The hotels where one eats best in Catalonia

That the iconic El Racó d'En Binu, in Argentona, was born in a hotel is no coincidence. Francesc Fortí traveled and saw that hotels could be fertile ground for a great restaurant to flourish. In fact, the hotel hasn't been operating for years, but the restaurant has. Catalonia is a land of good restaurants and also of great hotels – these yes, in full operation – and charming landscapes. If we put all these elements in a shaker, we'll see that there are a lot of places that defend these attributes. From historic establishments to spaces that were once private and which we can now access to have a great meal and, if necessary, to sleep there. Let's review a few.

One of the best hotels in Catalonia is not located in any big city, quite the opposite. It belongs to Torroja del Priorat, a municipality that in 2025 had 129 registered inhabitants. Here we find the Gran Hotel Mas d'en Bruno, surrounded by the vines with which Clos de l'Obac winery makes its extraordinary Miserere wine. It is a perfect enclave for visiting wineries and staying overnight. Of course, it is a Relais & Châteux and, therefore, not within everyone's reach. But whether you stay overnight or not, it is worth tasting the tasting menu at the Vinum restaurant, located within the hotel, and led by the young and skilled chef Josep Queralt – who had been at Can Bosch in Cambrils for a long time. During lunch service, more people come than are staying at the hotel, and in the evenings, on the other hand, the majority of the public are the guests. In any case, it is open to everyone. Queralt uses local vegetables, langoustines from La Ràpita, mató cheese from Bellmunt del Priorat, or red prawns from Tarragona that accompany a succulent creamy rice. He also serves game meat, such as Priorat wild boar fillet. At other times of the year, you will find roe deer or blue crab from the Delta. Species that bring us problems and that Queralt turns into a delicacy. It goes without saying that wine is a strong point of the restaurant and the hotel, which has a beautiful tasting area. A stay at Mas d'en Bruno with dinner included would be the ideal gift for a wedding.

L'Hostal de la Gavina is one of those iconic places that must be visited at least once. The Ensesa family, owners of the hotel, protected this spot and now we have s'Agaró: a privileged, green and salty environment. Inside the hotel there are three dining options to suit all economic possibilities, all under the direction of the diligent José Pulido. At the entrance there is a terrace with tables and they serve informal food, tapas style. It's a good excuse to make a first approach. Next to the pool, from where you can also see the sea, is the Garbí restaurant. Don't be afraid to go there, it's open to the public and it's one of those trump cards that locals know about. There you will find simple food made with good products. Salt-baked fish, sardines, tomato salad. Little artifice and good. The accolades, in gastronomic terms, are saved for the great restaurant led by Oriol Fernández under the direction of chef Romain Fornell. It is called Candlelight and, as its name suggests, it is an establishment designed for dining by candlelight. A balanced tasting menu with French touches accompanies an evening with live piano and an excellent pairing by sommelier Florian David. A perfect romantic evening.

In the entire Perelada complex, there is a lot of work for us. Because we have a hotel, a golf course, a winery, a restaurant in a castle, and a museum. We will review them in this order. Inside the hotel there is a restaurant that bears the seal of Paco Pérez. The chef of Miramar, in Llançà, and of Enoteca, at the Arts hotel, defends the restaurant L'Olivera. There, surrounded by bottles or on the terrace overlooking the golf course, they serve an à la carte menu and a well-executed tasting menu. A visit to the winery is highly recommended. Designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architects RCR with the help of the winery's oenologist, Delfí Sanahuja, it is an impressive building that surprises those who visit it. There, you can also buy wine. And we end with the crown jewel, the Castell de Perelada restaurant, with one Michelin star, led by two great professionals, chef Javi Martínez and the head of dining room and king of the cheese trolley Toni Gerez. Furthermore, the restaurant is celebrating its tenth anniversary this summer with a special menu. There are no bad tables, but on summer nights, people scramble to get those on the castle terrace. Next door, by the way, is the museum with a wonderful collection of glass and a library with hundreds of editions of Don Quixote. All of this covers a large area. The castle is not far from the hotel, but perhaps someone will prefer to drive. Another option is to ask the hotel to take you there.

Atop the castle of Miravet, as if you were a Templar, you feel the weight of this country's history. Precisely the castle is one of the protagonists of the Villa Retiro restaurant's menu. Which is why after devouring it, you may feel the need to head over to visit this almost impregnable fortress. This year Villa Retiro has been running for twenty years, and Fran López has created a tribute menu in which each sequence of dishes is inspired by an important place in the Terres de l'Ebre. One will be the cathedral of wine in El Pinell de Brai, another very interesting visit to understand what happened in this place before and after phylloxera. This celebration of two decades is a vindication of the territory through its products too, which can be seen in dishes like the Iberian goat country pâté or the Villa Retiro has been running for twenty years, and Fran López has created a tribute menu in which each sequence of dishes is inspired by an important place in the Terres de l'Ebre. One will be the cathedral of wine in El Pinell de Brai, another very interesting visit to understand what happened in this place before and after phylloxera. This celebration of two decades is a vindication of the territory through its products too, which can be seen in dishes like the Iberian goat country pâté or the eel "xapadillo" with romesco sauce. The space of both the restaurant and the hotel is beautiful. An idyllic garden, and the rooms spread over two areas, one modern with comfortable stays and another in the imposing Indian building. The restaurant has defended a Michelin star since 2009. In addition, there is a cooking school and it manages a recognized catering service in the area.

It is evident that the capital also has good restaurants located within hotels. The offer is very diverse and can also be a good option for those Catalans who live outside the metropolitan area and visit the city. Or for Barcelonians who want to spend a different night. And if not, as in all other cases, you can simply go there to eat. At the Mandarin Oriental, there is Moments, by Raül Balam Ruscalleda, which is in a state of grace with its menus based on seasonal produce. At Aleia, Casa Fuster's restaurant, they are celebrating this year because they have been awarded two stars. There are other hotels that have opted for haute cuisine, as is the case with the InterContinental, where Víctor Torres prepares haute Catalan cuisine. The chef, by the way, you can also find him in Arbúcies, at Les Magnòlies. And if we go to the pinnacle of haute cuisine, the best three-star restaurant in a hotel is undoubtedly Lasarte, which combines the precision of Paolo Casagrande and the know-how of the room manager Joan Carles Ibáñez. You can find it at the Monument Hotel.