Our stay here was a pleasure. We drove around the Guggenheim in Bilbao on our way out of town; we then arrived at this hotel later the same day. It was a visual delight to see the contrast between the enormous Guggenheim with its curved metal all fit against other pieces, and this much more human scale, with its metal ribbons fluttering off. It also dramatized the difference in color Gehry chose for the titanium at the two properties. The Marques de Riscal is very vivid with pink and purple titanium, whereas the Guggenheim is golden.
The staff is young and helpful. We were given an executive suite in the annex. We were told that all the suites are in the annex, as is the spa and the swimming pool. Our suite (really a very large room) faced the hotel, with a great view of it and the village in the background. Our room had a king bed, a love seat, a seat with a footstool, and a desk. The bathroom was the length of the room, and had a separate walk in shower from the bathtub. We had Caudalie amenities; it is my impression that only the suites have Caudalie.
Our amenity was a bottle of water. We saw bottles of wine being delivered to many rooms, but we were given none. The staff did not give us our platinum amenity card. I asked about it, and they were perplexed. Further explanation seemed to elicit acknowledgement, but the stay has posted without the 500 point bonus.
Breakfast is included with the room, as is free internet. There is also a computer in a nook behind the front desk, free for use.
What I particularly enjoyed about this hotel was the wealth of places where we could sit. It was possible to enjoy Gehry's design from many perspectives, whether under a ribbon of metal, or facing the property, or out on a terrace. There were terraces both out from dining floor and from the study. The weather was perfect, a pleasant contrast to rainy Bilbao and San Sebastian.
El Portal del Echaurren is the closest off property gastronomic restaurant. It is about a 50 minute/50 km drive away. There are two restaurants in this property, one run by the mother with traditional, family foods, and one run by the son. It is the son's restaurant which has the Michelin star. The son's restaurant is closed on Monday night; don't make the trip if only the mother's restaurant is open.
We had the pleasure of meeting Jeroen_SW, who was very helpful in advance of our trip in putting us in touch with the concierges for the three Basque Starwood properties.