Hotel Viura, Rioja: Boxing Clever

13-Nov-11 - I mentioned in an earlier post that I'd been in Rioja as a guests of Berry Bros and Rudd, but didn't mention where we'd stayed, and it's worth a post. The Hotel Viura opened in the village of Villabuena de Álava in April, 2010 and is a quite remarkable place. The village is tiny (pop. about 360) and in typical golden local stone. Next door to the village church, the hotel rises like a hotchpotch of shoeboxes piled one upon another. The architects were Joseba and Xabier Aramburu, who are famous for their avant-garde designs, and despite the building's completely different style from its surroundings, somehow it works.

Hotel Viura - from the website

Inside it's part industrial chic, part modern art gallery, with rustic wooden tables, barrels suspended from the ceiling of the restaurant, a charming small garden with an outside terrace and large, very comfortable rooms. The hotel has been built against a low cliff-face and, beguilingly, the back wall of Reception is the raw rock of the cliff itself. The rooms have their own little terrace overlooking the village, a very large work-desk (free wifi, and it works), an enormous flat-screen TV with 40-odd channels (several in English) and a king-size bed. Shower room is small but has all the necessary bits, some toiletries and bathrobes. Minibar has free water and fruit juices, plus (pay-for) beer and wine, chocolates and crisps and proper, big glasses. Despite the fact that the new head chef only started two weeks before my visit, the food in the restaurant was excellent - you might describe it as classic Rioja food with a modern twist (all right, fillet steak is not particularly exotic but it was cooked to perfection with sweet piquillo peppers and a timbale of potatoes - €21). The staff are excellent, friendly and helpful (although sometimes a bit limited in English) and it's worth a visit here for the building alone.

 The Restaurant - from the website

The village of Villabuena is home to three of Rioja's top bodegas - Izadi, Valserrano and Luís Cañas - and whilst it's very charming there isn't a lot going on in terms of shops and bars... Well, virtually nothing. The hotel has free loan of bicycles for the energetic but if you're wanting to explore you will need a car: the walled city of Laguardia is only 13 km away, Haro is 20 km and Logroño is 30 km, so if you want restaurants, bars and shops there's not far to travel. It's not particularly cheap (rooms start at €135) but it is an experience.

Acknowledgement: I flew from London to Bilbao by courtesy of Vueling Airlines. Indeed, I've flown with them quite a few times (three times this year) and their service is good, especially given that my creaking joints require a bit more care than those of athletic passengers. The fares are reasonable, the staff very pleasant and the whisky is Chivas Regal (€4). There's never enough legroom on aircraft for me, but I suppose that's what helps to keep the fares down, and it's only a two-hour flight. My only beef is that the Bilbao flight goes from LHR which, from where I live, is virtually inaccessible except by (very expensive) taxi. Oh well...

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