Good question! They are both great hotels and I have always found very kind and nice staff in both of them....but somehow my heart would go for the Maria Cristina.

Standard rooms (specially the ones given to SPG members) at the Maria Cristina are quite nicer and larger than the ones at the Palace, and also with larger bathrooms. All the rooms I've seen at the Maria Cristina have separate shower/bath, while at the Palace I think only some rooms have them.

As Platinum, I've only stayed once at the Maria Cristina and twice at the Palace. At the Maria Cristina they gave me a wonderful suite without having to ask for it. At the Palace I also got suites, but I had to ask for them after being assigned other kind of rooms.

I could say I've had a better time at the Maria Cristina, but it's also true that all my visits to the Maria Cristina have been leisure ones, and the ones to the Palace have been on business, so.... Besides that, I like Madrid very much (I was born there), but I'm in love with San Sebastian (it's such a beautiful city...).

Next week I'll probably go back to the Maria Cristina, so I'll have some more experience for the comparison ;-)

Are you also from Spain, loquillo? (not many people outside Spain would say Donosti....;-))
Do you know any of them? What's your opinion?


[This message has been edited by fljbrs (edited 01-24-2003).]