Between vineyards and on the banks of the Duero River, a unique experience is lived, that of becoming a contemporary apostle in an environment with nine centuries behind him.
This is the goal of
Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine
, a 12th-century Romanesque convent converted into a
luxurious and unique five-star hotel with 30 rooms
where time stands still... or, at least, passes at a different pace.
Here
a vow of silence is not required like the monks who inhabited it
, but almost, because there is
nothing to disturb the peace
that is breathed between its walls.
Not even the kestrels and the goldfinches that fly over the bell tower, where a couple of storks nest, are noisy.
They are part of
such a beautiful scene
that look like
props
.
But they are not, because everything that surrounds this bucolic space two hours from Madrid and located in the middle of the
golden mile of
wine, is real.
"We are not a hotel, we are a destination
. Here we manage happiness, we manage emotions," summarizes
Enrique Valero
, general manager of Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine, who
has just turned ten.
It is this Sevillian with extensive experience in the world of wine and wineries who leads a team of one hundred people (50 more in the cellar) in charge of making sure that everything runs like clockwork without the guest noticing, because
the service is almost invisible.
"We have an exceptional human team and a ratio of three employees per room, something that is not common in luxury hotels, where the average is less than one", explains Valero.
Most of the employees, moreover, are residents of
Sardón del Duero
, the town where the winery and its
700 hectares of vineyards
are located , and the old abbey, restored with great care and respect for its history.
Both make up a unit.
"This is not a winery plus a hotel," clarifies the director, who has been clear about this concept of unity since he took the reins of the winery, 13 years ago, after passing through Marqués de Griñón, González Byass and Diageo among other companies.
Aerial view of the hotel, with the outdoor pool. CEDIDA
Although the winery and the hotel go hand in hand, they can be separated into independent visits and experiences.
It is not necessary, for example, to be staying to take a tour of the property and its vineyards.
A
4x4 tour of the estate and its viewpoints to discover the flora (a
350-year-old oak
among its jewels
) and the fauna (here
roe deer, genets, wild boars and even some wolves
roam freely ), as well as a
complete tasting of Wines
in the cellar cost 80 euros.
The visit can end with lunch at Calicata, the winery's
wine bar
, with a letter signed by
Marc Segarra
, the executive chef of Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine.
This year, in addition, they are celebrating because Abadía Retuerta has obtained the
Protected Designation of Origin for Vino de Pago
, the highest distinction regulated in the Wine Law.
Nor is it necessary to be a hotel guest to enjoy
dinner at Refectorio
, the Michelin-starred restaurant that occupies the former monks' dining room, a space dominated by a
fresco of The Last Supper, from 1670.
The Catalan chef Marc Segarra came to Refectory in 2016 by the hand of Andoni Luis Aduriz.
At 35 years old, he is one of the essential chefs in Castilla y León who, in addition to maintaining the star obtained in 2014, has obtained a
Green star
, a distinction that Michelin grants to those restaurants that are
committed to sustainability
and apply
responsible practices with the environment
.
The Refectory restaurant, located in the old monks' refectory. CEDIDA
All the ingredients in Segarra's kitchen are from kilometer 0 and come from the vicinity of Abadía Retuerta, such as the
175 kinds of plants and vegetables
that
Víctor Frechilla
cultivates with care in the
old monks' garden that he has managed to recover.
Sustainability, in fact, is one of the axes of Abadía Retuerta.
"It is one of my obsessions - underlines the CEO - both in the hotel and in the vineyards, and I can assure you
that we recover more than we destroy
".
The
restoration of the convent
itself is an example of sustainability.
The monastery, founded in 1146 by one of the daughters of Count Pedro Ansúrez, lord of Valladolid, was in a very deteriorated state when its rehabilitation was undertaken in 2008. Previously,
the building had been in the hands of a cereal company
that used it as
barn and accommodation for several families
who worked in the fields and had a
small school and a grocery store
.
The abbey, before its restoration, when it was dedicated to agricultural tasks.
The Italian architect
Marco Serra
restored its splendor while maintaining its essence.
The old quarters of the monks are now
spacious rooms
with all kinds of details and
views of the lush vineyards
that shine in all their splendor in September.
A bottle of Abadía Retuerta Selección Especial and a crystal bread with cheese spread await the customer as soon as they cross the threshold of the room.
The chef Marc Segarra in the garden of the monks. CEDIDA
The
spa
, included in the price of the room, is another of the great attractions of Abadía Retuerta.
Located in the
old stable area and excavated underground
but with 80% natural light, it occupies more than a thousand square meters that hide a
heated pool, Jacuzzi, relaxation room, sauna and showers scented with mango and lavender
.
Here the client is received with a tasting of wines and oils and experiences adapted to their tastes and needs are designed.
In addition, a team of professionals is in charge of the
à la carte massages
that can also be requested by reservation.
The
wellness
experience can also include
meditation sessions with Tibetan bowls and yoga
in a room next to the gym, equipped with the latest technology in equipment.
The
outdoor pool
is another of the jewels that the hotel treasures, surrounded by gardens and
a pool bar service,
where snacks or cuisine prepared on a vine shoot grill is served.
It could be the busiest area, but not even the dips manage to break the peace and tranquility of the environment.
Enrique Valero made a special effort to make Abadía Retuerta a
slow
tourism ecosystem
and the perfect setting for
unique experiences.
From horseback rides or bicycle rides,
balloon flights
over the estate and the area's wineries, country snacks, tastings of historic vintages,
experiences related to art
(another of the axes of Abadía Retuerta, which houses a collection from the Renaissance Italian until the 20th century), with
astronomy
or falconry... everything is possible here.
Stargazing is one of the experiences offered by Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine. CEDIDA
One of the latest projects that has been added to this list of experiences is
N 122 Valle del Duero
(or Duero Valley), in which, in addition to Abadía Retuerta, two other wineries (
Pago de Carraovejas and Arzuaga
) and three Michelin stars participate: the
Refectory, Taller Arzuaga and Ambivium restaurants
.
"We have created a
unique destination
, there is no place in the world with three Michelin stars within 30 kilometers, born in addition to winery projects. It is an
experiential and gastronomic tourism project
at the level of others of international renown.
The three wineries are close and we share the same road, the N 122. The excuse is gastronomy and wine, but add landscape, history, culture, crafts... "explains Valero.
The heated spa pool.
You may be wondering who are the lucky ones who enjoy this
paradise among vineyards
.
After the pandemic, a time that he recognizes was "very hard, we had 90 people with nothing to do", Abadía Retuerta has recovered the occupation prior to the closure.
Approximately
60% of their clients are foreigners,
most of them from the
United States
(around 21%), although they also have an important portfolio of Latin American guests, especially
Mexicans
and Brazilians, as well as English and German regulars to
wine tourism
.
The
remaining 40% is a national client
, especially from Madrid and the north of Spain.
And many repeat, of course.
More information:
Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine.
N 122 Km 332 5, Sardon de Duero (Valladolid).
www.abadia-retuerta.com.
From 505 euros room with breakfast.
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Valladolid
Castile and Leon