There is a law in the Rioja that manifests itself through bricks and mortar: the more successful your vineyard, the bigger you build your headquarters. This lush landscape is littered with the results, each trying to outdo the other. But at Marques de Riscal, you can’t help thinking they’ve pressed the nuclear button and obliterated the competition in one fell swoop. Architect Frank Gehry - best known for the Guggenheim in Bilbao - came down and nailed together vast sheets of claret titanium, creating an organic form to complement the rural setting; in an act of submission he set the hotel on a marginally lower level than the church it faces. It is an extraordinary building, a vanity project par excellence.
It sits above the Marques de Riscal winery - the oldest in the Rioja - surrounded by vineyards, and there is a lovely terrace to the well-stocked wine bar, where you can sit and watch the grapes ripen as you knock back a glass of the local nectar before heading for dinner at the Michelin-starred restaurant. There’s also a super-cool spa hidden in a building initially designed by Gehry as a private residence for the winery owners; here you’ll find a lovely indoor pool and sun beds overlooking the vines. Most rooms open onto private terraces or large balconies and are definitely worth going for. Those in the main house aren’t quite as big or as lavish as their price suggests, but the bathrooms are divine. Finally, the terraces, which are all over the place; there's one in the sky outside the library, where views stretch for miles.
Highs
- An easy 1.5-hour drive from Bilbao; design buffs could combine 2 nights at Miro Hotel (next to the Guggenheim) with a stay here
- The dining is a treat: a gourmet restaurant with a Michelin Star, a relaxed terrace restaurant, a generously stocked wine bar and substantial breakfasts
- The wine, exquisite stuff, which you drink surrounded by vines. You get a bottle to welcome you, and a tour of the vineyard, and you can borrow bikes to visit neighbouring wineries
- The latest tech in your Gehry-designed room, along with Gehry cloud lampshades, Nespresso machines and Artemide lamps
- The Caudalie SPA - seriously lovely, with a range of indulgent grape-based treatments
Lows
- Rooms are incredibly expensive most of the time; prices rise as the hotel fills up, so book early to get the best rate
- Sometimes interiors feel a little empty, as if something is missing amid all the showy design
- Both restaurants fill up quick, so book ahead; if you're keen to try the gourmet restaurant, be aware that it's closed on Sunday & Monday
- Security on the gate when you arrive seems a bit unnecessary
- The building is unquestionably impressive, but whether it belongs in this deeply rural landscape, close to the medieval village of Elciego, is debatable
Best time to go
This is a year-round destination, but the wine harvest in late August/ early September is a great time to visit. It is the most important part of the year, an exciting time to be here. The vines turn golden across the land in October, which is wildly pretty.
Our top tips
- Boutique Hotel
- 61 rooms
- Restaurants and bar (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Indoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Concierge Service
- Bicycles Available
Rooms
The 61 extremely airy rooms are split between the Gehry Wing (the main titanium structure) and the Spa Wing. They are intentionally minimalistic, so as to not distract from the architecture and its symbiosis with its surroundings. What’s more, the designer was Gehry himself.
Premium Rooms at the front of the hotel overlook the village; those in the Spa Wing have views over wine fields. For what it’s worth we rather liked the ones in the Spa, a couple of which open onto a small courtyard of vines - not a bad spot to enjoy your complimentary bottle of wine.
The style is deeply attractive throughout - effortlessly contemporary and seemingly simple with materials contributing both form and design. Wavy leather bedheads are cut into walls of blond wood, theatrical red curtains protect your privacy. All rooms have kingsize beds and beautiful linens, comfy sofas or padded window seats, and satellite TVs.
You get Gehry’s cloud lampshades everywhere and doors that slide out from between walls without the slightest hiccup. Rooms at the front of the Gehry Wing come at odd angles with the titanium roof overhanging dramatically. Bathrooms are utterly fabulous: stunning back marble, vast mirrors, cavernous baths and separate walk-in showers, then robes and slippers and lovely oils. The best rooms have to be the Gehry Suite, whose private balcony looks across to the village and its church, or the Riscal Suite with Terrace which has a very large patio decked out with table, chairs and loungers for extra comfort.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Central heating
- Coffee / tea making
- Hairdryer
- Minibar
- Radio
- Safe box
- Toiletries
- TV
- WiFi
Eating
Breakfast is a tasting menu of continental buffet staples, designed by a Michelin-starred chef and served at your table. You get jugs of fresh juice, plates of sliced fruit and local cheese. There are cakes, patisserie, loaves of baguette and homemade jam. There’s chorizo and salami, too, and eggs cooked to order.
