Many hotels serve a functional purpose: a convenient place to rest for the night. But what about hotels that are designed for more – hotels which embody their guests’ passions?
Across the world you’ll find many innovative hotels that provide a heavenly space for wine lovers. These hotels are designed and shaped by the world of wine, and the artists and architects who have created them are well aware of the inspirational qualities found in a glass of wine…
We’ve chosen 10 of the most creative hotels inspired by the world of wine. Not only because they are surrounded by vineyards, but also because their original wine decoration, construction and unique furnishings offer a memorable holiday to people looking for the full enotourism experience.
The hotels and B&Bs on this list give travellers the opportunity to enjoy wine culture in a creative environment.
1. The Yeatman – Oporto, Douro Valley, Portugal
People who go to Oporto wishing to explore the pleasures of Port wine will be fascinated by The Yeatman Hotel. Your visit to one of Europe’s most important wine capitals will be totally different if, after enjoying the wineries of the area, you experience a luxury stay in this hotel.
The spectacular bed inside a wine barrel and the fascinating views of the landscape are an authentic dream come true for wine lovers. Furthermore, some of the rooms and suites of the hotel are sponsored by partner wineries of Portugal and decorated with special objects and paintings.
The cellars of The Yeatman have one of the most comprehensive collections of Portuguese wines. Many tastings, seminars and wine dinners are celebrated here offering guests a complete wine experience. In the hotel there is also a renowned vinotherapy spa where guests can relax with exclusive skincare products and therapies using extracts from the vine.
2. Lagar de Isilla Hotel – La Vid, Burgos, Spain
Lagar de Isilla is a boutique hotel that stays true to the colonial and traditional architecture of the original building. The ‘Big House in La Vid’ (as it is known) is a beautiful construction, but the surprise is found inside.
The owner of Lagar de Isilla is an enthusiastic wine lover who loves to create objects with empty bottles of wine, giving them a second life. He also uses old wine barrels, glasses, corks and boxes to dress each space with a unique flair.
All the decorations of Lagar de Isilla’s hotel and restaurant are inspired by wine and the surrounding region. The pictures and objects of each create a unique experience so that each visitor who goes there lives a complete wine experience.
3. Hotel de Vrouwe Van Stavoren. Netherlands
If you’ve ever dreamt of having a nap inside a barrel, and let’s face it who hasn’t, then here your dream can come true. Hotel de Vrouwe Van Stavoren is located on the Old Port waterfront fishing village of Stavoren in Netherlands. The originality of this hotel is something to behold; you’ll find authentic wine-casks that many years before contained 15,000 litres of a château French wine and now have been converted into rooms for two people with its own bathroom and living room!
Each antique barrel has a space for sleeping, and they are all equipped with all the mod-cons expected in a regular hotel. Wine lovers can even choose to sleep in two types of barrels, according to your wine preference: red or white wine.
Don’t get put off by the thought of the price; a night at Hotel de Vrouwe Van Stavoren is actually a lot more economical than you might think. The price of these barrels is €60 to €119 per night, but in winter, a wine cask room can be as low as €18!
4. Casa Margot Hotel Champagnerie, Mendoza, Argentina
Casa Margot, the first Champagnerie of Argentina, is located in the heart of the Wine Routes in Chacras de Coria, surrounded by the wineries and vineyards of Mendoza.
It’s a boutique, 5-star hotel, designed and built by Eliana Molinelli, and its aim is to spread the culture of Champagne, sparkling Argentine wine made according to centuries of French winemaking techniques.
Casa Margot and its on-site winery are wonderful for relaxing, enjoying good music and tasting the best sparkling wines from Argentina.
5. Schlafen im Winfass – Sasbachwalden, Germany
The small German town of Sasbachwalden boasts beautiful landscape views full of vineyards and you can even make out the beginning of the Black Forest in the horizon. It’s here that you’ll find Schlafen im Winfass Hotel, which means ‘sleeping in a wine-barrel’.
8-thousand litre wine casks have been restored and turned into the rooms of this hotel. With a double bed in each barrel, it is a perfect place to spend a night enjoying a spectacular sunset with a glass of wine.
As their guest, you will receive a welcome kit with typical German products and they will happily organise bike tours around the wine route of Baden (Badische Weinstrasse).
The price per night is around €156, and is available during all the year.
6. Tabonkö Guesthouse & Wine Spa. Región de Maule, Chile
Located in the coastal dry ground of the Region of the Maule, in the heart of the Valley of Loncomilla, and surrounded by vineyards, Tabonkö guests can learn about wines and their production with tours around the vineyards and winery. Native animals such as pudúes, alpacas, and ñandúes curiously walk in the surroundings.
There are 15 rooms available, all furnished with Jacuzzis and guests can also enjoy vinotherapy. However the most impressive feature is the huge wine barrels located in its building.
7. Terme Ptuj Wine Barrel Village – Ptuj, Slovenia
Sleeping inside a wine barrel may be the sophisticated and luxurious experience found at the Yeatman, or it could be a fun experience to be shared with friends and family. This is just what you can expect at the Wine Barrel Village of Terme Ptuj, a glamorous wine camping site located in Slovenia.
These barrels were once used to store wine, and now accommodate up to two people creating an original tourist experience. There are eight en-suite wine barrels and a ninth barrel which has been converted into a sauna.
At the Wine Barrel Village you can not only sleep in wine barrels, but also take part in fun events to connect with local winemaking.
8. Design & Wine – Caminha, Portugal
Design & Wine Hotel is a contemporary hotel installed in an 18th century building with a perfect balance between modernity and tradition.
Here wine inspires art: there are 23 thematic rooms each personalised and different. Their design is influenced by painting, graphic design, street art or fashion with special decoration that makes each room unique. But the most amazing thing is the five suites installed on a raised platform designed by Pedro Guimarães: they rotate 35 degrees two times a day so that the guests fall asleep looking at the Santa Tecla Mountains and awake looking at the Minho River.
In their wine cellar ‘The “Enoteca’ guests can find and taste the finest Portuguese wines, paring them with the modern cuisine of their restaurant, where traditional dishes are served with a modern twist.
9. La Calma de Rita – Pirque, Chile
La Calma de Rita is a beautiful hostel located in Pirque, a charming town overlooking the mountains. The hotel is decorated with old recycled objects from the ‘60s, making you feel like you’ve travelled back in time.
There are different cosy rooms, but the ones which are perfect for wine lovers the 14 thousand litres wine barrel rooms!
Guest can explore the area surrounded by vineyards by taking a walk, horseback riding, hiking or biking. For those looking to relax there is a sauna located inside a wine barrel too.
10. Hotel Lindenwirt – Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany
If you’re travelling to the Rhine Valley of Rüdesheim, Germany to visit wineries and enjoy wine tastings, the perfect way to finish the day is by staying inside one of Hotel Lindenwirt’s wine barrels.
A long time ago they were used to hold approximately six thousand litres of wine. But now they have been restored and decorated in order to make their guests feel like fermenting grapes. They are fully equipped with beds and bathrooms, and each barrel has the name of different vineyards of the Rheingaue wine region painted on their doors.
Looking to stay in the middle of wine country? Check out all of our wine hotels here.