Stunning Views from Mercure San Sebastian Monte Igueldo

It is not often that you can simply step out onto the balcony of your hotel room and be gobsmacked by one of the most breathtaking views you can imagine. But that is the exactly the unforgettable experience you can enjoy when you stay at the Mercure San Sebastian Monte Igueldo overlooking the bay, beach and city of Donostia-San Sebastian, in Spain’s Basque Country.  

The panoramic views of the beautiful city and its perfectly curved La Concha Bay can be seen from virtually everywhere in the hotel: most rooms and suites, the lobby with its floor-to-ceiling windows, and even the large rooftop pool and sundeck (open in the summer months). It is particularly fascinating to watch the sunset from one of the easy chairs or sofas in the lobby, as the reflections of the interior lights in the huge windows create their own unique light show as daylight fades and the dark night encroaches. 

The Mercure Monte Igueldo edifice itself is one of the icons of this heavily touristed city, as it stands like a sentinel atop the more accessible of the city’s two most prominent peaks. As you stroll leisurely along the boardwalk of the immaculately tended La Concha Beach, or stand in front of the [now repurposed] casino building where the infamous spy Mata Hari plied her trade, you can always glance skyward and see the majestic hotel building standing guard over the entrance to the bay from the Cantabrian Sea. 

Speaking of casinos, that was also part of the storied history of the Monte Igueldo property, which dates back more than a century, to 1902. It became a hotel in 1968, still giving it more than five decades of hospitality experience.  

Getting there is half the fun 

As remote as it looks from afar, the Mercure Monte Igueldo is very easy and straightforward to reach, on a 100-year-old funicular railway that runs from a plaza near the beach right to the base of the hotel. The fun ride through green forest is actually a tourist attraction for locals in itself, as the upper station also leads not only to the spectacular view but also to an amusement park that surrounds the hotel.   

 Hotel guests receive a discount on the funicular tram, although many arrive by car, since there is ample free parking for registered guests. Still, a car is not really needed to navigate the compact city of San Sebastian (Donostia in the Basque language), one of the most cosmopolitan small cities in Europe, thanks to its annual international film festival each fall.

The other major draw of San Sebastian is the allure of its gastronomy. Here is a startling statistic: Donostia-San Sebastian is the city with the most Michelin-star restaurants per capita in the world, with a third of them three-star establishments! Of course, not all visitors can afford to eat in such fancy places; so the good news is that San Sebastian is awash with affordable bars and restaurants serving delicious pintxos, the Basque word for tapas (pronounced “pinchos”). Nor should anyone leave the city without tasting the province’s fresh fish or seafood, or the famous local version of a T-Bone steak (known here as txuleta) – and certainly its world-renowned dessert, Basque cheesecake.  

Hilltop accommodations 

With the primary reason to choose the Mercure Monte Igueldo the hotel’s extraordinary views, prospective guests may rest assured that their room will have the coveted sea view. Of the hotel’s total of 123 rooms, in six categories, only 11 are interior rooms – and they are all single occupancy. Moreover, all but 40 rooms have balconies, whether with mountain or sea views. 

According to hotel management, however, there is one caveat: the hotel is fully booked most weekends, when weddings are often held there. So a midweek stay is the way to go.  

At Mercure Monte Igueldo, even Standard rooms possess every amenity that one expects in a four-star establishment: comfortable beds, user-friendly climate control, large flat screen television with multi-channel and multi-lingual programming, laptop-sized electronic safe for valuables, working area with desk, and refreshment corner with complimentary bottled water, mini-refrigerator and electric kettle for making coffee and tea. Free WiFi extends to all guest rooms, as well as public spaces. 

Bathrooms are fastidiously clean, with spacious bathtub/shower combinations equipped with flexible showerheads, hair dryers, bidets and magnifying make-up mirrors. Additionally, the Nuxe honey-scented toiletries are especially pampering. 

There are definite advantages to upgrading to a Privilege room: perks such as bathrobes and slippers, espresso machines and free soft drinks in the minibar. For the same extras, but also with space enough for a couch, one may elect a Premium room. 

Dining and facilities 

Given the hotel’s lack of proximity to neighboring eateries, guests might be well advised to partake of the lavish breakfast buffet, in spite of the extra charge. It offers a nice selection of gluten-free products – and, of course, the dining area boasts the same fabulous view as the fine on-site dining restaurant, El Torreon.

The charming and quaint Belle Epoque wine bistro bar is located right off the main lobby, and it is where guests order their drinks to sip while watching the sun set over the horizon of the endless sea. Time seems to stand still while gazing at the spectacle with a refreshing cocktail in hand.   

In addition to the very inviting rooftop swimming pool, there is a small but adequate fitness room for exercisers desiring to use the latest, state-of-the-art gym equipment. At the other end of the spectrum, the hotel also has accessible accommodations, for the physically challenged. 

Rates for a standard double room with a sea view at Mercure San Sebastian Monte Igueldo start at $120 per night (with restrictions, and excluding breakfast) in low season (November- March) and increase in mid season (April-May) and again in high season is (June to October). The price is less for members of the All Accor Loyalty Programme, which is free to join and offers additional benefits besides the across-the-board discount.

Text and photos by Buzzy Gordon, who was a guest of Mercure Monte Igueldo for purposes of review. As always, the opinions expressed are his own.