Hotel Nafarrola

Style

Basque bon vivant

Setting

Bay-facing farmland

An all-senses induction into Basque Country life awaits at Hotel Nafarrola, a bucolic farmhouse stay near the Bay of Biscay’s coast. Your guides here are two Basque-born-and-bred brothers: Gaizka’s restaurant makes an art form of farm-to-table fare, washed down with hand-picked local wine pairings, and Josu jumps in with behind-the-scenes winery tours, cultural workshops, and lesser-known hiking routes. They call this spot the Garden of Bilbao – and it’s ripe for the picking…

Facilities

Rooms

Eight, including two suites.

Checkout

Noon. Check-in is at 3.30pm, but both are flexible, subject to availability.

More Details

Rates are room-only. Breakfast is available at the hotel’s restaurant for €25 a person (or in your room for an extra charge), and it's a local feast of homemade pastries, seasonal fruit, yoghurt and toast topped with jamón, anchovies or tuna from Bermeo.

Also

One Junior Suite has been specially adapted with a roll-in shower for guests with limited mobility, and all the hotel’s communal spaces are wheelchair accessible.

Free Internet Access

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

At the Hotel

Wine cellar, orchard, vineyards, private forest and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV, air-conditioning, whirlpool bath, Nespresso coffee machine, minibar, yoga mat, hairdryer, bathrobes, slippers and Per Purr bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

There’s no such thing as a rum deal here – all eight rooms have a whirlpool bath tub, and seven have a private balcony or terrace. If snuggled-up stargazing sounds like your thing, swing for the Deluxe Room or the Junior Suite, both of which have skylights above the bed and bath tub.

Spa

The hotel doesn’t have a spa, but there’s a spot in the estate’s historic woodland that makes a magical spot for a massage – say the word, and staff can enlist an expert practitioner.

Packing Tips

Once you’ve got the Basque Country essentials covered – comfortable walking shoes, waistbands with leeway – save the rest of your suitcase space for wine.

Also

Get ready to kick your dinner party game up several gears – as a counterpart to the in-depth cookery classes, Hotel Nafarrola has a calendar of shorter culinary workshops, each introducing a different aspect of traditional Basque cuisine.

Children

Leave the little Smiths at home – this is an adults-only stay.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

With bucolic views like these, by the window is always a good bet.

Dress Code

Match Rola’s understated vibe with all-natural threads.

Hotel Restaurant

Chef Gaizka Goikoetxea Larrauri grew up on this bountiful patch of the Basque countryside, and his passion for local produce and flavours permeates each finely spun dish. At Rola, his seasonal menus spotlight ingredients from the hotel’s kitchen garden and orchard, as well as a network of nearby farms, markets and artisanal producers. Breakfast is a suitable introduction to the hotel's close-to-home ethos, and you'll be asked the night before to check off whatever you fancy from a selection of zero-kilometre dishes, such as toast topped with salt-cured anchovies or tuna from Bermeo, alongisde homemade apple juice, artisanal pastries and omelettes whipped up from down-the-road eggs.

The stellar lunchtime tasting menu is worth devoting an afternoon to, especially when paired with txakoli from the oenophile-wooing wine cellar. Each course is a love-letter to the region and its varied terrain, with hyper-local produce, nods to Basque traditions and playful touches. Dinner might be confit cod with a red wine sauce, chilli-laced lobster ajoarriero or roasted pigeon with zingy tomato compote. And with temptations like spiced apple pastries, classic Basque baked cheesecake, and torrija (the caramelised Spanish answer to French toast) on the cards, you’ll want to save a spot of room for pudding.

Hotel Bar

There’s no separate bar, but oenophiles can rest easy – with over 150 labels in the hotel’s wine cellar, there’s some serious swirling and sniffing to be done here. There’s a collection of txakoli from local small producers, along with international varietals, organic wines and some impressive vintages; Zorion can take you through the diversity of bottles in a private tasting. Rola also hosts its own wine pairings, if you prefer your sips with some sustenance. Between meals, make for the communal living space, where you’ll find an honesty bar, but not as you know it. You can help yourself to chilled beers and a list of spirits and liqueurs as long as your arm, from aguardiente to Zacapa. And there’s always someone on hand to magic up any bottle you fancy from the wine cellar, or to mix you something from the menu of classic cocktails, too.

Last Orders

Breakfast at Rola is from 8am to 10am, but there’s an early breakfast service available on request. Rola serves lunch at 1pm, and dinner at 8pm; times are flexible on request.

Room Service

For a do-not-disturb dinner à deux, dishes from Rola’s menu can be delivered to your room; you can also request breakfast in bed for an extra charge.

Planes

The hotel’s a handy 30-minute drive from Bilbao Airport; staff can arrange taxis on request.

Trains

Bermeo's train station is a 10-minute drive from the hotel. From here, you can chug along the coast to neighbouring Mundaka and history-steeped Guernica; a slow-but-scenic route loops you back to Bilbao.

Automobiles

You’ll want wheels for branching out into the Basque Country. There’s free private parking at the hotel, including a space with an electric car charging point.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

The hotel can arrange all sorts of cultural and culinary experiences, tailored to the season and your interests. In cookery workshops, you’ll learn the history of traditional techniques, try your hand at them and – crucially – tuck into the fruits of your labour. Book ahead for tours at txakoli wineries — or sample a range of bottles in a hotel-led tasting — and set out on trips to local suppliers including cheesemakers, bakers and fishing families that stretch back generations. Other inductions into the region’s culture include a peek behind the curtain at a private ceramic studio; an introduction to pelota vasca, the racket sport deeply rooted in local village life, and a live performance by traditional Basque musicians. If you’re planning to crawl the pintxo bars in Bilbao, ask the hotel to arrange a private tour of the Guggenheim while you’re there.

This is some seriously scenic hiking, cycling and mountain biking territory. Pick the team’s brains for the quietest routes and best spots to catch the sunset; ask in advance and a picnic can be packed. Reached via a stone bridge and a sizeable number of steps, the islet of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe rewards determined visitors with centuries of swashbuckling history and spectacular Bay of Biscay views. There are several pebble beaches in Bermeo; for surfing, mosey on down to Mundaka’s sandy stretches. And adrenalin fiends can up their heart-rate further with a helicopter tour of the wildlife-rich Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .