Luxury Collection Unveils Restored Maria Cristina
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN—The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., reopens the doors to the historic Hotel Maria Cristina, a Luxury Collection Hotel, here, following an extensive $25-million restoration.
The renovation of Hotel Maria Cristina, which was completed in time for its 100th anniversary, is part of a larger strategy to invest in the restoration of Starwood’s most celebrated Luxury Collection hotels. The reopening of Hotel Maria Cristina follows in the footsteps of Hotel Alfonso XIII, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Seville, which underwent a meticulous multimillion-dollar refurbishment earlier this year. The restored Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Paris and The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Venice, will debut in 2013.
“As part of Starwood’s strategy to strengthen our Luxury Collection brand portfolio, we are making major investments to renovate and restore some of our most iconic hotels,” Roeland Vos, president, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East, said in a statement.
Rising above San Sebastian, the building is considered to be one of the grandest hotels in Europe, originally designed by famed French architect Charles Mewès for its namesake, Queen Maria Cristina. The extensive, nine-month project, which was led by Idom Engineering & Architecture, features interiors restored by HBA Design; the firm took special care to enhance the élan, soft curves and powerful feminine presence that have characterized the hotel since it opened.
The property features 107 guestrooms and 29 suites, Easo Restaurant, which features Basque dishes, and Tse Yang, a haute-cuisine Chinese restaurant. The hotel also offers The Luxury Collection Concierge service to all guests.