The Best Luxury Hotels in La Rioja, Spain

Some La Rioja hotels go big on nostalgia, but Hotel Marqués de Riscal is a joyous celebration of everything modern. Describing itself as a “21st-century château,” the hotel was designed by Frank Gehry – viewed from afar, it resembles an abstract art sculpture melting organically into the landscape. Rooms are luxurious – indoor spaces flow into outdoor spaces through eccentric, angular windows. There’s a chic spa and celeb-chef restaurant, and the vineyards of Elciego roll out from the doorstep like a carpet.

The name says it all at this sleek former palace, facing onto the Ebro River. The original building – a stone-built charmer from the 16th-century – has been extended with straight-edged elements in glass and steel. It’s an eye-catching blend of the ancient and modern; wood-filled rooms enjoy sublime views of the river and a green swathe of vineyards. Meanwhile, the interior design is refined rather than ostentatious – think lots of natural wood and unbleached linen, reflecting the colours of the old building.

Bringing the vineyard experience firmly into the modern age, Finca de los Arandinos feels like a fine art gallery transplanted to the Rioja countryside. Vineyards create a cross-hatched grid around this striking modernist block, which serves up horizon-expanding views through floor-to-ceiling windows. Rooms are minimalist and calming, full of whites and wood tones, and shared spaces are decked out with artworks and modern materials. Come for privacy, fine dining and winery tours without having to leave the hotel grounds.

A Rioja palace with real charm, Hotel Real Casona de las Amas is an atmospheric sprawl of 17th-century buildings full of rough-hewn stone and timeworn wooden beams, surrounding a courtyard garden. Rooms get the mix of nostalgia and comfort just right, with canopies over the bedsteads, heirloom furniture and drapes that flow for miles. The hotel lounge is one of La Rioja’s most relaxing living spaces – and that’s before you get to the spa and saltwater pool.

Modernist furniture in fashionable fabrics, handmade rugs in Pointillist colours and a smart design mark out this tasteful hotel in Logroño, the historic capital of La Rioja. From the sculptural street map of Logroño filling one wall of the main stairway, to the minimalist style of the bedrooms, Hotel Calle Mayor gets the details just right. Outside, the Logroño streets spill into the green Parque del Ebro, promising calm walks beside the Ebro River.