Torre de Úriz: architecture, design, nature, and local cuisine are the key elements of the experience at this rural hotel in Navarre
Torre de Úriz: architecture, design, nature, and local cuisine are the key elements of the experience at this rural hotel in Navarre
“Úriz is an ancient town that is highly celebrated for its nobility; thus, most of the houses have their coats of arms. There is a castle or strong tower that is very well-known in the Kingdom.” The Royal Academy of History described the town of Úriz with these words in 1802. More than 200 years later, this small town preserves much of that history among its noble houses. The most important of these houses was in a state of ruin until the Government of Navarre bought it and completely restored it 15 years ago, declaring it a Cultural Heritage Site. And that is how Torre de Úriz went from being an old, fortified tower to becoming a charming rural hotel with six rooms, an elegant lounge, a pleasant dining room, a gardened terrace, and a secluded library connected to the tower by a beautiful wooden walkway. At Torre de Úriz, rustic stone walls, Gothic windows, and wooden ceilings blend with a contemporary and minimalist design that exudes calm and rest.
The hotel is surrounded by a privileged environment: trails, waterfalls, beech forests, observation points, charming villages, unique cuisine, and fresh air. Halfway between the Irati Forest and Pamplona, this accommodation option is an excellent starting point for exploring the numerous activities offered by Navarre – a land of diversity.
The hotel’s culinary philosophy shines through in their breakfasts and dinners, which are offered exclusively to guests. Their value lies in the valley’s small producers and their contribution to the local economy. This is a sustainable approach that focuses on consuming and enjoying foods based on the idea of shopping locally. At breakfast, the rolls are baked every morning, the milk and cheese are from Pyrenean cows, the toast is made from sourdough bread, the jams are homemade, and the eggs are organic. At dinner, the dishes are also made with a variety of quality ingredients that are representative of Navarrese cuisine: white asparagus, ajoarriero (a traditional cod stew from the region), cold cuts by Maskarada, and a very special house salad dressed with olive oil jam from La Ribera. More specifically, the ajoarriero is their specialty: they use a traditional recipe that delighted writer and Nobel Prize Laureate Ernest Hemingway, a lover of this region and its food. He liked it so much that he declared his fascination with cod prepared Navarrese style in his book “The Sun Also Rises.” This is the hotel’s way of keeping tradition alive and paying tribute to this literary master who not only visited Pamplona but also fished, explored, and enjoyed these valleys.
A selection of Navarra DO wines and a collection of craft beers from the Roncal Valley accompany dinners at Torre de Úriz. They work with several wineries, but beverages by Máximo Abete take on special importance. Ancient terroirs from Sierra de Guerinda have been recovered in recent years, achieving unprecedented success for San Martín de Unx, a town whose history is intricately linked to wine production. In addition, sisters María and Yoanna Abete have taken utmost care in the art of bottle design, creating unique shapes with elegant labels that reflect –at a glance– the sensational flavors and aromas of their red wines, white wines, and rosé wines. To surprise beer lovers, Torre de Úriz works with the masters at Xorta, a young Pyrenean craft beer company that offers its excellent, carefully selected varieties at the hotel. As a curiosity, each of their beer varieties is named after a word in the Roncalese dialect of Basque, now extinct, thus leaving these magnificent beverages permanently marked with a hint of the strong mountain personality.
Architecture, design, nature, and local cuisine are the key elements of the Torre de Úriz experience; nevertheless, what makes this hotel stand out most is its host, Jon Martínez Larumbe, whose enthusiasm for his land and warm nature –commonplace in locals from Navarre– come across in every aspect of his hospitality project.
Torre de Úriz Rural Hotel
Calle San Saturnino 3, Úriz.
Tel.: +34 948 415 220
