After the movie ends, it turns into a pink hotel! Spain’s century-old cinema reopens, and you can even stay in its dome
A century-old cinema transformed into a boutique hotel with 81 guest rooms.
Summary
- Built in 1914, it was once an important local movie theater and cultural landmark.
- After about 4 years of restoration, the historic building has reopened as the boutique hotel Hotel Palacio Bellas Artes.
- The hotel preserves architectural features such as the historic façade and dome, and adds pink, burgundy and velvet details to carry on the atmosphere of the former theater.
What stories can a century-old movie theater tell after the final credits roll? Built in 1914 in San Sebastián, Spain, Palacio Bellas Artes was once an important local cinema and cultural venue. After the passage of time and about four years of restoration, the historic building has reopened as Hotel Palacio Bellas Artes, Curio Collection by Hilton, allowing travelers not only to step into the former theater, but also to stay within it.
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A 1914 cinema becomes the city’s centerpiece once again
images from / Hilton Hotel
Completed in the early 20th century, Palacio Bellas Artes once held San Sebastián’s memories of film, performances, and culture. As the building gradually aged, however, the restoration team’s challenge was not simply to create a new hotel, but to save a historic structure that had fallen into disrepair.
The renovation preserved the building’s signature historic facade, dome, and original architectural features, while incorporating modern accommodations into its century-old structure. Rather than demolishing the old cinema and starting over, the hotel chose to preserve its past as a story guests can still see during their stay.
Pink and burgundy keep the theater atmosphere alive in the hotel
images from / Hilton Hotel
Inside the hotel, rose pink, burgundy, and dark wood take center stage. Heavy drapes and velvety textures recall the stage curtains slowly drawn before a film begins. Rather than trapping the space in the past, the retro colors create a new contrast with modern furniture and clean lines.
The hotel has 81 rooms and suites across six floors. Because the design follows the historic building’s original layout as closely as possible, each room varies slightly in size and configuration, making the stay feel unlike a standard hotel room copied and pasted throughout the property.
Even the century-old dome has become a suite you can stay in
images from / Hilton Hotel
One of the hotel’s most distinctive spaces is the Cúpula Suite, tucked inside the historic dome. Its split-level design retains the building’s original height and curves, while guests can take in views of San Sebastián from above. The dome, once visible only from the street below, has become a space guests can truly step inside and stay in.
Once a cultural venue for film screenings, Hotel Palacio Bellas Artes is now a boutique hotel with guest rooms, a restaurant, and city views. Rather than allowing the century-old cinema to take its final bow, it has given the building a new role, allowing it to remain part of city life.
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