The Location
Let’s begin with our bearings. Everyone knows Barcelona; from there, we drive an hour and a half north on the highway past Girona, then turn inland into a landscape that feels almost enchanted. In the distance, the snowcapped Pyrenees rise to nearly 3,000 meters (about 9,800 feet), while below, meadows glow with yellow blossoms. It is the kind of countryside that invites long, indulgent road rides or leisurely gravel explorations between ancient stone villages.
A narrow lane eventually winds up to a 17th-century estate: all weathered stone, climbing vines and a sense of quiet permanence. At the door, Berta, the ever-charming house manager, gives us a warm welcome.
This is Off Grid Girona: 10 charming rooms, a pool, a yoga studio, a bike garage, a restaurant and bar, plus a four-bedroom apartment in a separate house for families or small groups.
The host
The driving force behind it all is Gerard Greene, an Englishman who has come here to realize a very different vision of hospitality. Gerard is no novice: As a co-founder of Yotel, he helped shake up the industry with its capsule concept of compact rooms in prime locations at accessible prices. There’s even one on Times Square in New York.
After parting ways with his investors some years ago, he went looking for an antidote: “Something beautiful and meaningful, in the sun, with mountains, the sea and plenty of nature,” as he puts it. He found it almost by chance at an auction: a hillside estate, which he restored with admirable restraint. There is no design gimmickry here – only local materials, fabrics and objects that root the house firmly in its surroundings.
The Place
This is not a five-star wellness retreat in the conventional sense. Rather, it feels like the home of a well-traveled friend with excellent taste and even better ideas about how to bring a place to life.
On our visit in early spring, three other guests were in residence, all of whom we met over dinner at a long communal table. The evening unfolded as a Catalan feast: vegetable and fish bruschetta, salad from the house’s own permaculture garden, followed by a generous seafood paella and a deeply chocolatey dessert. It was cooking of a remarkably high standard. Just let the kitchen know in advance if you want dinner at the hotel.
Gerard’s fondness for natural wines is evident, too; bottles are readily available, often taken from the honesty bar and enjoyed by the pool as the light fades.
A brief aside: The IPA from the nearby Hopsters brewery in Besalú (Gerard took us there by bike the next day) comes highly recommended.
The Rooms
We stayed in Room 1, effectively a small two-room suite upstairs, with morning sun and a freshly renovated bathroom. The view stretches across the pool to a monastery beyond. Throughout the house, Gerard has restored original antiques (writing desks, armchairs, paintings), which give the interiors a quietly authentic air. One feels, at moments, as though inhabiting the refined residence of a Spanish count.
Even the standard double rooms are impeccably done, with newly fitted bathrooms, some retaining original tiles. Special praise goes to the duvets from a local workshop; they have the soft, lived-in feel of a perfectly worn James Perse T-shirt. One could, quite happily, spend an entire day in bed.
In the adjacent building, the four-bedroom apartment offers a more private option for families or groups.
Cyclists
Off Grid Girona describes itself as a retreat, and that feels entirely apt. Gerard is an avid cyclist, and the garage is thoughtfully equipped for larger groups. Road, gravel and mountain bikes are easy to rent in Girona (something of a European cycling capital), and the surrounding terrain is exceptional.
In spring, especially, we’d recommend booking some rooms with a group of friends for a week of training. Greene has mapped out some 30 routes from the door, from 15 to 150 kilometers (about 10 to 95 miles), each as scenic as the last.
Gerard also organizes cycling retreats; check the Off Grid Cycle website for dates and details.
Yoga
The property also lends itself beautifully to yoga retreats of all kinds.
Surroundings
Despite its seclusion, the wider region is within easy reach. The beaches of the Costa Brava are about 40 minutes away, via Figueres toward Empuriabrava. Cadaqués, arguably the most enchanting coastal town, is about an hour away. Girona’s old town is a 30- to 40-minute drive, and even Perpignan, across the French border, is little more than an hour away.
Ideal for
At its best, Off Grid Girona is experienced as a place for full relaxation: a place to gather a small group and make full use of everything on offer (bikes, workshop, chef, pool and seamless housekeeping), say for a spring cycling escape.
That said, couples and solo travelers will find it just as appealing: a relaxed summer retreat with reasonable prices where one quickly falls into conversation with like-minded guests and, before long, feels part of an easygoing community.
Kids
Children must be 14 or older.
Prices
Doubles from about 180 euros per night, including breakfast; suites cost a bit more.
Booking & Contact
Off Grid Girona
Mas Salvanera
Carretera Maià de Montcal
17850 Beuda (Girona)
Spain
