Hotel Echaurren (Ezcaray)

Hotel Echaurren occupies a historic building at Calle Padre José García 19 in Ezcaray, a stone village in the Sierra de la Demanda mountains, 60 kilometres southwest of Logroño and approximately three kilometres from the Valdezcaray ski resort. The property has been operated by the Paniego family for five generations since its founding in 1898, earning Relais & Châteaux membership in recognition of its standards. The hotel combines a traditional stone exterior with warmly decorated interiors that blend classic Rioja character with contemporary comfort, positioned opposite the village's historic Santa María Church. Room options span Classic, Superior, and Suite categories, each equipped with flat-screen satellite television, private bathrooms with free toiletries, and a welcome pack that includes a bottle of local wine. Dining is the defining feature of the property: four restaurants operate on-site, led by El Portal de Echaurren, which holds two Michelin stars under chef Francis Paniego — the first restaurant in La Rioja to receive a star (2004) and the first to earn a second (2013). Echaurren Tradición, the original family restaurant, focuses on classic Rioja recipes and carries a Repsol Sun. Bistró El Cuartito and the Tapas Bar in the Fireplace Room serve lighter meals and regional pintxos. Service is family-oriented and attentive, with concierge staff experienced in arranging mountain excursions, wine-country day trips to nearby bodegas, and skiing logistics for the Valdezcaray slopes. The surrounding sierra provides summer hiking routes and dramatic winter scenery, making the hotel a year-round destination for gastronomy and mountain tourism.