground garage parking is available for a fee. To stay slightly closer to the beach, check out rates at Hotel Astoria 7.
Rooms
Contemporary rooms renovated in 2014
Renovations in 2014 brought flat-screen TVs and contemporary furniture to the rooms and suites at Silken Amara Plaza Hotel, though gray carpet and light wood nightstands look a little generic, and some rooms appear cramped. Most rooms have white bedding with gray and blue throws and Ikea-esque wood furniture. Opaque sliding glass closet doors brighten the space. Tiled bathrooms include glass showers or full bathtubs, along with stainless steel hairdryers mounted to the wall. Past guests have complained about noise in the first floor rooms from the nearby bus station.
Features
La Ola Bar, free Wi-Fi, and breakfast buffet
Features at the Silken Amara Plaza Hotel include an on-site restaurant that serves a generous breakfast buffet (for an added charge) along with a la carte lunch and dinner -- and offers room service. La Ola Piano Bar is a local hotspot and draws a business crowd for cocktails and live music. Wi-Fi is free, and there's a desktop computer and printer for guests to use. Parking is generally difficult in San Sebastian, and the hotel offers underground parking for a fee.
