Like a robust bottle of red from Spain’s Tarragona province, Gran Hotel Mas d’En Bruno is known for its unique character and high quality.
The glamorous five-star retreat is set on a historic estate in Priorat, Catalonia’s ruggedly beautiful and seemingly untouched winemaking region. From its gastronomic restaurant poised to earn a Michelin star to the wine-bottle-shaped infinity pool looking out onto rolling vineyards and majestic mountains, this hotel honors its terroir – and you don’t need to be an oenophile to appreciate its elevated taste level.
American-born, Mallorca-based hotelier and developer David Stein, chairman and CEO of The Stein Group, visited the rustic property in 2019 and was hooked. After the acquisition, the hotel underwent a meticulous renovation and opened in 2023. It joined the esteemed Relais & Châteaux association that same year.
The land has an impressive vintage – it was gifted by Carthusian monks to the namesake Bruno family in 1797 – and a scenic location. Just two hours from Barcelona by car, it’s perfect for a weekend getaway from the city; a hiking, rock climbing or e-biking holiday in the nearby Serra de Montsant Natural Park (the Grand Canyon of Spain); or a viniculture tour of the local wineries.
Stein tapped Barcelona-based Astet Studio to transform the interiors of the 18th-century farmhouse and the atelier into a high-design haven with modern amenities. The 24 oak-lined suites – split between the two buildings – are decorated in earthy colors and appointed with curved furniture, much of it custom. Each spacious guest room features panoramic vineyard views, beamed ceilings, an incredibly comfortable king-size bed dressed in Egyptian cotton sheets, luxurious red marble baths with soaking tubs and separate rain showers. Most have double-sided fireplaces and private terraces or patios for sunning and sipping local wines from the minibar.
The common spaces are equally elegant. Look closely at the walls, as original works by Marc Chagall, David Hockney, Frank Stella, Christo and other artists are hanging. A sparkly glass “grape” light fixture by Stein and Astet illuminates a staircase.
The main on-site activity is relaxing. That means taking a dip in the magnificent 98-foot outdoor infinity pool, enjoying a tasting in the spectacular new wine cellar or unwinding in the stone-walled spa. Built in the former wine and olive mill, the latter has a sauna and water circuit with indoor heated pool, Jacuzzi, hammam, hot and cold showers. Facial and body treatments using Foosh Beauty – a new eco-correct brand made from grape byproducts – or Natura Bissé are available in the two treatment rooms.
To venture further afield, guests can rent e-bikes from the hotel ($35 for four hours with helmet and lock) or an electric Mini Cooper ($80 for a half day) and explore surrounding towns like Siurana, a charming clifftop village with the ruins of an Arabian castle, or the 12th-century Carthusian monastery of Escaladei. The hotel will also set up bike tours with certified guides, helicopter tours and other experiences. And of course there are dozens of wineries in the region to book, including Clos de l’Obac and Atavus.
After all that sightseeing, it’s time to indulge in a superb meal. Dinner with wine pairings here is well worth pausing a diet – and not just for one night, but for the duration of a stay.
During the day, Tarraco serves colorful Mediterranean fare with a Catalan touch poolside, perhaps accompanied by a refreshing cocktail from Bruno’s Bar. At night, Vinum is the place to be. The restaurant is helmed by Josep Queralt, the gifted 29-year-old Catalan chef who trained at five of Spain’s Michelin-starred restaurants, including Cambrils’ Can Bosch and Girona’s El Celler de Can Roca. His three tasting menus and à la carte options celebrate Catalonia’s culinary legacy.
This year, Catalonia was designated The World Region of Gastronomy by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism. To celebrate the honor, Queralt devised Sent Soví, a special tasting menu inspired by the area’s medieval cookbook.
His Vinum menu includes creatively flavorful dishes like wild pork civet from Priorat with beet romesco and homemade brioche, complemented by award-winning wines from the Tarragona region selected by the head sommelier.
As food and wine connoisseurs like to say, what grows together, goes together.
Rates from $435 at at MasDenBruno.com/en/
