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DISCOVER SPAIN

The hotel in Spain that’s so posh guests can only stay if invited

Set amid the rolling hills and lush vineyards of La Rioja, this house is so exclusive that you can’t simply book a night, you have to be sent an invitation instead.

The hotel in Spain that’s so posh guests can only stay if invited
The lobby of Casa Cosme Palacio. Source Cosme Palacio

La Casa Cosme Palacio is part of the Historic Wineries of La Rioja in the north of the country, one of the most famous wine-producing regions in Spain. 

The old winery dates back to 1894 but has been faithfully restored and transformed into ultra-luxurious accommodation complete with a 24-hour butler, costing between €5,000 and €10,000 per night, depending on the season. 

It’s in fact not really a hotel at all, but a property that can be rented out in its entirety by extended families, groups of friends or colleagues for a work event. 

The bedrooms at the Cosme Palacio in La Rioja. Source: Cosme Palacio
 
The house is located just outside the village of Laguardia, approximately a 20-minute drive northwest of the capital of the Rioja region – Logroño. An attractive medieval village of honey-coloured historic architecture, it’s looked over by impressive jagged peaks and is one of the region’s wine hubs, filled with several bodegas. 
 
 
The house can sleep 26 guests in nine rooms and four suites and covers an area of 4,000 metres squared over three floors. 
 
Those who are lucky enough to receive an invitation, not only benefit from the services of their 24-hour butler, but also gastronomic menus prepared under the supervision of the Basque Culinary Centre by renowned chef David Fernández, accompanied by wines from the house’s own cellar of course. 
 

There are plenty of cosy nooks to relax in at Cosme Palacio. Source Cosme Palacio
 
Guests of Cosme Palacio can also request a range of activities while staying at the property from wine tours and private tasting sessions to electric bike rides through the vineyards. 
 
In the cellar, you can still see the old stone galleries that were once used to store wine, as well as the old stables, which have now been converted into a small museum filled with wine-making tools and memorabilia. And it is said that there are still countless subterranean passages that run throughout the property.
 
There is also a small gym for those who want to keep fit during their stay and a room for beauty treatments such as relaxing massages. 
 

The old wine cellars inside the house. Source: Cosme Palacio
 
In 1894 the building was owned by Cosme Bermejillo who took over the management of his family winery that his father had founded in Laguardia in 1863. Shortly after he move to France to winemaking and returned with countless innovative ideas, making it one of the most advanced wineries in the area at the time. 
 
When he died, the winery stayed in his family all the way until 1986, when it was bought by a management company. In 1997, it was sold again to the Entrecanales family – Jose María Entrecanales and his wife, Blanca Domecq Zurita. 
 
The building was completely renovated in 2015 by the architect Gregorio Marañón and in 2021 was transformed into an exclusive hotel by Entrecanale’s grandson Gonzalo who owns the company Entrecanales Domecq e Hijos. 
 
Anyone wanting to enquire about staying at La Casa Cosme Palacio and hoping to secure an invitation can find out more here
 

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ENVIRONMENT

Spain crowned world’s top Blue Flag beach country for 30 years running

Spain has once again earned the top spot as the country with the most Blue Flag beaches - 683 'playas' - meaning it has now been the world leader in Blue Flags for the last three decades.

Spain crowned world's top Blue Flag beach country for 30 years running

Blue Flags are awarded for their excellent water quality and environmental standards by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and a total of 51 countries worldwide are judged.

They are awarded to those beaches that meet demands on issues such as hygiene, sanitary conditions, safety, accessibility and the provision of lifeguards. 

This Tuesday, May 7th the Environmental and Consumer Education Association published a list of the blue flags that have been awarded for 2024.

Once again, Spain has come out on top with the most Blue Flag beaches out of a total 51 countries worldwide. This year it has been awarded a total of 683, 11 more than in 2023.

Like last year, the Valencia region has the most number of blue flags with 159, which is six more than last year. Of these, 69 are located in Alicante, 32 in Castellón and 34 in Valencia.

It’s followed by Andalusia with 156 (eight more than in 2023), then Galicia with 125, (the same as last year) and Catalonia with 118 (two less than last year) .

“We have been the country with the most blue flags in the world for three uninterrupted decades and will continue to do so this year. 15 percent of the blue flag beaches in the world are in Spain. This is a collective success because it is only possible thanks to the work of all administrations,” the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosario Sánchez Grau enthused. “We are a world tourism power and we must also be so in sustainability,” she added.

This year, the region of Navarra was awarded its first ever Blue Flag at the Bahía de Lerate on the Alloz Reservoir, an inland beach.

Several other places also joined the list for the first time including El Toyo in Almería, Cambriles in Granada, El Encinarejo in Jaén, Banys de Forum in Barcelona, El Torres in Vilajoyosa (Alicante), and the beaches of Pobla Marina and Rabdells in the Valencia region.

The organisers also praised seven municipalities that have managed to maintain their Blue Flag status since the programme began in 1987. These are El Carregador in Alcalá de Xivert, San Joan de Alicante, La Fossa de Calpe, Carrer la Mar de Campello, Sant Antoni de Cullera, Nord beach in Gandía and Bastiagueiro de Oleiros beach.

A total of 30 beaches lost their blue flag status this year. Andalusia lost three, the Balearic Islands four, the Canary Islands three, Cantabria one, Catalonia seven, Valencia six, Galicia four and Murcia two.

Virginia Yuste, director of Bandera Azul who was at the press conference, explained that the reasons for losing a Blue Flag are non-compliance with the Coastal Law and poor quality of water.

The full list of Blue Flag beaches for 2024 can be found here

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