VOLUME II / ISSUE VII / JULY 2018
BEST FOR ARCHITECTURE FANS Marqués de Riscal DOCa Rioja; Elciego, Alava 43 rooms and suites Rooms from €310 for the Deluxe Spa Wing to €800 for the Gehry Suite hotel-marquesderiscal.com This is without doubt the most dramatic of Spain’s winery hotels: the Frank Gehry designed, titanium-roofed marvel juxtaposed against the ultra-traditional winery of the same name. It’s a must-visit if you are in Rioja. Architecture fans will need to book a room inside the main building – you won’t sleep for paying attention to all the design detail. Book a room looking out on Elciego, rather page 120
than on the Caudalie spa. However, for a good view of the Gehry design, the Spa Wing is a very comfortable choice. The Marqués de Riscal restaurant, under chef Francis Paniego, has a Michelin star. If you order a fine old vintage of Riscal, they will open the bottle for you with heated tongs, in the classical way. For a nightcap, don’t miss the cosy lounge library at the very top of the hotel. Then in the morning, breakfast is a treat out on the balcony overlooking Elciego in the sun.