Hotel Viura

Yes, those photos are real. Hotel Viura really is a precarious-looking cubist stack, an audacious modernist boutique planted in the soil of a traditional Spanish wine village in the Rioja Alavesa region. The contrast is only heightened by the fact that its next-door neighbor is an 18th-century church. Needless to say, the place has received some attention since its 2010 grand opening, but we’re happy to report that it’s more than just a pretty picture.

The cube-stack layout ensures that most of the thirty-three rooms have panoramic, corner-office views of the village and the surrounding Sierra de Cantabria mountains. Interior lines are a little more orthogonal, with just the occasional tilt in the wall patterns to remind guests of the bold exterior. The furniture is stylish and comfy; expect king beds and an abundance of throw pillows. The prime interaction between chic and rustic comes in the bathrooms, which are cleverly outfitted with thick wooden butcher-block countertops rather than the expected marble or glass. Flatscreen TVs are standard, along with a small, hand-picked selection of local wines.

For a much larger wine list, head to Viura’s restaurant, where the topsy-turvy design continues with a ceiling full of hanging barrels. After the meal, a sunset cocktail at the rooftop bar is probably in order. And you have only to step outside the hotel to experience all that Spanish wine country has to offer.

How to get there:
Hotel Viura is located approximately 120 km from Bilbao International Airport (BIO).