Somiatruites — Restaurant in Igualada

So this review is mainly for the hotel, as sadly we didn't get round to trying the restaurant!

We were invited to Igualada for a family friend's wedding and when I looked for accomodation Somiatruites stood out from a bunch of bland looking places. It looked great and was a very good price so we booked a room and looked forward to our May adventure.

Once we finally got there, delayed flight, we were so happy! This place is amazing, easily one of the nicest places I've stayed in Spain.

We were checked in by the lovely Augustin, who while rushed as he was working the restaurant also, took us through everything to do with the rooms and made us all feel really welcome.

The rooms where absolutely fab. The whole vibe of the place is quite contemporary and a focus on the use of sustainable materials. So lots of wood, metal, some 'raw' finishes which I actually quite like.

The bed was fantastic, we meant to look at what brand it was because I want one in the UK.

Bathroom had a quirky setup, the shower was above the bath and you stand on a platform with a grate - slide it out the way for a bath. I think this needs just a big grate really instead of the solid part of the cover, as it could get quite wet, but the shower was lovely, and my girlfriend loved the bath. There's no door to the bathroom, so be comfortable with the person you are sharing the room with.

Space and lighting is fab, sockets are in good places for charging electronics. We had a room that overlooks the square outside, so the balcony had lovely views, but also some good privacy from the other rooms.

There was water for us and a nice selection on the mini-bar. We don't usually bother with them, but Augustin told us it was cheap and he was right! €20 euro for some lovely red wine, Vichy Catalan, coke and the local tax when we checked out was super reasonable.

The only complaint I have about the decor was that we didn't have any space to put the cases away! I got mine on a wardrobe shelf, but my girlfriend's was a tiny bit to big to shut the door. We managed fine though and used to living out of cases. Could have done with a couple more hooks on the walls to hang towels or jackets easily at hand, the two by the bed where a bit high and awkward position!

Area around the hotels is a mix of old buildings and industrial. Felt safe round there and was very quiet most of our long weekend stay, except the Monday and Tuesday morning! There was big event setting up on the streets and local buildings so got a little noisy first thing, but was super quiet Monday evening.

Parking is free on the street, we always managed a space close and the car was fine.

Overall, one of my favourite places I've ever stayed in Spain. Igualada may not be a tourist destination really, but we are keen to go back and revisit Somiatruites, try the restaurant and just wander round this...

Staying at this excellent hotel with a restaurant from the Michelin Guide was one of the best experiences of my life. The room featured a unique design elements, one of which a bed suspended from the ceiling by ropes, with adjustable height from the floor. This proved to be incredibly convenient and our children absolutely loved it. The room's design was filled with intriguing secrets that captivated our kids' imagination.

The highlight of our stay was undoubtedly the breakfast. It was, without a doubt, the most delicious breakfast we've ever had.

When it came to dinner, it was a culinary experience beyond compare. The flavors, presentation, and service were truly exceptional, leaving us in awe.

To add to the magic of our stay, we had the pleasure of enjoying a bath with a view, which added an extra layer of luxury to our experience.

Moreover, the hotel provided Netflix for kids, making it even more family-friendly. Our children were entertained when we needed some downtime.

The service from the staff was outstanding. We were able to communicate with them via WhatsApp, which made everything incredibly convenient.

Lastly, the hotel's interiors were a masterpiece of creativity, with an eco-friendly and natural design that was exceptionally beautiful. It truly felt like we were in a work of art.

In summary, our stay at Somiatruites was nothing short of...

TITULAR: SOMIATRUTES 15 - BARJEITER 0

Somiatruites es un hotel - restaurante situado en Igualada, en la antigua colonia industrial peletera de la ciudad. Está ubicado en una antigua nave industrial de estilo modernista catalán.

Arquitectónicamente hablando, seré breve y poco técnico, un 9.

El menú está compuesto por 4 entrantes, 4 platos, una bebida, pan y 3 postres. Muy inteligentemente, no consta de 4 primeros y 4 segundos, ya que una vez te presentan los platos, claramente no es un menú convencional, es una broma de mal gusto. Se trata de platos fusión, entre lo autóctono y lo importado, entre la tradición y el presente. Eso si, la opción veggie es inexistente… supongo por su pasado de peletería animal (ironía). Una asignatura pendiente de éste y otros muchos restaurantes. Aún así, los platos aparentemente parecen interesantes. De primerad. De entrante he pedido el tataki de atún con verduras al miso i pan bao. Qué decir… un fraude en toda regla. Un único pan bao de elaboración industrial, con un fuerte olor y sabor a conservantes. 20 gramos de 3 hortalizas cortadas en juliana, dudo que sean del tejado hortícola del que presumen en su web. 3 tiras de atún con serias dudas de si es fresco o congelado, cubierto ligeramente de una salsa con sésamo y mostaza. Miso, por ningún lado. Viendo el plato, las interpretaciones del tataki, cada vez son más libres. En 2 minutos, ya te has acabado el primer plato. La inteligente estrategia, es decir que es un entrante y no un primer plato, pero por 15 euros, me parece todavía más descarado el fraude gastronómico. El plato es más propio de un platillo con ración individual de diez platos de menú degustación, no de menú de mediodía.

De segundo, para ellos, “plato” a secas, he tenido la fantástica idea de pedir fish and chips. Me han traído un plato más generoso en cantidad respecto al primero o para ellos, “entrante”. Un lomo de merluza de unos 100 gr cortado en 4 tiras, una patata entera cortada en gajos frita y una salsa tártara. La patata estaba rica, bien frita, de ración perfecta. El pescado, esta vez parecía fresco. El rebozado muy bien ejecutado, pero extremadamente oleoso, frito inexplicablemente con aceite refinado de girasol… para las cantidades tan pequeñas que sirven, podrían utilizar un virgen extra maduro, para evitar el intenso sabor de los aove verdes, por ejemplo, un aove empletre de la Terra Alta, entre otras opciones. Se me ha repetido la fritura hasta las 19:00 horas de la tarde. Para finalizar la tragedia, la estrategia mejora. Un postre en cantidad, muy rico, para que te vayas con buenas sensaciones. Pedí el clafoutis de higos y arándanos y estaba, francamente delicioso, lo mejor del menú a mi elección.

La experiencia ha sido bastante negativa, de aquellas que te impide repetir. Ya hemos empezado mal, ya que las malas caras por atendernos a las 15:00 horas, justo 45 minutos antes de cerrar cocina, han sido muy desagradables. Quise venir una vez anteriormente, y no me dejaron pasar. Me miraron con mala cara, como si la ropa que llevaba no era la adecuada. Casi tengo que ir al outlet Macson que hay a 20 metros a pedir consejo de cómo vestir para entrar en Somiatruites. Quizás pensaban que me iría sin pagar o algo así y se reservaron el derecho de admisión. Hoy, una vez en el interior, han tardado en atendernos más de 15 minutos para tomar nota, 10 minutos para servirnos el primero, 20 minutos para el segundo y más de 10 minutos para el postre. Priorizan la limpieza del local, antes que servir a los clientes, mientras existen comensales esperando. Van como locos en recoger para poder acabar antes el servicio y marcharse. De echo, mientras pagaba, la mitad de los empleados de la cocina ya no estaban.

Vino correcto pero escaso, pan congelado, 3 trozos para 2 personas, café nespresso… Nada más que añadir. Desde que entras hasta que te vas, respiras únicamente ego en todo aquello que rodea al restaurante, ego de quien es propietario y chef. Está sobrevalorado y no se merece 4,4 de media. Mi espectativa ha caído como el Dow...