Palacio Arriluce hotel
English Anglophile palace meets Basque coast. Serene and heritage-heavy, with bold contemporary art interventions. Feels like staying in a minor aristocrat's clifftop country house, not a corporate hotel.
The Marina Suite has a stone balcony tailor-made for breakfast with bay views — worth the upgrade
Why It Matters
Declared a Cultural Property under Special Protection in 2001. One of the only hotels in Spain with a professionally accredited croquet court. The spa revives the area's history as a 19th-century wellness retreat. Member of Leading Hotels of the World and Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts.
Palacio Arriluce is a 1912 English historicist palace on the cliffs above the Bay of Biscay in Getxo's Neguri neighbourhood, 12 minutes outside Bilbao. The aristocratic bones are very much intact — stained-glass windows, coffered walls, a manicured croquet lawn, a library stocked with rare books — but the hotel has a modern edge too, most notably converting the original chapel into a cocktail bar. 49 rooms spread across the main palace and a colonnaded garden pergola, all saturated with commissioned art from Sonia Delaunay, Alberdi, Diego Canogar, and others.
Where You'll Stay
9 room types available
Arriluce Suite
The hotel's top room at 63m2. Separate bedroom, proper lounge, and an imposing terrace with sea views and balcony. Named after the palace itself. This is where elegance tips into genuine grandeur.
King-size · 63 sqmDeluxe Room
Spacious and bright, available in both the palace and the Pergola. The extra square footage makes a real difference — this is where the room genuinely feels luxurious rather than just historic. Privileged views of the palace surroundings.
King-size · 30 sqmGrand Family Suite
The only room designed for families — two separate bedrooms sharing a spacious bathroom, plus two private terraces looking over the croquet lawn. Original stained-glass windows are preserved throughout. Actually practical for families while still feeling palatial.
King-size and 2 twin beds · 44 sqmJunior Suite
Generous size and a proper separate lounge area adjacent to the bedroom. Available in both the palace and Pergola. Views of the palace surroundings and croquet court — the lounge is actually usable, not just an alcove.
King-size or Twin · 40 sqmMarina Deluxe Room
The entry point for sea views. Sits in the palace directly under the former family bedrooms, capturing sea-facing aspects that the standard Deluxe misses. Direct views of the Cantabrian Sea.
King-size · 28 sqmMarina Suite
One of the hotel's signature rooms. In the main palace building with a large private terrace looking directly over the Cantabrian Sea. Waking up here with the bay laid out in front of you is the point of the whole stay.
King-size · 36 sqmPremier Room
In the heart of the main palace building, these rooms channel the family history of the Arriluce most directly. All have exterior views over the palace grounds. Sizes vary slightly across the category.
King-size or Twin · 26 sqmSuperior Palace Room
Same footprint as the Superior but housed in the main palace building itself. Views over the palace grounds and surrounding neighbourhood. Cosy, bright, and you're sleeping inside actual history.
King-size or Twin · 23 sqmSuperior Room
Located in the colonnaded Pergola building facing the palace and croquet court. A garden-level room perfect for two. Quiet, close to the grounds, and you get the outdoor Pergola atmosphere.
King or Twin · 23 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
5 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
An official 32 x 25.6m croquet court — the only one in the Basque Country. Rooted in the palace family's own Anglophile history. Open to beginners and suitable for professionals. Guests and locals can play.
Complimentary bicycles available for guests to explore Getxo's coastal paths and the Neguri neighbourhood.
Adults-only, unheated pool on the terrace overlooking the Bay of Biscay. Operational June to September. The pool bar runs alongside it — charcuterie and spritz strongly recommended.
Day trip to the Marqués de Murrieta wineries in La Rioja. Tour the historic winery facilities, then sit down for a full lunch paired with the estate's wines.
Board a boat on the Nervión river, sailing past Bilbao's industrial heritage with a glass of Txakoli and a pintxo. Ends with a guided visit to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.
Visit to the Loizaga Tower, housing the only European exhibition of every Rolls-Royce model made between 1910 and 1990. A genuinely remarkable niche attraction.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
State-of-the-art equipment in an exclusive gym area within the Neguri Spa & Wellness space. Open 24 hours.
Full menu available 7:30am–11pm; nighttime nibbles menu from 11pm–7:30am.
Expansive garden grounds with the colonnaded pergola, sea-facing stone terrace, and pool. Central to the hotel's character.
On-site private parking available at no charge. Reservation required. Free valet parking also offered.
Pets under 9kg accepted on request in designated Pergola rooms only. Pets have access to the terrace but not the palace interior or pool area.
24-hour concierge service. The team is particularly well-connected for Basque Country insider experiences and restaurant reservations in Bilbao.
Gift vouchers available for stays, spa treatments, and dining experiences.
Part of the hotel's environmental programme, alongside composting, local sourcing, and ecological toiletry products.
Electric car charging points on site, part of the hotel's environmental commitment.
Hotel-arranged luxury transfers: Mercedes E Class from €45 each way, S Class from €55. Also available from Bilbao Abando train station from €45.
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