Hotel Arbaso

“Strong on Design, Inconsistent on Service”

My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Arbaso during our trip to San Sebastián. The hard product is what stands out: beautiful woodwork and design, spacious rooms, a comfortable bed, great air conditioning during a heatwave, and a thoughtfully designed bathroom. The hotel offers valet parking, which … more

My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Arbaso during our trip to San Sebastián. The hard product is what stands out: beautiful woodwork and design, spacious rooms, a comfortable bed, great air conditioning during a heatwave, and a thoughtfully designed bathroom. The hotel offers valet parking, which was very convenient as we were on a road trip through Basque Country. The location is also great, offering a retreat away from the very crowded La Concha and Old Town. There were a couple of things to note during our stay that brought the review down to three stars. First, there was an incident one night where a very drunk guest on our floor was shouting and knocking on a door, screaming for someone to open it. Based on the proximity of the noise, it seemed to be coming from directly across the hall, though we did not open our door to check, as there was no peephole to see out safely. We called the front desk to alert them, and they were already aware of the situation. I strongly recommend the hotel require keycard scanning to limit guest access to their own floor, in order to reduce situations like this. In the morning, I asked the front desk what they planned to do about the guest. They said he would be allowed to continue his stay at the property, which left us uneasy. Another thing to note is that the room service offering did not match what I would expect from a luxury property with a full kitchen. My husband called to order room service, something the hotel touts because it gives guests access to their highly acclaimed restaurant, Narru. When he called, they said they were too busy to take his order. He asked when he should call back, and they said they did not know. He asked if he could come down in person to order, and they said that was fine. It felt like a clunky experience overall. When the order finally arrived, one component was missing. Additionally, my husband asked if the hotel would be willing to have something delivered around 6:30 AM, ahead of a 7 AM bike ride (an activity the region is known for), such as a pastry, fruit, or toast. The hotel said no. Given that the hotel has a full kitchen and a restaurant they themselves promote, this was disappointing. Overall, if the hard product matters most in a hotel stay, you will be comfortable here. But if you are looking for soft product to elevate your stay, expect inconsistency.

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“Disappointing Customer Service During a Medical Emergency”

Unfortunately, my experience with this hotel was overshadowed by poor customer service and a complete lack of compassion. I was scheduled to stay for six nights but had to cut my trip short by two days due to an unexpected medical issue. I notified the front desk 48 hours in advance of my early de… more

Unfortunately, my experience with this hotel was overshadowed by poor customer service and a complete lack of compassion. I was scheduled to stay for six nights but had to cut my trip short by two days due to an unexpected medical issue. I notified the front desk 48 hours in advance of my early departure, but was told that the hotel’s policy requires 72 hours’ notice for any cancellation or modification. While the hotel did provide credit for one night, I was still charged in full for an additional unused night. Given that this was a genuine medical emergency and that I provided two days’ notice, I was disappointed that management was unwilling to make an exception. Because of how this situation was handled, it’s difficult for me to fairly evaluate the rest of my stay. What should have been an unfortunate but understandable circumstance instead left me with a very negative impression of the hotel’s customer service and guest relations.

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