Nobu set to launch in San Sebastián

Nobu San Sebastian facade and outside space
730 565 Pauline Brettell
  • 0
Nobu set to launch in San Sebastián

Closing the year in style, global lifestyle brand Nobu Hospitality, has announced plans for its fourth Spanish hotel and restaurant, Nobu Hotel and Restaurant San Sebastián for spring 2023. This is what we know…

Nobu San Sebastian facade and outside space

With a strong focus on cuisine, local culture, and architectural design combined with an air of celebrity, Nobu Hospitality may have met its match in San Sebastián. As the capital of the Gipuzkoa region in Spain, this is a city with the most Michelin stars per square metre than anywhere else in the world, the site of Balenciaga’s first atelier, and a place that Hemingway fondly called home while writing ‘Fiesta’. A true culinary mecca, the mountainous Basque Country’s culture is reflected throughout the coastal town, where visitors are invited to hop from bar to restaurant while sampling bitesize gastronomy referred to locally as pintxo.

“San Sebastián is an exciting location for the brand as good quality food is intrinsic to the destination,” stated Founders Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper.”We’re so pleased to be partnering with Javier Illán Plaza on this project and to be opening our fourth hotel and restaurant in Spain, bringing the Nobu cuisine to a new audience of residents and travellers.”

Nobu Saint Sebastian rendering

Image credit: Nobu Hospitality

Overlooking La Concha Bay, Nobu Hotel and Restaurant San Sebastián is scheduled to open in March 2023, with 20 luxuriously designed guestrooms and suites and a 98 seat Nobu restaurant offering panoramic water and city views. The fully renovated hotel sits on the site of the famed Palacio Vista Eder, constructed in 1912 and designed by renowned Spanish architect, Francisco Urcola.

Partnering with Nobu Hospitality on the new opening, is Millenium Hospitality Real Estate SOCIMI (MHRE). With an existing collection of five-star hotels peppered throughout Spain and Portugal, MHRE’s strategy places an emphasis on the careful selection of properties and their location. Based on generating value by acquiring and repositioning hotel assets, MHRE is managed by a multidisciplinary team of prestigious professionals with extensive experience in hotel investment, boasting a large portfolio of assets both under operation and in the process of being repositioned.

“The partnership with Nobu Hospitality and launch of Nobu Hotel and Restaurant San Sebastián further places the region on the map as the ultimate gourmet hotspot,” said Javier Illán Plaza, President and CEO of Millenium Hospitality Real Estate. “I’m thrilled to be working with the brand to make this opening one of the country’s most exciting for 2023, which will be embraced by residents and visitors alike.”

Named one of luxury’s 25 Most Innovative Brands by Robb Report, Nobu Hospitality has earned its position among an elite selection of global luxury brands. The natural growth of Nobu Hospitality, built on service, image, and reputation, offers the complete spectrum of hotel, restaurant, and residence management for unique projects around the world. The brands announcement of the slated opening of Nobu Hotel and Restaurant San Sebastián for the first quarter of 2023 is an exciting … and on look forward to following the progression as it unfolds.

Main image credit: Nobu Hospitality

Pauline Brettell / 16.12.2021

Share

  • 0

You might also like

Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.