The brand-new Gran Hotel Mas d’en Bruno is the perfect luxury stay in the heart of Priorat, Spain.
Really, Id come to this hotel to eat and drink.
Spoiler: it is.
Credit:Maya Kachroo-Levine/Travel + Leisure
Producers were forced out of business, farmers went broke, and the skilled winemakers left.
As the wine scene grows, the restaurants follow, and travelers are starting to take note.
“Some of the rooms have terraces, some have gardens, some have balconies.
Maya Kachroo-Levine/Travel + Leisure
Of the 24 rooms, 13 are in themasia(main house).
The dining room was buzzing and somehow, everyone knew each other.
At the table near the bar sat Elizabeth Hecker, who just wrote the book Ethos Priorat.
Maya Kachroo-Levine/Travel + Leisure
By day, the restaurant is called Tarraco and serves a melange of western Europe fare.
Experiences and Amenities
My favorite amenity was, of course, the wine bottleshaped outdoor pool.
The hotel also has four electric bikes that guests can use (complimentary) at any time.
Courtesy of Mas d’en Bruno
Still to come is a poolside restaurant that will bring in nearby winemakers to host tastings on site.
As for experiences the hotel can create for you, the possibilities are endless.
The hotel arranged for me to visit Clos de l’Obac in Gratallops.
Courtesy of Mas d’en Bruno
Later that same day, I got a crash course in Catalonianvermut.
When there was a mass winemaker exodus post-phylloxera, the farmers who stayed formed a wine co-op.
The Spa
I visited the spa shortly after my arrival.
Maya Kachroo-Levine/Travel + Leisure
There is just one treatment room, where I slipped into a jet laginduced trance during my relaxation massage.
“The area the spa is in was once an olive press,” Stein said.
“When we put the spa in there, we renovated and restored the elements of the olive press.
Maya Kachroo-Levine/Travel + Leisure
It’s symbolic of what used to be in that room.”
The centuries-old stone walls make the spa feel like upscale Roman baths.
I recommend waiting until your children are college-age, then bringing them to experience true European wine country culture.
Maya Kachroo-Levine/Travel + Leisure
Accessibility and Sustainability
The entire hotel is wheelchair accessible.
Many rooms in the main house are accessible thanks to the elevator, which goes to all three floors.
Location
The hotel is 83 miles from Barcelona-El Prat Airport.
Courtesy of Mas d’en Bruno
The Priorat region is best seen by car, so renting one is a smart idea.
(Catalonia is home to four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona.)
