Hotel Pepe Vieira
Square meals and sanctums
Galicia’s sunny side
‘The farthest cuisine in the world’ is the oh-so-romantic tagline of Pepe Vieira, a Galician chef who knows just as much about storytelling as he does about food. And, as you’ll discover snaking your way up the hotel’s red-forest road – where wild horses outnumber humans by a substantial margin – the region’s folkloric cradle makes for a fairytale setting. Breakfast here is a four-act drama of sweet and savoury flavours, while the travelling dinner – from garden to wine cellar to kitchen to table – is an interactive exploration of culture, tradition and relationships. But the protagonist here is the land, which pulls focus due to the barely-there minimalism of the cubed cabins guests stay in. Whether it's taking a nightcap on the terrace as the river glistens below, or watching the sunset from the comfort of your bed, here every day ends happily ever after.
Facilities
Habitaciones
14 individual suites.
Checkout
Noon, but flexible, subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 3pm.
Más detalles
Rates don't usually include breakfast.
Also
There are two adapted suites available for guests with limited mobility.
Acceso gratis a internet
Piscina
Restaurante en el hotel
Servicio de habitaciones
At the Hotel
Terrace, vegetable garden, wine cellar, lounge, free WiFi throughout. In rooms: Nespresso machine, curated snack selection, black-out blinds, and air-conditioning.
Our Favourite Rooms
The hotel is made up of 14 standalone suites called ‘galpones’ (a Galician word for ‘shed’), each of which is identical in both structure and design; sleek white cubes with large glass windows that bring the outside in, and Japanese-inspired, minimalist interiors with a tatami-style bed and all-black bathroom.
Poolside
You’ll find the rectangular pool out on the terrace, surrounded by leafy landscaping and a sprinkling of loungers overlooking the ría below.
Packing Tips
You’ll want a notepad handy to jot down tips for your at-home culinary escapades, as well as jeans with a generous waistband…just sayin’.
Also
For a bit of hagiography with your morning huevos, look out for the name of the day’s commemorated saint printed daily on each menu.
Niños
Leave the little ones at home, this gastro-getaway is adults-only.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
The closer you sit to the glass windows, the better the view of Galicia’s gorgeous greenery.
Código de vestimenta
Swap your pattern-popping Gucci threads for sophisticated block colours of navy, grey and sand…imagine a Muji x the Row collaboration and you’ll be on the right track.
Hotel Restaurant
Where do we start? To call Pepe Vieira’s eponymous eatery a restaurant would be to risk underplaying it. Rather, it’s an ambitious anthropology project, a deep dive into Galician culture and history, and a way to preserve centuries-strong recipes and traditions. Vieira has a strong attachment to the land, which is why dinner starts outside in the vegetable garden, where the kitchen forages most of its produce. Here, you’ll be offered a palate-cleanser of homemade kombucha and an appetiser made in front of you at an alfresco chef station. Back inside, pocket-sized millo mìudos (corn tortas) whet your appetite before the starter proper, which could be anything from an Instagram-worthy salad of of fermented tomato water, flowers and seeds with a glass of crystal-clear distilled gazpacho; to an onion soup named after local plañideras – women from the Rías Baixas who were hired as professional mourners for the funerals of unfavourable, or simply unpopular, people. Next stop, the kitchen, where depending on your preferences you’ll be served something deliciously veggie or a fish dish straight from the ría. After a quick pause in the wine cellar, your gastro-adventure concludes at the table – expect steam, smoke and all manner of alchemy and illusion. Queimada – a Galician punch that takes its name from a witches spell – is served in a lime, before you’re given a refreshing duo of equally imaginative desserts. As for breakfast? Well, let’s just say you won’t be needing lunch.
