HLAG3, Laguardia, North Spain
Just down the hill from the delightful, historic town of Laguardia – one of our favourite spots in La Rioja - this traditional 4-star country hotel is an excellent base from which to enjoy the Rioja wine region.
In warmer months the large outdoor pool set in well-kept gardens and the hotel’s sheltered terrace are perfect for making the most of the micro-climate which blesses the local vineyards which grow all around the hotel providing some of Spain’s finest wines.
The excellent Bodegas Campillo is just behind the hotel and there are several others, including El Fabulista and Cosme Palacio and Solar de Samaniego, within a 10-minute walk whilst Haro, Logroño and all the famous wineries in between are all within a half hour’s drive.
Rooms are traditional with a country-style décor but offer all the modern conveniences. Upgraded rooms add 4-poster beds and seating areas whilst suites provide separate living rooms.
There's a fine-dining restaurant, wine bar, coffee shop and terrace as well as a gym, and a spa with indoor pool.
The hotel's 84 rooms are quite simple but charmingly rustic with white walls, wooden floors and either white linen or country-style prints. Rooms are generally quite spacious and superior rooms add 4-poster beds and seating areas whilst suites provide separate living rooms and some have small balconies.
Outdoor pool and gardens
Gym, and spa with indoor pool
Bike rentals
Complementary on-site parking
Breakfast is an extensive buffet with hot and cold produce and can be taken indoors or on the terrace.
The hotel boasts two dining options. El Medoc Alavés specialises in à la carte dining, featuring classic Riojan fare whilst the Bistro offers less formal dining - and the hotel's terrace provides a lovely setting for enjoying wine and tapas.
Just next door, and with the same owners, the Restaurante Villa Lucía offers excellent grilled meats paired with an extensive selection of local wines.
There are many other options in Laguardia just 10 minutes’ walk from the hotel.
The historic walled town of Laguardia, strategically placed upon a small hill looking out over the plains of the Rioja Alavesa, is the perfect base from which to explore the region. Populated since Neolithic times, the town became particularly important in the middle ages when the kings of Navarra built an important palace / fortress there to defend against the Moorish and Castillian invaders. Later, at the end of the 12th century, the whole town was fortified with a wall, which still stands in part today. In the 15th century Lagaurdia passed into Castillian hands and was incorporated into Alava. This began a period of peace for the town and the 16th century saw the development of the wine industry, with the construction of bodegas or caves beneath the streets and houses. Today Laguardia is a pedestrian town, as vehicles cannot enter the town walls due to the risk of these cellars caving in! The town itself is perfectly preserved and a joy to wander around; the visitor can visit among other things several bodegas, fortifications and the amazingly well preserved polychromatic archway in the church of Santa Maria. There is a good selection of bars and restaurants and interesting shopping, especially for those with an interest in wine. Nearby there is plenty to explore with several dolmens and a Bronze Age settlement within a short drive. There are, of course, a wide selection of vineyards nearby, some of which have employed the world’s best architects (such as Frank Gehry of Guggenheim fame or Santiago Calatrava) to remodel their bodegas into veritable temples. There are two wine museums, the nearby Villa Lucia and the new Dynastia Vivanco at Briones, a must for any visitor to this region (it is advisable book well before you go to avoid disappointment +34 941-322323 or email infomuseo@dinastiavivanco.es). For walkers there are plenty of trails through the vines or for the more adventurous there are the nearby Cantabrian Mountains and the Natural Park of Izki with mountains in excess of 1000m. There is a golf course open to the public in Izki and horse riding can be arranged nearby. Vitoria is less than an hour away and Pamplona (1hr 45), San Sebastian (2hr30) and Bilbao (1hr 30) all make for interesting excursions, while the local small towns in Rioja Alavesa are fascinating to wander in.
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