Best rural hotels on the Costa Brava

Spain’s Costa Brava is not all sea and sand. Inland, there’s a rugged countryside of woods and hilltop settlements, quiet villages and fortified towns. So, if you fancy the heat and the Catalan flavour, but not the giddiness of the coast, take a look at our selection of the best rural hotels on the Costa Brava.

To the north there’s the rugged Alt Empordà and the marshland nature reserve of the Parc Natural dels Aiguamolls de l’Empordà.

Many Barcelona folk retreat to second homes in the hills around Calella, Palafrugell and hill-top Begur. And then there’s the charm of medieval Girona with its gothic cathedral.

Here you will find country villas surrounded by vineyards, Catalan farmhouses, ancient convents and former mills, five-star country-house hotels and luxury romantic retreats.

Rural hotels on the Costa Brava for romance

• Les Hamaques actually cheats a little; it’s both in a rural setting and close to the beach of the lovely Santa Marti d’Empuriés (the Greco-Roman ruins of Empuriés are nearby, too). It’s small - just five rooms - and very private, surrounded by pretty gardens. The white-on-white rooms are chic yet simple with a mix of vintage and contemporary furnishings, private terraces and hammocks. Evening meals are by request.
• Another intimate hotel - again just five rooms - is Can Casi, an 18th-century villa in the much sought-after area of Baix Empordà. Eclectically furnished rooms, where bright pops of colour mix with vintage chandeliers, exposed stone walls with perhaps a Vespa scooter, have large private balconies and bathtubs for two. It’s adults-only, too!
• And yet another five-room hotel (no children under 12) is L’Hort de Sant Cebria, a lovely Catalan country house with vine-covered stone walls, elegantly furnished rooms and a pretty scented garden with fountains and quiet corners. Excellent value, too. Evening meals are by arrangement.

Rural hotels - farmhouses

• Hotel del Teatre is actually two Catalan farmhouses on the outskirts of medieval Begur, skilfully converted to create a very chic hotel. Rooms are light and contemporary mixing original features of stone walls and rafters with huge windows and calming, white-on-white furnishings. There’s a shady pool, quiet gardens and a high-class restaurant.
• For a real rural retreat, Mas Falgarona is a 17th-century farmhouse with not another building in sight. Rooms are large, light and simple retaining the original thick stone walls and raftered ceilings. There’s a small pool, a shady garden and an organic kitchen garden providing much of the produce for the restaurant. A real ‘switch-off and recharge’ sort of place.

Rural hotels near vineyards

• At Boutique Hotel Can Pico, you can roll out of bed into the vineyards; this converted farmhouse has its own vines as well as olive groves. Rooms are surprisingly crisp and modern with bold modern art. There’s a pool in the garden for daytime laziness and a well-stocked cellar for evening wine-tasting.

Rural hotels on the Costa Brava in historic buildings

• With views of either olive groves or the lovely Bay of Roses, Hotel Mas Lazuli is an 11th-century convent turned into a swish country-house hotel. Rooms are super-stylish with polished wood floors, white-painted rafters and chic furnishings. There’s a very cool terrace restaurant plus large pool set in the tropical gardens.
• Very much off-the-beaten-track, Hotel Moli del Mig is a former 15th-century mill that has been turned into a designer spa hotel. Everything is sleek, light and airy, with pale polished floors and huge windows making the most of the gardens and surrounding countryside. There’s plenty to do for the active - kayaking, riding, cycling - or just chill out in the spa or around the elegant pool.

Luxury rual hotels on the Costa Brava

• For sheer wanton luxury, with five-star service standards, you can’t go wrong with Mas de Torrent. Rooms are either elegantly contemporary with airy colours and sleek furnishings or comfortingly classical with handsome antiques. All have private balconies, some have their own pools. There’s a rooftop bar, outdoor dining overlooking the gardens and pool, a spa and plenty of activities.
• For a more homely - but equally luxurious - country-house feel, take a look at La Malcontenta. Although close to the beach, it’s very private and secluded. Rooms cleverly mix original features of stone walls and vaulted ceilings with contemporary yet very Spanish furnishings. There’s a gorgeous shady pool and a stunningly pretty dining room. Borrow a bike, and order a picnic - much produce is home-grown - to find quiet hedgerow paths and beaches.

The Costa Brava can be surprisingly peaceful; you just have to know where to look. Use our guide to the best rural hotels on the Costa Brava to help you find that perfect quiet spot. Alternatively widen the net and check out all our Costa Brava recommendations.

 

Written by Helen Pickles

posted Tuesday, 27th July 2021