Arima Hotel & Spa

The bustling seaside town of San Sebastián has so many things to do and see that it leaves one feeling a little punchdrunk just taking it in.

‘Are you coming?’, it asks, practically grabbing you by the hand on arrival and whisking you through streets overflowing with pintxos bars, jazz aficionados and more. Onward we head, by Michelin-star-gazing gourmets and vertiginous Belle Époque mansions, down to sandy beaches which unfurl into the Atlantic. In its own laconic style it is inexhaustibly interesting. Fishermen cast reels into the glittering ocean, and the Old Town chatters with bustling shoppers. Wait up, San Sebastián – some of us need a minute to recharge.
 
Less than three miles from the coastline, uphill, and out into the leafy suburbs, the achingly-cool Arima Hotel & Spa presents ample opportunity for such replenishment. It is both a welcome relief from the irrepressible town and a beautifully designed springboard to dive back into it at your leisure, once you feel suitably pampered, via a 15-minute trip on the free shuttle (don’t worry, there are buses flitting to and fro as well). Here it is, a calm haven between the whispering canopy of Miramón Forest and the industrial-chic enclave of the sleepy Gipuzkoa Science and Technology Park (an eccentric cluster of university buildings and exhibitions that seems oddly unpopulated). Aware of Arima’s burgeoning reputation for promoting those fabled arts of naturalness and wellbeing, Mrs Smith and I drool idiotically at the rooftop infinity pool (closed during the winter), the prospect of a state-of-the-art spa, and rambling trails through the small forest (the hotel can, and indeed do, lend pairs of walking poles).
 
The first of its kind in Spain, this eco-hotel has 67 beds we could choose from, here in a region that has both an uneasy wariness of modernity and an unending fascination with it. Subtlety, unsurprisingly, is an art Arima has therefore mastered. As we arrive, a fresh-faced family of four in a state of bliss saunter over a great beam-like bridge slung out into the forest, disappearing like Basque fairy tales into the dusky gloom. We look at one another wonderingly, carry-on sized bags drooping under our eyes. Can this secluded nook so close to the action restore even these weary city folk?
 
Spoiler alert: yes it can. But first, feast your mind’s eye on this impressive architectural specimen. We slouch in with the slack-jawed reverence of Luddites holidaying on the International Space Station, for Arima has all the eco-friendly mod cons of a bleeding-edge establishment, without the incumbent need to make a fuss about them. Therefore, that honour falls to me. An intricate frame hewn from burnished iron and lattice-like aluminium slats seems to rust into the land, lending it the appearance of a structure left by some ancient master race. Or a concertinaed Christmas decoration. Either way, it looks good. Basque Country obviously has an eye for design – definitely see the glittering, world-famous conch shell of the Guggenheim that crowns neighbouring Bilbao just an hour away – but Arima’s credentials are worth purring over. It boasts ultra-low energy consumption, a fact that has secured it the assiduously audited (and apparently very highly reputed) Passivhaus qualification.
 
For it is not just about looking good; Arima Hotel & Spa’s ingenuity is in doing as much good for the surrounding environment as possible. ‘Don’t mind me’, is the mantra. Rooms are Scandi-noir, by which I mean wood panelling is du jour and they are appropriately pitch black once the blinds are closed. We are relieved to have a forest view, as the car park would be less transporting. The aluminium shutters glide around (with some occasional clanking) depending on the time of day to help regulate the hotel’s interior temperature. Smart corridor lights considerately switch themselves off to save power when no one is around, with the added bonus that when you exit the lift they light up as if happy to see you. The lavatories use filtered rain water. Organic and sulphate-free toiletries are displayed alongside wooden blocks engraved with helpful tips on how to save the environment. We are reliably informed that a mechanical ventilation system operates with permanent heat recovery, maintaining the most desirable air quality and CO2 levels at all times. It is a little idyll designed to unburden your eco-anxious conscience.
 
By now you’re probably feeling a little peckish. Head down with us to a restaurant that finds its way into our hearts and stomachs even after a day of experiencing San Sebastián’s absurdly robust culinary scene (anecdotally, a pintxos tour with somebody like the Mimo Cooking School is much recommended). Healthiness and heartiness are crucial here. There are, in fact, two options. The more informal Tilia Deli & Café also won me over in minutes, with its forest views from the outdoor terrace and wildly generous seasonal menu. It is also very sensitively priced: €16.50 for three courses and a glass of wine. I tucked into a roasted aubergine with curried sweet-pea cream, followed by grilled hake, mashed potatoes and squid ink mayonnaise and, frankly, lost track of time, watching the lamp-lights of the locals rolling in for food dance across the treeline.