AKELARRE HOTEL || San Sebastián, Spain
Pull up a chair.
We bet you will want to stay from sunrise to sundown, gazing off to the horizon from the wraparound terrace at the Akelarre Hotel in San Sebastián, Spain. The Hotel is located a few kilometres away from the centre of San Sebastián, in the North side of mount Igueldo, facing the Cantabrian Sea, wrapping the building that hosts the famous three Michelin star restaurant.
The view from the open terrace.
The materials chosen respects the surrounding nature, integrating the use of natural resources such as wood, stone and linen whilst employing new techniques for their manipulation and induction, characterizing both the project itself and studio Mecanismo.
Five stone cubicles emerge from the hillside of the mountain towards the sea. The hotel offers a total of twenty-two rooms across two levels, all of them newly built and oriented to the sea and functionally similar regardless of their dimension or category.
Slightly sunk on the deck of stone cubicles, six spaces of cured silhouettes integrate the hotel terraces. These terraces, which are carved in stone, join the rest of the platform by a planked space and gardened areas, all of which seek a stunning view to the horizon.
The corridor, outfitted in warm, soothing wood, connects the common area including the Oteiza snack bar, wellness area, wine cellar and lounge. The lounge is oriented to maximize the views of the hills of Igueldo and beyond, drawing in natural light to settle the space.
Sleek common area corridors using natural materials for a minimal look.
Centrepiece design of the hotel - the spiral staircase.
At the same level, the wine cellar is conceived in two areas, as a tasting room and as a space of conservation and exposition, divided by a large curved glass. The tall table for wine tasting prevails the space, and the disposition of the lighting highlights the presence of the bottles as the most important elements of the restaurant’s wine cellar.
The wellness space has been differentiated by a curved glass enclosure. A wet area distinguished by exceptional luxury swimming pool in stone, sauna and Turkish bath; and an additional area with three independent capsule’s created by an innovative constructive system in stone for the visitors. The warm access to the niches in canvas and the five cabins as changing rooms, together with a gym, contextualize the space with an exclusive aesthetic.
The perfect spot to extend your relaxation post spa and massage.
After enjoying all of these wondrous amenities, guests can continue to indulge in the magnificent ocean view in their rooms, where they will discover contemporary, minimal interiors with the optimal balance of warm wood and cool marble. Subtle in-wall lighting creates a soothing ambiance, inviting guests to unwind and relax. Floor-to-ceiling glass spanning the entire length of the room maximizes ‘face time’ with nature.
You will want to stay in the room with a view like this.
Other details in the room that urge guests to relax include the comfortable armchairs and lighting fixtures that invite you to pick up a book and settle in for hours on end, and a luxurious soaker tub in the bathroom that again lets you gaze out to the horizon with a glass of wine from the attached winery on the property.
It’s the ultimate retreat to disconnect from the demands of our everyday lives in these thoughtfully designed, sound-proof rooms. Make Hotel Akelarre your next getaway destination; after all, who would refuse a vacation to San Sebastián?
Comfortable armchairs provide a relaxing escape.
ABOUT MECANISMO
Mecansimo resulted from the combination of a profound interest in materials and a careful execution of ideas, all this developed with a clear obsession for investigation and innovation of new concepts.
The materialization of this ideas resulted to create the architectural studio based in Madrid, and founded in 2012 by Marta Urtasun and Pedro Rica. Specialized in the development and execution of projects, systems and products related to design and architecture. Our work comprehends the complete creative process, from the conceptual idea, to the detailed design.
The Mecanismo team.
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Padre Orkolaga Ibilbidea, 56, 20008 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Photos courtesy of Architecture Studio Mecanismo
