A masterpiece between the Rioja Alavesa vineyards, the doors of which will open on 1 September. Winegrowing tradition and avant-garde art: luxury, vineyards and relaxation.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts adds yet another luxury hotel to its long list of hotels worldwide. The Marqués de Riscal Hotel, a Luxury Collection hotel in the heart of the Rioja Alavesa region of Spain, will be opening its doors on 1 September.

Designed and built by Frank O. Gehry, one of the world’s most renowned architects and author of works of art like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, The Marqués de Riscal Hotel merges deep-rooted wine-growing tradition with twenty-first century avant-garde design.

Nestled in the renowned Vinos de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal’s vineyard in the mediaeval village of Elciego, the hotel’s spectacular curves, titanium roof and asymmetric walls provide an elegant contrast to the historic wine cellars designed in 1858 by the architect Ricardo Bellsola. The hotel’s 43 luxury rooms and suites, each unique and different in shape and views offered, are “thrown” in two buildings connected by a spectacular suspended footbridge.

Gehry’s personal and exclusive project of interior design, characterised by its forms, colours and materials, offers an authentic avant-garde vision. The leather and raw maplewood of the suites and the dark marble of the bathrooms melt harmoniously with the most advanced technology. State-of-the art “Beovision” televisions by Bang & Olufsen, VOIP telephones and WIFI internet access in all areas of the hotel combine perfectly with avant-garde furniture, lamps and headboards, designed exclusively for the Marqués de Riscal Hotel, and the quality and comfort of Luxury Collection beds and linens.

The world of wine and the world of gastronomy meet at The Marqués de Riscal Hotel. Guests can taste the creative and traditional Basque-Riojan cuisine of Francis Paniego, who in 2004 was the first Riojan chef to receive a Michelin star. Starting this autumn, guests will have the opportunity to attend culinary classes conducted by chef Paniego. The hotel also offers a more informal wine bar and a rooftop lounge with breath-taking panoramic views. Its cozy fireplace will be perfect for guests who want to sample the thousands of wines from around the world found in the hotel’s cellars or enjoy the reading of one of the 1,000 books in the library, all of them with topics related to the luxury world. Guests can also experience the entire process of wine production, from the most traditional to the newest and technologically most advanced processes.

Guests are invited to indulge in the wine therapies of The Caudalie Vinothérapie Spa, recognised in 1994 by the Conde Nast Traveller magazine as the Best European Spa and in 2006 with the Monaco Award. The spa offers a broad selection of relaxing, energising, slimming and anti-aging treatments and sensations based on the grape’s purest essences and other natural ingredients such as brown sugar, honey and oils.

The Marqués de Riscal Hotel also offers modern meeting, conference, event and banquet services. There is a modern auditorium with capacity for 100 people and several multi-functional spaces for informal meetings, cocktails or social events. The old 1,200 square metre cellar has been converted into a large banquet venue with a maximum sitting capacity of 350 people and the possibility of dividing the space into different sections.

As with all Luxury Collection hotels around the world, The Marqués de Riscal concierge will provide guests with the most enriching experiences to savor the beauty, culture and gastronomical richness of the area, whether by bicycle, on horseback or by hot-air balloon. There are over 55 Luxury Collection hotels and resorts around the world, including the Maria Cristina (San Sebastian) and Alfonso XIII (Sevilla) in Spain, Hotel Danieli in Venice, The Imperial in Vienna, the Hotel Grand Bretagne in Athens and The Phonenician in Arizona. Each is unique, providing the discerning global traveller with an experience that is authentic to the destination, and that is what will be found at The Marqués de Riscal Hotel.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is represented locally by the Westin Dragonara Resort, Le Meridien St Julian’s and Le Meridien Balluta.