Pago Del Vicario — Restaurant in Ciudad Real

We chose this hotel as a stop off between Andalusia and Madrid, and this was an oddly brilliant stay none of us will forget. ||The hotel is 10km from the nearest town, and was extremely quiet when we stayed on a Tuesday in August. I think there was only one other room taken. ||That made the atmosphere strangely quiet. This was made worse by the fact the pool was being drained for 'essential maintenance' which was even news to the receptionist! ||That said, the value for money was incredible. For €99 for a double room we got an amazing 4 course lunch with some incredible wine, a standard but fine continental breakfast and a free bottle of wine to take away. ||We politely complained about the lack of pool and were offered 5 free bottles of wine between 4 of us, and a refund on entry to the local lido we used instead (3km away; well worth visiting). That took the room rate to just €92. ||The quiet and strangely modernist hotel may have felt a bit like a James Bond villain's lair, but all of the staff there were super friendly and helpful and did all they could to make our stay comfortable. ||I'd never choose to stay in an empty hotel but the weirdness of it all actually made the stay all the more memorable. The surroundings are beautiful and rooms were modern and comfortable (although perhaps not brilliantly maintained over the years; the same goes for the grounds). ||Our stay was rounded off by a sneak peek at the new harvest grapes being processed for the only time that year. ||Overall I wouldn't make this the focal point of a trip to Spain but the wine was genuinely incredible and it's a great...

We chose this hotel as a stop off between Andalusia and Madrid, and this was an oddly brilliant stay none of us will forget. ||The hotel is 10km from the nearest town, and was extremely quiet when we stayed on a Tuesday in August. I think there was only one other room taken. ||That made the atmosphere strangely quiet. This was made worse by the fact the pool was being drained for 'essential maintenance' which was even news to the receptionist! ||That said, the value for money was incredible. For €99 for a double room we got an amazing 4 course lunch with some incredible wine, a standard but fine continental breakfast and a free bottle of wine to take away. ||We politely complained about the lack of pool and were offered 5 free bottles of wine between 4 of us, and a refund on entry to the local lido we used instead (3km away; well worth visiting). That took the room rate to just €92. ||The quiet and strangely modernist hotel may have felt a bit like a James Bond villain's lair, but all of the staff there were super friendly and helpful and did all they could to make our stay comfortable. ||I'd never choose to stay in an empty hotel but the weirdness of it all actually made the stay all the more memorable. The surroundings are beautiful and rooms were modern and comfortable (although perhaps not brilliantly maintained over the years; the same goes for the grounds). ||Our stay was rounded off by a sneak peek at the new harvest grapes being processed for the only time that year. ||Overall I wouldn't make this the focal point of a trip to Spain but the wine was genuinely incredible and it's a great...

In what seems to be the middle of nowhere, Hotel Pago del Vicario stands out, figuratively and literally. The hotel and restaurant are part of the single estate vineyard featuring impressive modern style Spanish wines, and a winery designed like a telescope. Likewise, the small hotel is sleek, modern and unique with the utmost attention to detail given to the grounds and buildings. The only Spanish speaking staff are professional, friendly and patient with the American travelers lame attempt at Spanish.||||The rooms are a comfortable size with soothing, minimal decor and colors, king size beds and huge picture windows that face out to the vineyard. The modern bathrooms are sleek and impeccably decorated. Only two minor critical points- the shower floors should be slanted more to ensure complete drainage. Also, since the bathroom isn't completely enclosed, there isn't as much privacy as one would expect. ||||Also on the property is a multi-starred restaurant where I had one of the best meals I've ever experienced, rivaling any 3-4 star restaurant in NYC. This is in part to the chef who I understand trained with Feran Adria, and to a meal made up of several courses that are paired perfectly with the Pago del Vicario wines.||||If you're traveling to Madrid, Hotel Pago del Vicario is worth the side trip (2 hours...