Costa Brava – A Week of Pampering at Hotel Terraza

After all the craziness of the TBEX conference in Girona, I was really looking forward to relaxing for a few days in Roses, which has been declared by UNESCO as one of the most beautiful bays in the world. As part of the post-TBEX arrangements, I was set to spend a full week of pampering at the Hotel Terraza; since I decided to choose this place because of its proximity to the Cap de Creus National Park, which is one of my favorite places in Catalonia.

When I booked my stay, I didn’t have no real expectations; I was just happy to sleep on the same bed for seven consecutive nights and to have a base that would allow me to further explore the area. In fact, when I arrived to the Hotel Terraza, I didn’t find it to be very impressive; I thought it looked just like any other fancy four stars hotel, with its classic and sober decor. And when I got locked out of my room due to a malfunction with the door, I questioned my choice to stay here and even wondered if everything would just go downhill from there. However, this matter was handled so smoothly, that my mind was put at ease and it made me realise that there is something different about this place.

One of the points that sets the Hotel Terraza apart is that since its birth in 1935, it has always been a family enterprise; in which the members of the Gotanegra clan personally look after their guests. As a matter of fact, soon after my door problem was sorted out, I found out that the person who came to fix it, was none other than one of the Gotanegra siblings. Additionally, the lady who was every morning making sure that all guests were taken care of at the breakfast buffet, is actually their mother! Now, that’s something you don’t see everyday :)

During my visit, I also got a chance to speak with Miquel Gotanegra; he takes care of the daily running of the hotel and is always looking for ways to make guests enjoy their stay. He mentioned that their steadiest customers, a couple with 52 years of marriage, have been staying regularly at the hotel for 49 years! In fact, they’ve met all the four generations of Gotanegra whose lives are interlinked with the hotel’s, form its start until today.

Apart from their sense of hospitality, I also enjoyed the food at Hotel Terraza; there was always something different to taste and the quality of the meals was consistently top-notch. But it shouldn’t come as a surprise, as this is another cornerstone of their business. Since the beginning, food has been an integral part of their offering and today Toni Gotanegra heads the kitchen of their restaurant La Cuina d’en Norat, keeping with the family’s tradition and passion for good food. For their 75th year celebration, some of Spain’s most famous chefs came to celebrate with them; Ferran Adrià, who is a close friend, was among them.

Each night I stayed at the Hotel Terraza, I looked forward to dinner; most of the times there was something special and surprising. Of all the dishes I sampled, the most unusual was the one pictured bellow. When I first saw it, I thought it looked like allioli, a typical Catalan sauce. However, it was made of goat cheese and the texture was so light that it melted in my mouth; it was like tasting air!

In the end, it was great to stay at the Hotel Terraza and I’m convinced my experience in Costa Brava wouldn’t have been the same if I hadn’t. If you’re ever around Roses and need a place to stay, I’d definitely recommend this place :) For booking information, you should visit their website here.

As mentioned above, my time at the Hotel Terraza was sponsored by the hotel itself and was part of the TBEX event in Girona in collaboration with the Costa Brava Tourism Board. However, all opinions and views are my own, as usual.