Hotel Marques de Riscal

Elciego

Spain is not only a dream tourist destination because of its fabulous climate but also because of its wealth of culture shaped by a rich and dramatic history. Located in the extreme south of the European continent, the Iberian Peninsula has seen more Visigoth and Moslem invasions than any other region. These conflicts have left architectural and artistic traces notably in the mudejar and Moorish styles which we find in abundance in Andalusia, for example. Each Spanish province has its own character and charm making every one of them a separate destination. The North of Spain is known as the birthplace of the Basque country, a land swept by the winds of the Atlantic Ocean and linked to the Pyrenees mountain chain. Very popular with tourists, the Basque country enjoyed an economic rebirth in the 1990s, thanks largely to the excellent management of cities like Bilbao, which has become a reference on the European level. The most flamboyant and internationally renowned symbol of this renaissance is the Guggenheim Museum built by architect, Frank Gehry. His use of materials and his shapes have left their indelible marks. And yet, there’s another creation by the same architect in the Basque country which is a paradise, this time for admirers of luxury.

The vines, the sun and the waves of titanium

The Marques de Riscal is a five star hotel in the renowned wine growing region of Rioja. Near the medieval site of Elciego, in the Riscal domain, the hotel dominates the landscape at the same time as it blends in with it. Immediately recognizable as a Frank Gehry work, the hotel is above all 1,800 square meters of titanium ribbons tangled and wrapped around boxes of blond stone. Inside, there are 43 rooms, of which ten are suites, and two restaurants. The Marques de Riscal is a boutique hotel with an extraordinary sense of design. The undulating structure, in addition to being a unique architectural realization, is also an artistic vision of this region and the importance of its primary product: wine. The colors used were not chosen by chance? The gold is for the cork, the silver for the capsule and the dark red, obviously for the wine. Frank Gehry continues this concept inside by creating a resolutely design interior by harmonizing the different shapes, colors and materials. For the furniture, only the greatest names were called upon: Saarinen for the coffee tables, Verner Panton for the chairs and Alvar Aalto for tables and chairs as well, not to mention the “Cloud” hangings deigned by Gehry himself. The service is exactly what seekers of luxury desire. There’s a selection of vintage wines from all over the world in a wine bar and a salon/library. As one might have guessed, the wine therapy spa is exceptional with its indoor swimming pool, a hammam, a fitness center, a jacuzzi and fourteen treatment rooms!

Since it opened, the hotel has been on the cover of several hundred international magazines, not to mention the books and guides in which it is mentioned. The appearance of the building, its function and its location enable it to be treated from various angles: as a hotel, as part of wine country, as part of a gastronomic journey and of course, for its design and architecture.