The Blackpine Hotel

There’s a certain variety of black pine — the hardy pinus nigra, a tree that can live for more than 500 years — that only grows in the highest elevations of the Andorran Pyrenees. Many of the region’s hotels and homes display furniture built from its golden-hued wood, but the Blackpine Hotel has the unusual distinction of being crafted almost entirely out of it. Its pine-lined rooms and suites are sleek and sculptural, as if they’ve been carved out of solid blocks of wood, then gently sanded down to reveal supple surfaces along walls, ceilings, and floors.

Just off Escaldes-Engordany’s main plaza, this LEED-certified boutique hotel is a surprisingly modern find in a destination better known for outdoor adventures than cutting-edge design. After skiing or hiking in the nearby mountains, the Blackpine and its immaculate rooms make for a peaceful refuge. Rooms have everything you need, and nothing you don’t. Japanese-inspired, they come with luxurious low-slung beds, warm lighting, and elegant bathrooms with suspended copper lamps and sliding wood and glass panels. For added relaxation, there’s a stylish spa with a Finnish sauna and a water circuit.