Hilton adds San Sebastián’s Palacio Bellas Artes to Curio Collection

Hilton has announced the opening of Hotel Palacio Bellas Artes San Sebastián, Curio Collection by Hilton, converting a former cinema in central San Sebastián, Spain, into an 81-room hotel. The company said the restored 1914 building is welcoming the public again after four decades.

The property combines rooms and suites with Lotu, a restaurant led by Basque chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, whose Mugaritz holds two Michelin stars. It is within walking distance of the coastline, the historic Old Town, pintxos bars and cultural venues, according to Hilton.

The opening adds to a Spanish portfolio that now includes more than 65 hotels trading and in the pipeline, said Simon Vincent, Hilton’s executive vice president and president, EMEA. For hotel industry readers, the project brings together the conversion of a historic building, several accommodation categories and an all-day food and beverage operation under the Curio Collection brand.

Former cinema restored for hotel use

Palacio Bellas Artes was originally designed by architect Ramón Cortázar and housed one of Spain’s earliest cinemas. It opened during San Sebastián’s Belle Époque and retains its Beaux Arts architectural character following the conversion.

Architect Ignacio Quemada led the restoration, which included rebuilding the dome and refurbishing the façade and decorative features. Spanish design practice Isabel López Vilalta + Asociados reworked the interiors around the cinema’s original layout, with guests entering the lobby through the former stage and beneath the proscenium arch.

The building’s previous use also informs its art programme. Basque artist Lander Andonegi curated Creation: Light, Movement and Gaze, a collection of 81 works distributed across the guest rooms and developed around the property’s theatre and cinema origins.

Room categories draw on theatre layout

Gallery rooms form the largest accommodation category and are spread across all four floors, with different layouts and views of the surrounding city. Amphitheatre rooms occupy the top two floors, while the larger Grand Stalls rooms include some with a balcony or separate living room.

The suite range includes Front Box and Corner Box accommodation, with the Cupula Suite positioned beneath the restored dome. Hilton said the room names and designs reflect the former cinema’s seating areas and architectural features.

Lotu combines restaurant, bar and bakehouse

Aduriz’s Lotu occupies the theatre’s former box and extends across two spaces, serving guests throughout the day. Its concept draws on the dining rooms of the early twentieth century, where cultural figures and travellers gathered around performances, festivals and seasonal visits.

The menu combines dishes such as pâté en croûte, beef Wellington and sole meunière with Basque preparations including txangurro donostiarra and chuleta. Hilton said the restaurant accommodates both informal and formal dining, with options ranging from a smashburger to Oscietra caviar.

Breakfast is served at the table, while a street-level bar connects with the lobby. An in-house bakehouse supplies breads and pastries daily for breakfast, the bar and the restaurant.

Jenna Hackett, Hilton’s senior vice president and global category leader, Lifestyle Brand Management, said the property’s restoration, design, art and food offering connected it to San Sebastián’s cultural identity. Bookings are available through the hotel website and Hilton Honors mobile app, and the hotel participates in the Hilton Honors loyalty programme.