The Michelin-starred main restaurant, Restaurante Marques de Riscal, is as stylish as the impeccable food it serves: claret walls soar up to high ceilings, windows frame views of the church. There are two tasting menus to choose from, either 7- or 9-courses, including the likes of confit sole fish with pil-pil and fennel, Riojan-style potato fritters, asparagus with caviar and mushroom mayonnaise, and petit fours to finish. The wine list is extensive, with a good selection available by the glass, and some surprisingly affordable bottles. It's open Tuesday-Saturday for dinner, as well as lunch on Saturdays, so plan your stay accordingly.
The less formal 1860 Tradición is up on the second floor with sublime views from its terrace and a herb garden for the chefs. The food is deliciously rustic, perhaps toasted goat’s cheese salad, meatballs with truffles, or a stew of monkfish and clams. Both restaurants have a glowing reputation, so you'll need to book ahead to secure your spot.
For lunch, head to Vinoteca & Bistro, which has walls of wine, lovely views back to the village and a super little terrace on which to soak up the sun. Snacks and sandwiches, hamburgers or a plate of spaghetti are served here during the day.
If you want to eat out, head to pretty Laguardia (a 5-minute drive), a hilltop town with tasty local food. Also close is the winery at Arabarte, where you can eat at weekends; simple Riojan food. You’ll find more Michelin stars at El Portal in Echaurren. It’s a contemporary space in a lovely old village, well worth visiting. Logroño, a 15-minute drive, is the capital of the Rioja. There’s a batch of good restaurants scattered about the Old Town. Some are smart, others simpler serving pintxos (tapas).
Features include:
- Bar
- Coffee maker
- Organic produce
- Restaurant
- Room service
Activities
- Bliss out in the Caudalie SPA: indoor pool (free for guests), small terrace with sun loungers, a wide range of treatments including vinotherapy (grape massage to you and me) and baths, wraps and scrubs all making use of grapes for their wellness properties. There’s also a fitness centre and a hammam; they’ll even pour wine into your Jacuzzi
- As you'd hope, there are vineyards galore. A free guided tour of Marques de Riscal's is included in the room rate (book in advance) and you taste a couple of the less expensive bottles at the end. Bicycles at the hotel are free for guests to use and you can follow tracks through the wine fields. The wine museum in Briones is also worth seeing
- Elciego is a pretty village with a couple of bars and a scattering of shops. The vineyards provide much local employment and as a result villages in the region have expanded elegantly. Expect attractive modern perimeters with the old village in the middle
- Or head to Laguardia, a gorgeous hilltop town 5km north. It’s a small cultural hub and has lovely views; a path strewn with benches curls round its northern crown. Lots of good bars and restaurants wait. San Vincente de La Sonsierra, another nearby hilltop village, is also worth discovering
- During summer there is always a fiesta somewhere close. They are great fun, with bands marching through the streets, beautiful girls dancing in the plaza, and lots of wine flowing in the bars
- Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, has a very pretty Old Town full of bars and restaurants and pretty plazas. The Camino de Santiago cuts through. Follow it east along the River Ebro or west back to Laguardia. Its 2 oldest churches - 12th-century San Bartoleme and 13th-century Santa María - are both worth seeing. The feast of Saint Mathew is celebrated in the last full week of September
- Good road links to Pamplona and Bilbao mean day trips are a cinch. San Sebastián is a little further, but worth the effort
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Cycling
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Private guided tours
- Shopping / markets
- Traditional cultures
- Vineyard tours
- Wine tasting
Kids
Children are welcome and baby cots and extra beds are available, but this is a formal hotel so kids and parents may feel a bit at sea.
Best for:
Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
The suites can fit an extra bed or baby cot.
Babysitting:
On request
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Hotel Marques de Riscal is set in the medieval village of Elciego (Eltziego), in the heart of the Basque area of the Rioja wine country in northern Spain. The closest international airport is in Bilbao, about 90 minutes away by car.
By Air
The closest airport is Logroño, which has domestic flights and is about 30 minutes away by car. For international flights, the closest airports are Bilbao (135km, 1.5 hours by car), Biarritz (200km in France, 2.5 hours by car) and Barcelona (500km, 5 hours by car). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
The hotel offers transfers from Bilbao, but we'd recommend hiring a car.
By Car
See our car rental recommendations.
By Boat
Brittany Ferries sails from Plymouth and Portsmouth to Santander and from Portsmouth to Bilbao. The journey takes 24 hours. Early booking is recommended.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.
Airports:
- Logroño Agoncillo 35.0 km LELO
- Bilbao Sondica 135.0 km BIO
Other:
- Beach 120.0 km
- Shops 0.4 km
- Restaurant 0.4 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 2 independent reviews from i-escape guests
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape