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At the turn of the millennium, the Nobu brand was at the top of every fashionista’s hitlist, with the dedication of London and New York’s fur-trimmed elite (not to mention one Robert De Niro, who owns a stake) supercharging its transformation from a couple of flashy dinner spots into a luxury lifestyle brand with a presence in more than 20 countries. This petite, seafront offering brings the masculine aesthetic and scented corridors that made Nobu a by-word for luxe hospitality to the fulcrum of the Basque dining buzz. But it’s hard to feel a sense of occasion in such a tight space, while iffy service standards and unexceptional rooms add to the sense that Nobu is leaving its reputation to do the heavy lifting.
Why stay at Nobu San Sebastian?
In the 13 years since the Nobu brand entered the hotels space, it’s established itself as the go-to option for fashion-forward travellers of a particular bank balance. Opened in 2023, its San Sebastian outpost is one of its very smallest, with just 20 rooms spread over the five floors of a narrow, sea-front building. As such, a stay here is a confoundingly no-frills experience – there simply isn’t enough space for anything extraneous – but generally sharp staff and a luxe food offering reassure Nobu devotees that they’re in their happy place.
What are the rooms like at Nobu San Sebastian?
Comfy, for sure, but hardly five-star fancy, with enough scuffs and dings to make mine feel the wrong side of lived-in. The bathroom, in particular, was in need of a visit from a handyman. An unsightly residue along the bottom of the shower door suggested it had recently been relieved of a seal; a suspicion that was confirmed after my morning shower produced a puddle that crept almost as far as the ultra-wide marble sink. Add in some chipped tiles and a wobbly door handle and it’s suddenly very difficult to comprehend how 403 ever made it to the top of the list headed ‘rooms to put the journalist in’.
Still, a good sea view makes for a fine distraction, and San Sebastian’s Playa de la Concha is a spectacular example. The mini-balcony of my room was too shallow to pull up a seat on, but the gentle sloshing of the bay of Biscay combined with a welcome snack of California rolls chilled me out to the point that I couldn’t help but wonder: was I just being a bit of a dick about the shower seal?
And the pillows. I have a terrible hit-rate for hotel bedding – one pillow forever feels too thin, two feels like a neck injury waiting to happen – but the offering here is among the best I’ve ever conked out on, combining just the right combination of elevation and bounce. Had I brought a bigger suitcase, I’d have nicked it.
What is the food like at Nobu San Sebastian?
If I opened a hotel in San Sebastian, I’m not sure I’d have the cojones to offer any food at all. With so much world-class cuisine in such a small city, even a pillow mint would feel like an affront to the local culture. But let’s exercise some special dispensation here: Nobu began as the celeb-magnet restaurant, first in New York before spreading its Japanese-Peruvian fusion to just about every city you’d care to land a private jet in. Like San Sebastian itself, then, fine food is in its DNA.
If you try just one thing, make it the signature black cod with miso. The original hype dish, this fishy phenomenon has been around since before there were social networks to put pictures of it on, and is still raved about today for good reason. Nobody was really sure what the word ‘umami’ meant before this.
The sea-facing terrace meanwhile, though too cold to dine on when I visited, is absolutely delightful. A sunset cocktail here before hitting the old-town pintxos trail comes well recommended: a civilised start to an evening that’ll likely end with you one-shotting giant prawns while leaning on a lamp post.
What is the service like at Nobu San Sebastian?
The bar was set before I’d even checked in, with the arrival of hot towels and a shot of some sort of zingy green juice seeming to establish I was in a place where I’d be extremely well looked after. Sadly, this didn’t turn out to always be the case, with service falling below what I’d expect for over a thousand euros a night on more than a couple of occasions.
The simplest way to get a read on a hotel’s standards is to check the toilets. At the start of a two-hour dinner, the restroom serving the hotel restaurant was messy and without loo roll. By the end, having clearly not been tended to, it felt like freshening up at a bus station.
Staff exude genuine warmth but, again, attention to detail was lacking. Nothing breaks the illusion that you’re the centre of someone’s attention faster than a waiter taking a drinks order for two people, then, upon returning to the table, asking who ordered the orange juice.
What are the facilities like at Nobu San Sebastian?
This is a small hotel, so, in a word: minimal. Even the lobby is essentially a large cupboard between the sliding glass entrance doors and the lift. There’s a very small gym for those too hungover for a run along the sea, while the rooftop deck sports a cluster of expensive-looking wooden sunloungers and a pool that’s about the size of a snooker table, making it perfect for sea-view selfies but not much else.
What’s the area like around Nobu San Sebastian?
A glutton’s paradise. Even if you’ve not managed to snag a res at one of the many bucket-list restaurants around the city’s periphery, the casual dining scene of the nearby old town is, by this point, world renowned. Sure, there are hotels in Nobu’s league that are closer to the action, but it’s hard to take issue with a 15-minute walk when it takes you along one of Europe’s most beautiful beaches. And if you’re making the most of San Sebastian, quite frankly, you’ll need the exercise.
Why you should book a stay at Nobu San Sebastian
Everyone has their own idea of what five-star luxury feels like, and for those who love the brand, the LinkedIn luxe of Nobu is absolutely it. The pillows are perfect, the food is flashy and the view out of the window is wonderful. For our money, San Sebastian has better high-end options, but it’s clear those who’ve been hoofing down black cod since MySpace was a thing have already made up their minds. And that’s absolutely fine.