Hotel Bar
There’s no dedicated bar space, but guests are welcome to hang out in the ‘lareira’ area (named after its cosy fireplace) and indulge in a drink or two. The wine cellar has an encyclopaedic array of Galician tipples, as well as European, international picks, and some dusty vintage bottles, too. Pepe Vieira resides in Rías Baixas, one of five wine-making areas in Galicia, known for its elegant Alberiños. Try a glass from Do Ferreiro, a small family vineyard known for pioneering the indigenous grape by reviving his 200-year-old vines – and Galicia as a wine region – from the early 1970s on. Reds tend to be produced in the east, where the grapes make for light, summery flavours. You’ll see what we mean after a glass of Alma de Mar, a seemingly white wine made from the red caiño grape…¡qué magia!
Last Orders
Breakfast runs from 8am to 10.30am, lunch from 1.30pm to 3pm and dinner from
Planes
Vigo Airport is closest to the hotel, just a 40-minute drive away, while Santiago-Rosalía de Castro is an hour to the north. Each has direct flights from all over Spain and Europe, and the hotel can arrange transfers starting from €80 one-way. International travellers should fly into Porto Airport across the Portuguese border. From here, the hotel is 90 minutes by car.
Trains
Pontevedra train station is around 20 minutes away by car, with direct trains to Vigo, A Coruña and Santiago de Compostela. There’s a high-speed service, too, which will get you to Madrid in just under four hours. The hotel can arrange transfers to and from the station for €35.
Automobiles
Since the hotel is reasonably remote, driving is recommended. Wheels offer guests flexibility and freedom to explore the region at their own pace, though there are taxis on hand for your Galician wine-tasting trips. There’s free, on-site parking for guests, and four electric-charging stations for greener rides.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Think of Pepe Vieira’s multi-course offerings as ample fuel to start exploring Galicia’s green heartlands. Start nearby at the quaint fishing village of Combarro, where excellent seafood, traditional hórreos (charming Galician corn cribs) and colourful coastal houses make for a picturesque afternoon amble. O Grove is another such village, where you can spend your days horizontal on the soft white sands of A Lanzada beach. Out to sea you’ll notice dark wooden platforms bobbing on the water, these bateeiros are the lifeblood of the population here, who rely on mussel and oyster fishing for their income. Join them for an afternoon to see exactly how they do it, just ask the hotel to arrange. Then there’s the islands; Illa de A Toxa is closest, and is known for its medicinal mineral water and mud, which boast therapeutic properties for the skin. Next, Illa de Arousa is home to the Carreirón nature reserve where you’ll find rare grey herons alongside frogs, rabbits, lizards and a rainbow of plants. Take a hike through one of its trails, stopping for a picnic on As Margaritas along the way, a secluded cove with crystal-clear waters. Last, but certainly not least, islas Cíes are as serene as they come, with white-sand dunes, rocky green hills, and a trio of top-tier beaches, Praia das Rodas, Praia de Nosa Señora and Praia das Figueres(word of warning: you may want to leave your bathing suit at home for the last one…) In neighbouring Pontevedra, check-out the Ruínas de San Domingos, the remains of a 14th-century convent, before playing house at Pazo de Lourizán, a romantic 19th-century manor, and admiring the terracotta, scallop-shaped façade of the church of the Pilgrim Virgin. Leave an hour for a stroll around the old town, or two if you plan on stopping for lunch; Plaza de la Leña is one of the prettiest spots to do so, a mediaeval square flanked by tapas bars. Up north, take a walking tour of Santiago de Compostela, where the story of a past spent at the crossroads of power is best told through its architecture. For those with more contemporary tastes, the City of Galician Culture complex on the outskirts was built by Peter Eisenman as a tribute to fellow architect John Hejduk showcasing a modernist flow of concave and convex structures that organically rise and fall. And, known for its vineyards and country houses, Galicia has its fair share of rural romps to enjoy, too. At Forjas del Salnés in Rías Baixas, ancient vines and native Galician grapes are nurtured by the expertise of Rodrigo Méndez, just ask the hotel to arrange a tasting session.
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. .
