10 wonderfully unique places to stay across rural Spain (2024)

If you want to exchange a quick dip for a full immersion in authentic Spanish experiences, it pays to get off the beaten track, slow your pace and check into one of these rural hideaways to get a full and lingering taste of the real Spain.

Consolación, Matarraña, Aragón

Terraced vineyards, locally-reared jamón and black truffles aplenty make Matarraña a foodie favourite, and this 12-room boutique hotel arranged around a 16th-century church makes the most of the delicious local produce in its restaurant. Book one of its 10 wooden ‘kubos’, which they describe as “putting a roof on nature so you could enjoy the most amazing sunsets without getting cold”. These luxury, panoramic-windowed cabins are perched on the edge of the bluff overlooking the surrounding countryside. Afterwards, make time for curling up by your fireplace or lounging by the small communal pool. The hotel can advise on local hiking and biking routes as well as organising truffle hunting and wine tasting.

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Son Sabater by Zafiro, Mallorca

Set at the foot of the World Heritage-listed Serra de Tramuntana mountains and surrounded by oak forests and carob orchards, this plush hotel combines authentic agrotourism with pure luxury. You’ll find 15 rooms secreted around the 16th-century Mallorcan estate – the best of which have private gardens – while the restaurant celebrates the island’s cuisine with dishes such as Iberian pork with cheese from Mahón and Mallorcan sobrasada (cured sausage). Relaxation feels obligatory here, with pools indoors and out, a Turkish bath and massage cabin, but the hotel can also organise hiking and cycling in the Tramuntana mountains.

Parador de Gredos, Sierra de Gredos

Spain is famous for its Paradores network of hotels in historic buildings offering fine local cuisine – and this was the very first one. Located among the pine forests and crystal-clear lakes of central Spain’s Gredos mountains, the Parador de Gredos has been welcoming nature-loving guests since 1928. There’s a rustic but comfortable feel to the bedrooms (think wooden floors and jewel-tone fabrics), while the lounge has a roaring fire and the restaurant serves traditional mountain cuisine such as hearty stews and roasted meats. The perfect retreat after a day spent hiking, wild swimming, horse riding or mushroom hunting.

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Bajo el Cejo, Sierra Espuña, Murcia

Almost everything on the menu at this farmhouse turned hotel is either home-grown or hyper-local, from the cheese and bread to the fruits and veggies. Fig and pomegranate trees scatter the gardens, while the lovely pool overlooks the vineyards beyond. The hotel is an ideal base for hiking and mountain biking in the surrounding Sierra Espuña regional reserve and can also organise climbing up the region’s famous limestone cliffs and trips to see golden eagles and other Mediterranean mountain birds.

Hotel Nafarrola, Basque Country

Run by brothers Josu and Gaizka Goikoetxea Larrauri, this charming eight-suite hotel aims to immerse guests in the wonders of the Basque Country. The region’s gastronomy stands front and centre, with Gaizka’s farm-to-table menu in the ROLA Restaurant featuring produce from the garden and orchard as well as from neighbouring farms. The building itself is a former farmhouse and suites feature exposed stone walls and wooden beamed ceilings. You’re here to indulge, so why not book a massage in the forest, or perhaps a cookery class or winery visit? Alternatively, there’s superb hiking and biking through the fields and forests of Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve.

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Casa Beatnik, Galicia

In what was originally an 18th-century manor house set in one of Spain’s most unspoilt regions, you can now check in for uncharted experiences, bespoke luxury, wellness retreats, world-class amenities and the friendly hospitality that radiates from Casa Beatnik and its 20 boutique rooms, suites and yurts. A few miles south east of Santiago de Compostela, this is a cosmopolitan gem with two restaurants – the luxurious Bambola and the garden-set, locally sourced menus that grace Tribu – as well as a gem and spa, and a full bespoke menu of Galician experiences to explore.

Mas d’En Bruno, Priorat, Catalonia

Visitors are only just beginning to discover Priorat, though those with a nose for fine wines have long known that this mountainous, arid corner of Catalonia is a gem. Priorat’s wines are now considered some of the best in Spain and you’ll taste some crackers at this elegant hotel perched above the vineyards – as well as plenty of local food. The 24 suites have a cool, calming aesthetic, while the al fresco pool has sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. The hotel also offers a spa with indoor pool, ebike rental and helicopter tours.

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Casa de los Naranjos, Haría, Lanzarote

There are no less than 30 orange trees at the front of this stately, 200-year-old listed building, set in ‘the valley of a thousand palm trees’ amid the traditional white architecture of the sleepy, enchanting village of Haria. Lovingly restored to its original glory, with period furniture across eight lush, stunningly appointed rooms, the House of Orange Trees is now hailed as an ‘emblem hotel’ by the Canary Islands. Check in to experience a slice of life in a 19th-century stately home that retains all its original charm, augmented by the luxuries of a 21st-century boutique hotel, with its living and dining rooms, patio, library, orange garden and beautiful terrace.

Hotel Rural Morvedra Nou, Menorca

You’d never guess the suites at this top-notch rural hotel were formerly cow sheds – the décor is all sleek marble, scrubbed white walls and bold striped linens, not to mention private terraces complete with day beds. Tranquil pool days beckon, with a lunchtime sojourn in the laid-back restaurant, its tables spilling out into the garden, its menu laden with local seafood (mussels, red prawns). Ciutadella is a 15-minute drive away, but you’ll probably find yourself strolling the estate’s vineyards and orchards instead.

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Hacienda de San Rafael, Las Cabezas de San Juan, Seville

Set between between the historic cities of Seville and Jerez de la Frontera, famous for its sherry, this privately owned 18th-century hideaway on what was once an olive estate encapsulates the charm of rural Andalusia, and is close to its alluring white villages, or pueblos blancos. With its 11 rooms and three suites, or casitas, it retains its intimacy without losing an ounce of luxury, or, with a secluded six-hectare mature garden surrounding the property, its delicious privacy. The house chef uses organic produce from the gardens and local markets, and the experiences on offer range from horse riding to hiking to a bodega sherry tour in Jerez.

Find out more and plan your slow travel escape to Spain at spain.info

10 wonderfully unique places to stay across rural Spain (2024)
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