Hostería de Guara

There’s inn-keeping in the family: this well-established roadside hosteria was started by Ana and Eva’s parents. A spectacular drive on narrow scenic roads brings you to the unassuming village of Bierge in the Parque Natural de Guara. The front garden, packed with thyme, rosemary, lavender and roses, provides colour against the perennial blue sky. Hotel-smart bedrooms have polished tiles, white metal bedheads, muslin drapes, perhaps a rattan armchair or two. Take a sundowner to the terrace for views of the hilltop church, floodlit at night: superb. In the restaurant some dishes will be cooked over an open fire, and don’t miss the ‘olive oil menu’ – the oil is from the family’s grove in La Rioja. At the back is an almond orchard, a cloud of white and pink in February when the blossom begins, and a pool – a release from the heat. Eva can arrange guided tours of the many bodegas of the Somontano region, or rafting, riding, climbing, ravine-spotting and birdwatching: eagles and vultures abound. A very family-friendly place, worth considering in spring and autumn, too.