Review: Palacio Arriluce

Why book?

From the moment you pass through the stone archway, you become part of a story that dates back to the early 20th century. Far from making guests feel like intruders, you will soon be playing a starring role in the drama of the hotel’s newest chapter. And there are plenty of opportunities to interact with some big names. There are works of art by Sonia Delaunay and František Kupka to admire and recipes by Bilbao chef Beñat Ormaetxea to savor. This is a hotel that’s full of surprises.

The backstory

In 1910, Fernando María Ybarra commissioned his architect brother-in-law to design and build a palace on the cliff of the Bay of Abra, in Neguri, where a large part of Bilbao’s bourgeoisie was moving in search of an alternative to the increasingly crowded city. Thanks to the early 20th-century Basque passion for all things English, the design included Queen Anne-style and neo-Gothic elements, making it one of the most original manifestations of this unusual style of architecture.

“Over the years, the building underwent several transformations, and during the 1930s and 1940s it was even divided into three separate homes,” says Fernando Pereira, the hotel's director. “It was adapted to the different needs of the Ybarra family, who in 2018, saw that the building needed to be renovated and restored. They decided to convert it into a hotel. In this way, they managed to rehabilitate the palace – which has been a landmark building since 2001 – and by preserving it, offer other people the chance to enjoy it.”

The rooms

Sixteen of the superior rooms are located in the pergola, restored with its original columns, where the Ybarra family used to stroll on rainy days. Each has a garden and individual terrace. Junior Suites have individual terraces and views of the croquet lawn, as does the Grand Suite, which also has a beautiful seating area with stained-glass windows. The Marina Suites have terraces or balconies, separate seating areas, and sea views.

We stayed in the Arriluce Suite, the hotel's equivalent of the presidential suite, located on the first floor. The bed is aristocratically gigantic, the velvet curtains prevent light from interrupting the sleep of even fitful sleepers, and the amenities are from Frederic Malle's Editions de Parfums line for hotels.

Food and drink

Renowned chef Beñat Ormaetxea presides over the hotel’s three restaurants. His menu will surprise diners at the Delaunay Restaurant with its innovative approach to traditional Basque flavours. It offers three tasting menus, in addition to an a la carte menu which includes some of the star dishes from his celebrated Jauregibarria Jatetxea restaurant in Amorebieta.

Some of the musts include the sliced cod in a brandade foam, anchovy tapenade, and plankton; the pink shrimp with an Iberian lard broth and spicy seaweed; the free-range chicken eggs cooked at low temperature with sweet pepper broth; and the spectacular “baserria km-0” oxtail cannelloni, with truffled potato cream, quince jelly, and seasonal mushrooms.

The hotel’s cellar has many traditional txakoli, a local sparkling white wine, to choose from like the Torre Loizaga– fresh, intense, and with aromas of citrus fruits, fine herbs and aniseed.

The library (with vintage volumes, special editions, and even a secret door) and the palace’s former chapel (with its original colourful stained glass windows) have been transformed into the English-style cocktail bar Kupka. In addition to serving classic and signature cocktails, the bar offers a tempting menu of starters, such as salted anchovies from Bermeo with toast and smoked butter, carpaccio of red tuna belly, and fried Guernika peppers.

At the hotel’s swimming pool, overlooking Abra Bay, the La Ría Pool Bar serves coffee, wine, and cocktails, as well as sunset views.

Wellness

Traveling to swim in the sea has played a fundamental role in the history of Getxo. The first seaside spa was built in 1886 in Neguri, next to the Ereaga beach. Neguri Spa & Wellness pays tribute to this legacy and to the town’s long connection with the sea. The spa facilities include a relaxation room, steam bath, sauna, pool area, and treatment cabins. What better way to end the day than with a relaxing massage or facial treatment?

Service

The hotel offers a Guest Relations and Concierge service, which will organize all the visits and experiences that guests may want.

The area

Within an hour’s drive, you can enjoy the beauty of biosphere reserves such as Urdaibai and natural parks such as Urkiola; places of cultural and historical interest such as the Caves of Santimamiñe and the village of Guernica-Luno; some of the best wineries and cider houses in northern Spain, and museums such as Chillida Leku and the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa.

Eco effort

In addition to having provided the Palacio Arriluce with another life as a hotel and having reused much of the existing furniture and materials in the restoration of the building, the hotel is also committed to eliminating the use of plastic.

Accessibility

The entire hotel is adapted to accommodate people with reduced mobility. They have accessible rooms, ramps, and lifts to the swimming pool area and to access the rooms on the upper floors.