"Like all great hotels, the Maria Cristina—which opened in 1912—is even more than the sum of its considerable parts. San Sebastián’s most venerable and glamorous lodging has no sprawling gardens, no pool, no big-name spa, or chef-driven restaurant. But its situation beside the river Urumea, with views of Rafael Moneo’s Kursaal building and the Cantabrian Sea beyond, is as nearly perfect as any hotel in Europe. If the building’s sandstone façade has a certain severity, the interior is voluptuously furnished in the eclectic style of modern luxury, with a soft-edged color scheme in grey, mauve, and turquoise. Named for Spain's regent queen, mother of King Alfonso XIII, the Maria Cristina has history and heritage in spades; anecdotes cling to it like sequins. (Here's just one: a portrait of Bette Davis, who smoked her last cigarette here before being rushed to Paris and death, presides over the cocktail bar.) Worth singling out for praise is the hotel’s charming and discreetly omnipresent service, which creates something of the intimacy of a grand private household." - Paul Richardson
