Hotel Palacio de Casafuerte

Hotel Palacio de Casafuerte occupies a restored 16th-century noble palace in the hilltop village of Zarratón, 40 km west of Logroño in the Rioja Alta wine country and 8 km from Haro. The palace was built for the Casafuerte family, and its Renaissance stone façade, carved heraldic coat of arms above the entrance portal, and original inner courtyard with stone pillars survive as centrepieces of the building. The conversion retained exposed ceiling beams, vaulted stone corridors, and thick fortress walls that moderate interior temperatures naturally in summer, alongside the addition of underfloor heating, modern bathrooms, and contemporary furnishings throughout. Classic rooms are fitted with period or period-reproduction furniture, high ceilings, and views over either the village square or the surrounding vineyards. Superior rooms occupy the palace's principal floor and receive the best natural light through tall sash windows. Suites take corner positions with dual-aspect windows and separate sitting rooms. The restaurant is the hotel's signature offering: the kitchen focuses on Riojan cuisine using locally sourced produce, preparing dishes such as caparrones con chorizo (slow-cooked red bean stew), wood-oven roasted lamb, and peras al vino riojano (pears poached in Rioja wine). The wine cellar holds an extensive selection curated from Rioja Alta producers, including bottles from smaller houses rarely seen outside the subzone. A walled garden with outdoor pool is open in summer, and the surrounding village and vineyard landscape offers easy evening walks. The hotel also serves as a venue for private celebrations and small weddings, which gives the service character a degree of polish and attentiveness.