 |
HOTEL MARQUES DE RISCAL |
|
RIOJA, SPAIN
|
|
|
|
A new hotel by celebrity architect Frank Gehry in the heart of Spain's wine country was always going to be front-page news. Massive international publicity is par for the course for Rioja winery Marqués de Riscal, whose hotel at its HQ in Elciego was officially opened by King Juan Carlos in October 2006. The 43-room property, managed by Starwood Hotels, is a spectacular marriage of state-of-the-art technology and hotel-keeping at the highest level. The main building, with its waves of titanium sheeting around a sandstone core, houses 14 of the rooms, including the enormous Gehry Suite. A second building, reached by a glass walkway, contains the other rooms plus the spa (courtesy of vinothérapie expert Caudalie). The restaurant is run by local chef Francis Paniego, whose work combines modern Spanish cuisine with the classic Riojan cooking he learned from his mother.
the world of Rioja, while the rooftop lounge
and library have breathtaking views of the Sierra de Cantabria. With interiors also by Gehry, design
values are impressive throughout, from the use of luxury woods and the vast beds and bathrooms
to the Bang & Olufsen plasma-screen TVs in every room. With sky-high levels of service, the Marqués
de Riscal is shaping up as the most exciting new Spanish hotel in years.
WHEN TO GO
From late September to early October, for a privileged view of the grape harvest.
ROOM TO BOOK
The Gehry Suite has a
private terrace with views of the winery, village
and countryside.
CONTACT
Calle Torrea 1, Elciego, Spain (00 34 945 180880; www.luxurycollection.com/marquesderiscal).
COST
Doubles from 321 euros; Gehry Suite from 589 euros
|
|
|
|
|
|
