The Houses of Ea Astei: we visited the Basque estate that has become known for team building activities
The Houses of Ea Astei: we visited the Basque estate that has become known for team building activities
The importance of creating cohesive work teams is a topic that has been under the scrutiny of social psychologists for decades. As early as the beginning of the twentieth century, the Australian social theorist, psychologist, and sociologist Elton Mayo concluded that increased productivity is due to social factors such as employee morale and the existence of satisfactory relationships between members of a work group. Since then, these theories have been applied in practice – especially through team building. Doing joint activities and involving all company employees outside the office setting has become extremely popular, and in this regard there are more and more spaces dedicated to hosting this type of meeting. In the Basque Country, the Houses of Ea Astei are among the most popular retreat hotspots for companies seeking to strengthen bonds between employees and managers. This property is made up of a large park occupied by several buildings with a meeting room, a txoko (a type of Basque gastronomic society), ten homes, and a wellness area.
The meeting room, which can cater for up to thirteen people, includes a projector, screen, sound system, whiteboard, and high-speed Wi-Fi connection, making it an ideal place for product presentations or to hold conferences and courses. Next to this space is the txoko: a spacious hall with views of the forest and which has a full kitchen, a dining area, a pool table, a recreation area, and direct access to the garden. The txoko is ideal for a coffee break, a wine tasting event, and to enjoy a meal prepared by a private chef.
The 10 homes (Ametsa, Lurra, Harria, Ganbara, Txoria, Sabai, Etxola, Garaixe, Vita, and Okana) that the Houses of Ea Astei makes available to companies have very different styles. Ametsa, Lurra, Harria, Ganbara, and Txoria are located in a restored eighteenth-century farmhouse. They are able to sleep two to four guests and all have fully equipped kitchens. Ametsa has a terrace open to nature, Lurra has direct access to the garden area, Harria and Ganbara have large sitting rooms, and Txoria stands out because of its cozy living/kitchen area with a peaked ceiling. The old barn of the farmhouse, completely remodeled, was converted into the Sabai cottage, which can hold up to four people: it has a bedroom with a bathroom and an open space measuring 95 m2 in loft style which features a fireplace and is where the kitchen connects with the living room and the second bedroom. Etxola is an independent wood cabin surrounded by a garden and it has two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living area with a kitchen, and a terrace. Garaixe is a granary built in larch wood featuring a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a private terrace. Sustainability is an important factor in this complex; therefore, when building the Vita and Okana cottages (both in the same building), the most modern and environmentally friendly technology was used, resulting in a self-sufficient building. With contemporary flair, Vita’s 180 m2 can sleep up to six guests and the home is equipped with three bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, as well as a living room/kitchen/dining room with a fireplace and a large terrace with views of the oak and eucalyptus forests. Very similar in style but with a capacity for four people is Okana, which also has a private garden area.
The wellness area (which consists of a heated pool, sauna, and solarium) is the perfect finishing touch to the Houses of Ea Astei – an establishment which welcomes leading companies every year that come with their teams to work on motivation and communication between employees and managers. Surrounded by nature and close to the sea (the estate is in the coastal municipality of Ea), there are countless options for outdoor activities to help ensure a successful social/work getaway.
The Houses of Ea Astei
Barrio Olagorta 6, Ea.
Tel.: +34 619 560 123
