Aire de Bardenas in the heart of Navarra, by Bardenas Reales Nature Reserve, is a new hotel concept – single-story design surrounded by nature, forming part of the landscape. This luxury design hotel was designed by Barcelona-based architects Emiliano López and Mónica Rivera. While some refer to Aire de Bardenas as a moon base, this architectural jewel is truly outstanding, because of its setting into such an unusual environment, its luxury facilities, as well as the high quality of self-produced food that is served at the restaurant.
The rooms are designed to give a sense of being immersed in the natural world, which is something incredibly rare nowadays, with the luxury of always having someone there to assist with any questions or challenges.
Even when you are inside, you feel as though you are outside because of all the windows, and that’s the magic of the place.
NATALIA, THE OWNER
The hotel is designed to enhance the beauty of the natural landscape traditionally used for farming and olive grows by the native Basque people. The main façade of the hotel is built from containers originally used to store and transport farm produce and serves to protect the rest of the complex from the wind that blows in from the surrounding plains and miles of lazy wheat fields. Rooms and pavilions are built using wood and steel and form a free-standing arrangement around a central courtyard.
The hotel serves seasonal and locally-sourced foods in a Spanish restaurant. Local attractions include ancient towns, monasteries, and wine-making regions. Arrive at the right time and you could be there to catch the original adrenaline sport, ‘The Running of the Bulls’ where a furious wall of horns and muscle are released down the narrow village roads and local men attempt to escape with their bodies intact. This is real and it happens in local townships on the festivals of St. James and St. Anne.
