Hotels
Budget hotels in San Sebastián: guesthouses and hotels in good locations
San Sebastián is expensive, but you do not need to pay grand hotel prices to stay centrally. These are the guesthouses and good-value hotels we recommend.
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In short: budget hotels in San Sebastián
The most affordable places in a good location are the guesthouses in Parte Vieja and Centro. Pensión Sarriegi in the old town is our first choice. For more hotel for your money, The Social Hub and Casual de las Olas lie further out, a short bus ride from the beach.
First choice: Check availability and prices at Pensión Sarriegi
The stairways of Parte Vieja are narrow, and many guesthouses sit on the second or third floor above the bars. You ring the bell, collect your key and get a room with a window onto the street. Down below, the evening has barely begun.
A pensión is a small, often family-run guesthouse, usually a few rooms in an apartment building. It is San Sebastián’s answer to a budget hotel. You give up the reception desk and the breakfast buffet, but you stay as centrally as the guests on the promenade.
Lunch outdoors
Save on the room and spend the money at the tables outside. Photo: Adrian Leversby / Picolo.com
Guesthouses in the old town and Centro
The guesthouses are where you want to be anyway: between the pintxos bars and the beach.
Pensión Sarriegi
The guesthouse is in the middle of Parte Vieja, a minute from the tourist office. Several rooms have a kitchenette, so you can make breakfast with bread and cheese from the market.
Best for: anyone who would rather spend the budget on food than on the room.
Good to know: There is no 24-hour reception. Let them know when you will arrive.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Pensión Sarriegi
Pension La Perla
Two minutes from La Concha and the cathedral, La Perla is a simple guesthouse in a Centro apartment building. You sleep right by the beach for a fraction of the promenade hotel prices.
Best for: short stays and a beach break on a budget.
Good to know: The rooms are small and there are few shared spaces.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Pension La Perla
Pensión Urkia
A small guesthouse two minutes from La Concha, in the blocks around the cathedral. Guests single out the location, and you can walk to both the old town and Ondarreta.
Best for: travellers who want the beach as close as possible.
Good to know: It is simple, with few facilities.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Pensión Urkia
The streets of Parte Vieja
The old town guesthouses sit on the same streets as the best bars. Photo: Adrian Leversby / Picolo.com
Good-value hotels outside the centre
A little further out you get more hotel for your money, often with a pool or a roof terrace. The city is small, and the bus gets you to the beach in minutes.
The Social Hub San Sebastián
A modern hotel in the south of the city, twelve minutes from the Reale Arena, with a roof terrace and an outdoor pool that opens in summer. It is a sociable base for young travellers and families who want space.
Best for: younger travellers and families on a budget.
Good to know: La Concha is about five minutes by car or a short bus ride away.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at The Social Hub San Sebastián
Casual de las Olas
A relaxed hotel ten minutes from the Reale Arena football stadium and about a quarter of an hour from La Concha on foot. Guests praise the staff and the location.
Best for: couples and friends who want to stay cheaply and still walk to the beach.
Good to know: The area is an ordinary residential district with few restaurants.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Casual de las Olas
Okako Hotel
A small hotel in Gros, six minutes from Zurriola surf beach and five from the Kursaal. You stay where many locals go out, at a low price for the area.
Best for: surfers and young couples.
Good to know: The hotel has few facilities.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Okako Hotel
Hotel Antik
A hotel near Aiete park, a couple of minutes by car from Miramar Palace. It has a gym and parking, and you sleep more quietly than in the centre.
Best for: drivers who want calm and parking.
Good to know: You need a car or the bus to reach the centre.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Antik
How to save on your hotel
Avoid July and August: May, June and September often bring lower prices and good weather.
Skip festival weeks: during the big festivals, prices rise across the city.
Breakfast: many guesthouses do not serve breakfast. A coffee and a pintxo at the bar is just as good a start.
Tourist tax from 2027: from 1 January 2027 a tourist tax per person per night is added to the room rate, for up to six nights. Under-18s are exempt. Last checked: October 2026.
Our pick for good value
Pensión Sarriegi
The best thing about Pensión Sarriegi is what you see when you step outside: the old town. The guesthouse sits in the middle of Parte Vieja, two minutes from Plaza de la Constitución and five from La Concha. You stay on the same streets as the pintxos bars, at a price that leaves room for another round. Several rooms have a kitchenette, so you can buy bread and cheese at the market and make your own breakfast. It is small and simple, with no 24-hour reception, but its location beats many of the pricier hotels. Let them know when you arrive, and spend what you save at the table.
Frequently asked questions about budget hotels in San Sebastián
What is a pensión in San Sebastián?
A pensión is a small, often family-run guesthouse with few rooms, usually in an ordinary apartment building. Most rooms have their own bathroom, but there is rarely a 24-hour reception, a lift or breakfast. In return the guesthouses are central and cost far less than the hotels on La Concha.
Where can I find budget hotels in San Sebastián?
The most affordable places in a good location are the guesthouses in Parte Vieja and Centro. For more hotel for your money, look outside the centre, a short walk or bus ride from the beach. Avoid the summer months and festival weeks if price matters most.
Is it safe to stay in a guesthouse in San Sebastián?
Yes, the guesthouses in San Sebastián are ordinary places to stay in quiet apartment buildings, and the city is considered safe. Check the guest score and read recent reviews before you book. Arrange check-in in advance, as many do not have a reception staffed around the clock.
When are hotels cheapest in San Sebastián?
Hotels are usually cheapest from November to March, apart from Christmas and the Tamborrada on 20 January. May, June and October often strike a good balance between price and weather. High summer and the festival weeks in September are the most expensive.